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Beyond frustrated with my juvie

JeffG

JeffG

Mandalore
Six weeks ago I purchased a 2 month old Anery Hurricane Motley from a vendor at Repticon. I was told he was feeding on f/t pinks.

About 5 days after we get home it was feeding day. All of my corns and other snakes on the rack ate like it was going out of style. This guy didnt, but i wasnt too worried at the time.

Fast forward to now and still nothing. I have tried live, f/t, brained, cut in half, and scented with an anole tail. Ive left him in a deli overnight in a dark closet, as well as in his tub on the rack. His little neighbor who is close in age is eating like a storm and growing like a weed. Ive kept all sorts of snakes over the years and have never had a hatchling give me this much trouble other than a western hog i had back in 01 or 02.

Im sure you guys get a billion similar threads and im sorry i added another, but im out of patience.

Thanks, Jeff
 
Sometimes the stress of the show and new environment are enough to put a hatchling off food. I bought three from a local vendor, one was a guaranteed feeder and the other two were in the bargain bin as non-feeders, no guarantees. It turned out that the non-feeders did great once I got them home, but the other one refused everything. At the next show, a month and a half later, they let me swap that one out for another baby. That one did fine, I still have him. Babies can be weird that way.

Have you called the breeder/vendor and let them know? Maybe they will offer to trade for another of the same genes/gender.
 
I'm sorry you're having troubles. I understand all too well the frustration of having one that won't eat. Some of the things that you might try include washing the f/t pink with Ivory soap and rinsing well, making sure the mouse is hot and reheating it if not eaten in 1 hour, scenting with water from canned tuna (NOT oil packed tuna), scenting with Kentucky Fried Chicken, or scenting with bedding/droppings from pet birds, hamsters, rats, etc. Local pet stores are usually happy to give you a baggie of dirty bedding if you don't have those critters at home. You can also try the "zombie mouse dance" by moving the prey item using tweezers or feeding tongs. Tease feeding is another option, but one has to be careful not to terrify a shy hatchling.

Here's a trick that has absolutely never failed for me, even with babies who had been tried with almost anything up to force feeding and mini-brumation. I see you're from Florida, so you're bound to have Mediterranean/house geckos around somewhere. They're an invasive species and they're nocturnal. If you've never gone out and looked for them at night you may be shocked at how many you'll find on your house though you never see them during the day. Even the most stubborn hatchling I've dealt with will eat the tail of one of the geckos. The geckos lose the tails easily and grow them back. I do freeze the tail for 24 hours before feeding to elimate any remote possibility of blood borne parasites. Most hatchlings are also happy to accept a mouse that's been scented with gecko tail. This species of lizard has worked even when anoles didn't, so it's worth a try. The only downside is that it can be a challenge to wean the snake off gecko scenting. It's worth it to me to get a nonfeeder going. I think some of them are just programmed to start feeding on lizards and don't seem to recognize mice as food until they're bigger.

Good luck with your stubborn baby, and don't give up. There are a lot of us here who've been through similar situations. Patience will prevail.
 
I have had the same problem with a couple of mine, one who wouldn't eat for months. After getting an all clear from the vet of having no medical issues, we tried something someone else once suggested. We thawed out the mouse..using a smaller item than usual (ours are adults though that had the problems) in chicken broth in a baggie sitting in hot water. We have also used chicken boullion powder with a tiny bit of water in the bag. Then we heat them up with a blow dryer especially the head area and bam...they all ate!! One who was still a little stubborn we cut the throat of the soaked mouse then heated it. So far it has worked for us, even with our Ball Pyton who was only on live when we got him/her. Now it takes the frozen without having to do that trick without any problems.
Good luck!! Let us know how it works out!
 
I think I'd try washed first. Some things that haven't been mentioned are take away water for two or three days and then feed a very wet pink. Car ride. Feed on top of the washing machine when it's running. Raw chicken juice. Fuzzy rat leg. Egg white.

Slap feeding. Hold the baby so he only has about an inch or two of his head and neck free. Smack him (gently) in the face and on the neck with the pink until he's annoyed enough to strike. Freeze. Or, just keep pressing it against his mouth till he gives up and opens. Once the tiniest bit is in there, freeze, and practically all the time the baby will start to swallow.

If you scent with gecko tail, make sure you refreeze it, just in case you can't find another.

My general procedure for feeding all snakes that don't just eat is first of all feed at dusk or later, heat the prey, (and scent or whatever) put it in a very small container. Deli cup for a hatchling. Put the hatchling in, cover with a dish towel, set a timer for 60 minutes, don't peek till the 60 minutes are up. If the snake hasn't eaten, reheat, repeat the 60 minutes. If the snake still hasn't eaten, reheat, put the whole deli back in the viv, closed, with a paper towel over it, overnight.
 
JeffG said:
Thanks for the suggestions. Caryl, do you just rub the tail vigorously over the pinky?
Click to expand...

Pretty much. I do the head and shoulder area of the pinky first. Use the end of the tail where it was attached to the lizard. I've also sliced off a tiny piece of tail and rubbed it around so as to avoid getting a tail smelling too "mousy."

Sorry for the delay in reply. I've been having physical problems and only logging on briefly. I'm sorry I didn't check here. :headbang: How has it been going?
 
Hmm, there are actually a couple of ideas here that I have never heard before. I'll have to try them on the couple of hatchlings I have that are being PITA's.
 
Well... I tried a lot of what was suggested. During this whole time I was also preparing for a move 500 miles away which I completed last night. Unfortunately I lost the little guy today. Coincidentally im a vet tech and was going to attempt a tube feeding as soon as we were all settled in.

I know this kind of thing happens but still just makes my heart ache a little bit. I went to repticon knowing exactly what I wanted, and when I saw this hurricane motley coiled up in his deli cup I was in love.

All of my other snakes/geckos/spiders did great during the trip. Time for me to finish setting them up and rehydrating. Thanks everyone for your help!
 
I'm sorry...I wonder if he had ever eaten. Well, you gave him every chance. If they don't want to eat, they just don't want to.
 
I'm so sorry for your loss. "This thing" does indeed happen, but it's always a blow. ((hugs))
 
I had a similar situation with a Gray banded King purchased at repticon. It has really soured me on purchasing animals in these types of shows. It is worth the extra money you will spend at a local breeder to get a snake that has been properly started on feeding.

In my case it was a bad breeder and my inexperience that led to my situation. The breeder made claims that simply did not turn out to be true and my ignorance at the time was also a factor. Thankfully I found someone at my local herp shop experienced in G.B. kings who took him in. I lost 60 bucks but it was a lesson learned.
 
Thulsa said:
I had a similar situation with a Gray banded King purchased at repticon. It has really soured me on purchasing animals in these types of shows. It is worth the extra money you will spend at a local breeder to get a snake that has been properly started on feeding.

In my case it was a bad breeder and my inexperience that led to my situation. The breeder made claims that simply did not turn out to be true and my ignorance at the time was also a factor. Thankfully I found someone at my local herp shop experienced in G.B. kings who took him in. I lost 60 bucks but it was a lesson learned.
Click to expand...

If you want to try a grayband again, buy one from Lee Abbott. Even at a show. I guarantee you that Lee only brings snakes that are eating well, and he won't screw you. Plus- he has gorgeous graybands. Just saw them yesterday! SO pretty...
 
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