OMG- THREE Babies ATE!!! OMG!!! UPDATE!!

I've had a few non-feeders since June 1st. One, who has been sold, took live right away, then nothing. He would tease feed very easily, but wouldn't eat by himself. Until I offered chicken fat-scented! Two meals of that and he was a feeder.

I've tried a lot on them all. Live. Overnight. In delis. In their bins. Super-hot. Slit/brained. Anole scented. Anole tails in the pinks' mouths. Tuna-scented. Rat-scented. (There's one little guy who will sometimes tease-feed a segment of rat tail). Uromastyx skin-coated. Dawn soap-washed.

So I was reading somewhere here that someone had really good luck with heating pinks to almost boiling in a sauce pan, then feeding. So- I thawed my pinks. Boiled water. Poured boiling water over the pinks. Picked up the pinks without touching them and fed, boiling hot, in a deli, covered, for two hours, no peeking. I was SO surprised and happy when my tease-feeder avalanche had eaten. THRILLED, to be honest. And then one of the avalanche stripes had also eaten his!! The other avalanche stripe didn't, but they are both super easy to tease feed- hold out the pink, they bite and swallow.

And then- miracle of miracles, the Candy Cane ATE!!! I couldn't even tease/slap feed this baby because he absolutely will not bite or strike no matter what. So he's been maintaining on tails, trying the latest offering, always saying no. UNTIL TODAY!!!!! I am ECSTATIC!!!

Wow- so if they continue to feed- I'm down to only two, and one of them is super-easy to tease feed. I am so happy!! Whosever idea this was, THANK YOU!!! I've TRIED super-hot before, but not boiled. And I even knew about it!!

WOOOOOO HOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!

hehe I usually just put the pinkie in the almost boiling water for a second with tongs and feed... but I think I like your method better

Glad it worked for you! Another to add to the list of things to try with non-feeders

Yay for getting the stubborn little things to eat!

The thing that makes me mad is I _knew_ about boiled, but I was thinking SUPER HOT tap water (120F) was just as good. Apparently it is not.

Autumn got one to feed last week with bologna scenting!

It's crazy how you just have to find the one thing they think they want and BAM- they turn on and eat!!

Congratulations on them feeding! It is the greatest feeling when non-feeders turn from their ways and start eating! Woo-hoo!

hehe I think some just dont want hot... they prefer Cooked! rather than raw! LOL

That's what I do with mine as well, I put the frozen pink in a cup and add boiling water, leave the pinks in there for a few mins to thaw and then feed them still super hot.

My two snakelets have never missed a feed in the year I have had them But mine will only take their food of tongs !! Spoilt wee brats they are haha

Congrats Nanci!!! I have a handful myself that have been extremely stubborn.....I'm currently trying this trick to see if we can get a response!

Yeah!!!!!!! Success feels so wonderful

Tara is who I have to thank for reminding me to try this method which has worked so well for her. THANK YOU!!

I am going to have to try this for my two... Hopefully this works. Thanks! And congrats!

So were you force feeding the candy cane tails?

Yup. I'd open his mouth, and slide the tail down about half way. Then he would "chew" and swallow it the rest of the way.

How long was it (total... since 1st shed) until this one finally ate? I'm just wondering so I can ration my patience!

He had three refusals, five days apart, including one live pink. On the fourth feed, I started feeding tails after each refusal. There were five meals of tails. The first feeding attempt was June 9th, at nine days of age. I would feed in progressively less tail at each feeding, and set him down so he could crawl and swallow naturally.

The other two that ate tonight tease fed right from the start. Since they didn't eat in their deli cups, I'd hold the pink and tap them about two inches down the neck. This induces an almost automatic bite. Then you FREEZE and hope the snake starts swallowing. All the other babies are super-easy to tease feed like that, except one.

Congratulations!:cheers:

Wow... Essentially two months of coaxing. Congrats on yoir patience paying off!

Awesome beans. Non feeders stress me out. But I've eventually gotten them all to eat. Still worries me to death though.

Well, they get their second shot at it tonight. Makes me nervous because it's only been four days (adjusting feeding schedules for Daytona in a couple weeks).