Ok, this is going to be a long one, I really want to help!
So my babies are a week old now. There are 5 males and 3 females. All 5 males just had their first shed (yesterday and this morning) but so far none of the females have shed yet.
So I offered all 5 that had shed a half a pinky. I figured that the pinkies I had were a little big, and halving them might give them a yummy smell. I offered them the pinky parts in small containers, and left them alone for a few hours. Well, not a single one ate! I guess they didn't know that they were supposed to be hungry after their first shed, at least that's what all the books say!
Looks like I'm going to wait 4 days and try again.
ARGH!!
Hi Beth,
I wanted to let you know, you arent alone (although many posts prior tell you this)! Next is, after having horrible luck with my first clutch ever, who I too was eager to feed after their shed, only a little less then half ate first try (6 or 7 out of 16)! Of course this was the MAIN breeding pair, my weird Hypo Lav back to his Mom or Aunt.....arghghgh!! Anyways, I continued to try all the tricks, until these guys were like 3 -4 weeks and thats when I made the calls below (which was a little late I think). I talked on the phone with a couple very knowledgeable breeders and both told me to wait at least 4-5 days post shed before offering meals, wait till they are nice and hungry. Also, what time of the day are you feeding them? I seem to have much better luck with just after dusk. By then I had stressed them all so much by trying so hard only a couple more started eating, then originally fed in the first place (one with a live, but dying runt pink and the other by simply using tmf vs bc pinks). This year my babies seemed to eat, the 1st time or the 2nd, almost all the 1st time, except the non eaters and no matter what I tried, nothing worked (except noted above), NOT even live (which caused horrible stress on me, as I am very sensitive and would rather see no animal/reptile suffer. But they do when they arent eaten!!!) I
wasted more then 30 dollars in live pinks and at least
5-6 X's that to try and set up a mouse colony which was a COMPLETE disaster! With each following clutch the eating ratio was MUCH better then half! You know what I found to be most useful with first time refusers, wait 5-7 days and then offer tmf? If they refused the normal Big Cheese food, I offered The Mouse Factory pink and down the hatch. Then some of the feeders, established feeders started holding out just to get a TMF they smelled in the other cages, so I had to move them down a few shelves.....lol
The hardest part besides watching my baby snakes starve themselves to death, practically was having to put them down. I felt like a mass murderer as there were 7 to put down in just the 1st clutch of 16. These too contained valuable morphs to my project

It got better with clutches 2, 3, 4, and soon I will let you know how 5 goes. But clutch 4 is the second clutch, to clutch 1 and 7 out of the 9 ate right off the bat, the second try 4? days later, another ate (tmf) and there is only 1 hold out!? But they are slightly different morphs as well? Wonder how much that plays a role? I still have refusers from clutch 2 and 3, but nothing like clutch 1 (which how they survive so long is beyond me?). I have tried everything, I dont know what else to do. Pet stores around here already have wholesalers (PetSmart and PetCo's). The mom/pop stores dont do reptiles much and ones that do, breed their own. I CANT FIND A WHOLESALER AND SAVE MYSELF AND THEM ALOT OF GRIEF!
This year?

I've had great luck in the past with anole-scenting on the stubborn ones, so I tried it for about 20 hatchlings at their last feeding. ONE *&^%#% hatchling out of the 20 took the bait, and that was a kinked blizzard (I don't even know why I'm keeping him alive). I guess the next step is to do a "corns for pinkies" swap at the pet store, and bring home some live ones. :headbang:
I definitely feel your frustration with the whole anole scenting thing, as my number wasnt anywhere near 20 (but I dont have anywhere near as much hatchlings as you), mine refused them too. Not a one at them! As for the kinked Blizzard eating, I have 2 kinked (one very mildly, a phantom of some kind, I think and a Pink Hypo Lav w/ seems to be het blood with a slightly more noticeable kink). Both ate right away, both are fiesty as &^%$ and very mobile. I dont see why they cant make good pets. But thats a whole different discussion!
Sure I still have the occassional abstainer. If nothing has been eaten by 3 weeks post shed, I tease feed if even live has been refused.
I'm not nearly as frustrated as before. I haven't had to scent or wash, brain or cut any pinkies so far this year. I still have 3 non feeders who are holding out...actively searching even tho there is a pink right in front of their noses. Guess they are waiting for that sequel to 'Feeding Stubborn Hatchlings'...who knows! They gladly stop that pink from being in their face by latching on, but hey, eat it...no way...the minute the opportunity arises that pink is dropped like a hot potato.
I've given up trying to figure out the eating habits of hatchlings...it would drive me crazy if I let it.
Ruth
Hi Ruth,
I was wondering how exactly do you tease feed and do you use a live or ft mouse to do it? I have tried the tease feeding thing and all it ever did was scare the hatchlings! Maybe I am doing it wrong, or maybe you hold the secret to the right way???
I also have a latcher and then he drops/spits it out once the head is in? I was starting to think he has a kink in his neck, nope. Either he doesnt like the taste vs the smell, or he is lazy and doesnt want to eat the arms and legs. Last feeding I tried a bc sausage (cut ft pinks arms and legs off), no interest. 4 days or so prior he was all over his food, spit it out more then 3 times while I was in the room!???? Yes I have tried just a head too, that really freaked him/her out!!!!!!! :realhot:
Lucky me - this year I seem to be having a good year for feeding babies. Even my normally reluctant "special ghosts" have been starting well. I think it is due to my new and improved baby room. Since I cut down the number of breeders (and hence, babies), I was able to move them to a new, somewhat smaller, room, complete with windows (the old room was totally artificial light), some fresh air, and just enough a/c "leaking" from the house to keep them comfortable, even with the heat tapes on low. It is the best set up I have ever had for babies (and for me to be comfortable while working, too!), and so far, seems to be paying off.
Hi Kathy,
I found that most of those that died in my 1st clutch of the mystery project were some sort of hypo charcoal lav mix or something. I called them weird ghosts...lol They may not of even been ghosts or in this case phantoms I think hypo charcoals are called? I dont know with the genes that are in this mix. But I am having bad luck with any of those and they all look the same with minor variation. Ohhh... and OFF topic, I SWEAR I have BR or Diffused WITH checkers??? Is this possible? I dont get it! Sorry, I dont mean to hijack your thread!
I've found that if I leave babies for 3 or 4 days post first shed,
then offer a defrost pink that has been briefly dunked in very hot/not quite boiling water, I have very few, if any refusers. Last year and this year I've had one hold out until the second feed. Maybe I've just been lucky, but it works for me so I stick with it
Hi Susielea,
I too think I will try this with the refusers. I kind of just put all the pinks in a large bowl with hot water and start going down the list. Warming it up 3-4 times, but even then, some are getting warmer then others! hmmmmm, something to think about!!
OK, I know this is extremely long, but I hoped I helped, even if just a little! Maybe try washing with soap, it worked with Snoop and gourmet rodent f/t pinks worked for Sassy! Worth a try! Goodluck I will be routing for you! Also I heard a long drive, shipping or bumpy roads can trigger them to eat that night, maybe you should send me your non eaters and I will send you mine??? Sounds about even?! :noevil: Take care, Lindsay