Advice on Feeding a hatchling with a small neck kink?

Hi all,

I have a positively amazing stonewashed aztec hatchling female I am trying to save.

She has a very small, barely noticeable neck kink. It is immediately behind her head.

The person I got her from said She ate once on her own, and now hasn't eaten on her own in about 8 weeks. When I got her home, I waited a few days, offered a F/T split pinky, a live pinky, and then I assist-fed a pinky head. I actually thought I had killed her because she swallowed it and it got stuck right at the kink. I thought she wouldn't be able to spit it out or swallow, but after a few minutes it went down just fine.

I am thinking maybe, if she survies, she'll have issues swallowing for her whole life - But I could be wrong?

I am looking for the best way to approach this problem with assist feeding, as well as attempts to get her to eat on her own? I was told to try mouse tails but I've never done that before or heard of it for a corn snake.

Thanks for any suggestions ^_^

Hey snakechaarmer,

I may be way off base here but have you thought of tube feeding her until she gets big enough to be able to swallow on her own.

What I was thinking if you tube fed her until she is the size for like fuzzes you could then feed her two large pinkies that she should be able to swallow on her own power.

Just my 2 cents.

Love the Fatman

Originally Posted by Fatman608

Hey snakechaarmer,

I may be way off base here but have you thought of tube feeding her until she gets big enough to be able to swallow on her own.

What I was thinking if you tube fed her until she is the size for like fuzzes you could then feed her two large pinkies that she should be able to swallow on her own power.

Just my 2 cents.

Love the Fatman

This is something I haven't considered. How would I go about doing this, are you basically meaning a pinky pump? I haven't had the unfortunate experience of using that yet, either

Thanks for your input!

I have never tube fed or pinky pump a hatchling. Katy Love sales the kit online at her website. I would PM Nanci for more info.

Sorry, I could not be more help.

Love the Fatman

Originally Posted by snakechaarmer

This is something I haven't considered. How would I go about doing this, are you basically meaning a pinky pump? I haven't had the unfortunate experience of using that yet, either

Thanks for your input!

Kathy Love describes using ferret food slurry in a feeding tube. It's probably more nutritious than pinks. Tara80 does it too. You could PM either of them for details. It would give this girl a chance to grow enough to swallow properly. Good luck!

Thanks all for the input, I met up with Kathy love yesterday and purchased the tube feeding kit from her at the Repticon Show. Thanks for the great suggestion!

Try the tube feeding, and also try taking water away for about a day and then put the snake in room-temp milk. Apparently people are getting luck with that.

Never heard the milk thing. Will try that.

Thought I would post a pic of the little girl I'm trying to save. She's had 3 assist fed meals so far and kept them down with no problems. Will try the tube soon though.

You may just have to give her small meals that are easier to swallow. Maybe the teeniest pinkies and feed her two -- once she decides to eat on her own.