How long is it *suppose* to take for them to down their meal?

[JustineNYC]

I know a success feed isnt based on how long it takes a corn to get down their mouse, but rather to due with girth but tonight I had a little scare.


My 06 is still on fuzzies, I was told she was a late hatch so shes smaller then she should be, anyway tonight like always I fed her. I dont think the fuzzy was too big but I noticed in the pack their not all the same size, I think some may be considered hoppers. She grabbed it right away and took it down head first.

When she started to swallow, the fuzzies arms got stuck around her mouth in a weird fashion not enabling her to swallow it. They were pointed outward I guess is the best way to describe. If she wouldve picked it up butt first she wouldve been able to down it with no problem cause the arms wouldve just bent and the girth of the fuzzy was fine.


Anyway I wasnt sure if I should do anything or let her handle it on her own but it was in her mouth for quite a while and she began to maneuver it and curl up roll all around with her whole body, almost like she wanted to constrict it. Call me stupid I thought she was choking. Finally she began to stop swallowing and bring it up, after having it almost inside of her mouth and then she picked it up another way and got it down fine.


My question is, now what do I do? I cant control what end she picks them up from. Do I cut the arms off these little things or should I just let her deal with how to get them down on her own cause shes fine now. I ask cause it was the longest it took for her to get something down. Do I just need to chill out?

[Kilala]

Well, i ALWAYS "tease feed" cornflakes, and she's never had a problem. it's my way of making sure she get a bit of a workout, lol. If you feed by hand (or better yet use tongs) like this, you can show her the butt and tease her with that end so that she takes the butt. That's the same way i make cornflakes bite the snout so that it's easier for the head and body to follow. And it's actually a good thing that you're worried about her! it means you love her, lol!

[diamondlil]

I've seen this before, so I usually flex the front legs a bit to make sure they point away from the head, but I have snipped them off before now!

[JustineNYC]

Thank you guys. Ill probably just snip them off then, save myself and her the heartache cause she wasted alot of energy downing it, all because of two stupid legs and they way she picked it up. The back legs and tail seem to bend easier or are more flexible so Ill just snip the fronts.


By the way Kilala, I dont know if its just me and I have weird snakes but they do not like the teasing at all. They literally take off curl up and hide for cover. One of them was feeding one time and as she approach her pinky, it kind of rolled over. She flew into the corner of her container and didnt approach it again for a few minutes....I dont think their into that. Ive never made them eat that way cause they take it on their own.

[antsterr]

you know, let her wrestle with it. It won't hurt her and she will get better at it.

[Eremita]

I never actually thought to do anything about that problem. I have seen that happen several times, but he gets them down eventually; I'd agree with antsterr on this.

-Sean

[bitsy]

It can be a bit nerve-wracking, but I'd agree with leaving her to it, regardless of how long she's taking. She has to learn to deal with food items at some time, so it's best she learns young.

With items that seem to be too large, they generally either:
1) Take their sweet time over swallowing and carry on as normal
2) Manage to swallow it but regurge a few days later
3) Spit it out

Regurging isn't desirable, but neither is it life-threatening if a one-off event and treated properly.

I've never heard of a Corn choking on a food item that's too large. The end of their windpipe is actually in the floor of their mouth rather than the back of their throat, so they're designed to breathe with their mouths stuffed full.

[Yvonne112]

the exact same think happened to me when I was feeding Hendrix, in fact, there's a thread in here somewhere about it. I ended up snipping the little legs off while it was still in his mouth. the poor think just looked sad not being able to swallow his dinner. I was just extremely careful about it at that point. He usually eats butt first, so it's not normally a problem. BUT....last night he was eating a rat fuzzy, and the tail was so long that he had problems eating it, again, because he's a butt muncher. He managed without my help though! :grin01:

[Eriathiel]

Sometimes my babies struggle a bit - but in the end they always get it down! :) I'm sure if you just leave her to it she will figure out a way to get it down!

[JustineNYC]

It can be a bit nerve-wracking, but I'd agree with leaving her to it, regardless of how long she's taking. She has to learn to deal with food items at some time, so it's best she learns young.

With items that seem to be too large, they generally either:
1) Take their sweet time over swallowing and carry on as normal
2) Manage to swallow it but regurge a few days later
3) Spit it out

Regurging isn't desirable, but neither is it life-threatening if a one-off event and treated properly.

I've never heard of a Corn choking on a food item that's too large. The end of their windpipe is actually in the floor of their mouth rather than the back of their throat, so they're designed to breathe with their mouths stuffed full.



Honestly Im not worried about a regurge because I know it wasnt too big. The way she took it in with the arms out was almost like fitting a square in a hole shaped like a circle is the only way I can describe it. I thought maybe the legs would bend but they never did, the more she swallow the more it didnt go anywhere but your right.......after a few minutes of wrestling, she rested a little and tried again, trying to stretch her mouth enough to get her jaw around the legs........finally she brought it back up enough to move it around and at least get one leg into her mouth, then the other followed as she swallowed.


Its just scary cause she is obviously struggling and you dont know what their thinking.....'oh my god i cant swallow this' or 'Ive got this, I just have to turn it a little' ya know lol


On another note when she was done, she fixed her jaw for a few minutes and went on her way.

[JustineNYC]

the exact same think happened to me when I was feeding Hendrix, in fact, there's a thread in here somewhere about it. I ended up snipping the little legs off while it was still in his mouth. the poor think just looked sad not being able to swallow his dinner. I was just extremely careful about it at that point. He usually eats butt first, so it's not normally a problem. BUT....last night he was eating a rat fuzzy, and the tail was so long that he had problems eating it, again, because he's a butt muncher. He managed without my help though! :grin01:



Ill admit I thought about snipping the legs off after she struggled for a while, a long while ........when she started to bring the fuzzy back up.....she never spit it out completely though for me to do it.......but when I reached in there, she pulled away with the mouse in her mouth. I left her alone cause it was obvious she didnt want my help.

[JustineNYC]

Its been a few weeks of more feedings for her, and I just wanted to update this thread in case this ends up coming up in a search because someone has the same problem.


I listened to you guys and left the legs alone on the future feedings, and although the incident with the legs getting stuck did happen again, and continues to, it seems Chloe is now completely prepared for it........


Honestly she is being fed large fuzzies and she is getting them down quicker then she ever was and she is almost "savage" like about it now, striking and squeezing. The first time was a little scary but shes turned into a little pro now.....so much so that I think well be switching to hoppers soon.

So I just wanted to thank you guys, you were right.....letting her wrestle with it made her stronger. Im glad I listened.

[Yvonne112]

that's great to hear!! I'm glad she's turned into a black belt mouser !