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First feeding attempt

Myca

Myca

New member
Charisma weighs 10g and Frostbite weighs 8g. I put their little pinkies, frozen thaw and warm into their feeding area, covered everything to provide privacy. Charisma was striking at her pinkie as I covered up her feeding bin. Frostbite was attempting to flee. At their weights, is a whole pinkie too large?
 
Your hatchling corns can handle a newborn pinky no problem--even the smaller ones. Never had one that couldn't take a pinky. Some of our domestic hatched snakes are stubborn feeders. Sometimes they'll go a month without eating and then eat, other times you may have to force feed (very last resort, but works fine). After they eat a few times forced or natural, they usually come around. It's just a pain in the butt! Good luck!
 
I'm sure you've probably read all of this before, but I'll throw out what bits of picky feeder advice I have gathered from dealing with little Plissken.

  • Consider making a small slit on the side or back of the pinky. You can also perform what's commonly called "braining" the pinky, which is basically finding something small and sharp and sterile, and poking a hole or two in the pinkies head.
  • After thawing the pinky properly, try holding it in some really hot (boiling or near boiling) water for a second to bring the temperature of the food up. Be careful not to accidentally cook your pinky this way though.
  • Make sure the feeding tub is small. Almost cramped small. This will help the snake feel more secure and it will also make it harder for the younger snake to get distracted and forget about the food.
  • Cover the container up. Making sure there's still air availability though. This also helps with security and removing distractions.
  • Leave them with the food for a while. Don't worry too much about the pinky going bad really fast, many keepers will leave the food in their snakes viv overnight... which leads to...
  • If the container is small, consider leaving it (with the thawed pinky) open in the snakes enclosure over night. This way the snake can find it and eat it when it's more comfortable, or since they're crepuscular creatures, allows them to find it and eat it when they'd normally be hunting. If the container is too large, find a small flat lid or similar surface. Something that will give the snake enough room to eat without risking swallowing substrate.
  • If none of the above works then there's always the magic brown paper bag. Not sure why this one works, but it's almost sure fire. Get a regular old brown paper lunch bag, put the pinking and the snake in it, then fold the top over and clip it shut somehow (office clips, paper clips, etc). Be careful not to clip your snake in the process. Then gently put the paper bag, snake and all, back into the warm side of the enclosure and leave for a few hours or overnight.
  • Last case scenario, search force feeding. This rarely ever has to be done though, and is more of a last resort for really stubborn feeders.

A few things to consider... Don't try to feed too frequently, as multiple refusals have been noted to turn a snake off of a certain food type. Not common, but better to avoid it. Also remember that as long as your snakes are healthy and their environment is ok (temps, day/night cycle, proper hides to reduce and prevent stress), your snakes will almost surely eat when they are hungry enough. Snakes can and will go long periods of time without food, sometimes new hatchlings wont eat for weeks to a month or more.

Hopefully some of that helps you out, or at least helps ease your mind. I'm sure your little guys/gals will come around eventually.
 
Frostbite ate his pinkie. Charisma has not eaten hers. It looks like she played with it by moving it. She may be going into blue. She seems darker in color but her eyes are not cloudy. She is all over her viv as usual. I decided to leave her pinkie where it is. If she has not taken it by morning, I will remove it.
If she does not eat by morning, should I wait another week and offer again?
 
ya, I would wait 5 to 7 days before offering her another one.

That way she isn't stressed by the thought of eating.

Hope this helps! :)
Best of luck with her!
 
The belly of a just fed hatchling should have a slight to small bulge and be dark? I am concerned about the 'dark' part. This would be on my baby Blizzard. He ate last night about 9 pm a small pinkie mouse.
 
Concerned about the dark as in, Frostbites belly isn't dark, or is exceptionally dark? I've never considered trying to *see* the food, as long as the bulge is there, then not there, and it poops! Welcome to new parent worry.
 
No, Nythain
His belly is dark where it is distended. I just noticed when I checked on him briefly. He was curled up in his warm side hide.
 
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