Explanation please?

[rsegerberg]

Could someone please explain the correct procedure for slitting and braining?

I have not bought a book yet as I am waiting for the tampa reptile show to get a signed copy of Kathy Loves book and hopefully one of her snakes.
(4 weeks to go! Yippee!)

I have never had a picky eater but my new okeetee seems to be, I thought I'd try a few things to see if I could get her to eat more easily, right now I have had to leave the F/T pinky in overnight, and this she only ate once.
Thanks for the help.:wavey:
Rolf

[Mr. Maya]

Slitting or Braining means to cut the Skull open and get some brain juice on the outside so it smells tasty for your snake.
I would recommend using a safety pin or sewing needle and poke through the skull, then squeeze a little to get some juice to come out. only a drop is needed. Not as messy. :-puke02:

[rsegerberg]

Thank you very much

[Weebonilass]

A little more detail please... how many times have you offered food to her? How often?

[bitsy]

If you're feeding defrosted pinks, brain them whilst still frozen - less messy than waiting until defrosted. Make a slightly larger hole in the head and smear some brain material on the snout. You can then give the head a quick squeeze before offering it, to extract more liquid.

[Nanci]

Slitting means cutting little snips in the back with a tiny scissors, or whatever. I do that on all my growing snakes' food. I didn't used to, and the first few times I did it, they all went crazy!! It makes the prey easier to digest.

[kathylove]

Have you already tried confining the snake and pink in a small container, such as a deli cup or cottage cheese cup? And have you tried getting the pink quite hot in a hot water dunk (but not hot enough to burn the snake, of course)? Sometimes those tricks will be more temptation than the snake can refuse! If nothing else works, try live pinks a few times. Once on live, it usually isn't too long before it will switch back again to f/t. At least it ate once - that's a start!

[rsegerberg]

Hello everyone and thanks for the replies,
I have had calli for about 3 weeks now. I drove her home, put her in her new home and left her alone. On day 3, when I went to check her water she slid out of her hide and actually came towards me kinda acting hungry or interested or something. So I put her in an empty deli cup dropped in a warmed pinky with my forceps, covered it with a towel and left her in a quiet room. An hour later I checked on her and nothing. Two hours later and nothing. So I gave up on this try, and put her back in her home.

Day six, I did the same as above, except that it was much later in the evening, I think I started at around 9pm when I noticed she was on the prowl. Still nothing after two hours so I figured what the heck. I would leave her overnight with the pinky. When I woke up in the AM pinky is gone and Calli has a lump in her stomach.

Day 11 tried to feed again, same scenario as above, awoke in the morning and pinky is still there. Throw out pinky.

Day 14 Same thing pinky still there. Throw out another pinky. (gotta get another snake to eat the pinkies this girl won't eat)

Day 17 Toss another pinky.

Day 20, Last night, Brained the pinky! Calli struck at it as I was placing it into the deli cup. Pinky is gone after 1 hour. Yahoooooooo!

Brains are good, Brains are great, They are why my Calli Ate! (lol mabe not but seemed to help so thanks everyone.)

[Nanci]

Excellent news!