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First feeding concern, Need advice!

R

RDG143

New member
I will start by saying sorry for the long post!

Beginner snake owner here, however I felt like I did a lot of research prior to acquiring OJ the snake (Amel). I have been lurking/learning from this sight for a bit. The store said that they thought he was about 6 mos. old, he weighs 5g so do not know if that adds up or not. I set up viv a week prior to bringing OJ home. Made sure temps were correct (74 cold, 88 warm side) UTH, thermostat, water, two hides, etc. Store said he was eating weekly (7 day cycle). We brought him home the day before reg. feeding day. Did not handle him so he could acclimate to new home. Tried to feed him today (which would have made 10 days or so since last reported feed). Picked him up only to set him directly into feed container. Dangled thawed pinkie, he struck immediately and looked like he was going to eat. got pinkie about half down or so, i replaced lid and left him alone for about 30-45 min. Came back and he was looking around top of container and pinkie was left in corner in tact. My first thought was maybe I did not thaw good enough so he spit it out once he could detect that. So I tried a second one (boiled this time) just put in container and removed the first, covered the container and left alone for a little over 2 hrs. Pinkie was left what appears untouched. I slid him from container back to viv trying not to stress him too much and gave up.

My questions after all of that is What next, should I be worried, is there anything obvious that I did wrong?

My plan was to let him go another 5 days undisturbed or handled and try again. Any advise is greatly appreciated!
 
My next move would be to put the snake+pinkie in the feeding tub, and then (if it will fit) put the feeding tub in his normal "home" tank in the mid temperature zone, and leave them overnight. Sounds like you have a nervous eater, so it's possible that that absolute dark and quiet after you've gone to bed, might make him feel safer.

I'd leave it 3-4 days before trying again, so that he doesn't start to find the idea of food stressful. Not handling for the moment is a great idea.

The fact that he started to eat when he was first offered food, is a good sign. If this works, it's usually something they grow out of as they get more confident.
 
5 grams sounds really small for a 6 month old snake. Get the smallest pinky you can find. I cover my feeding tank as soon as the snake takes the pinky and leave them for at least 30 minutes.
 
Thanks for the replies. I will try those suggestions next.
Should I be cutting a pinkie in half for a 5g snake? Width wise it does seem to fit in the 1 1/2 times size rule.
 
RDG143 said:
Thanks for the replies. I will try those suggestions next.
Should I be cutting a pinkie in half for a 5g snake? Width wise it does seem to fit in the 1 1/2 times size rule.
Click to expand...

Do you have a scale? I got two little 5g hatchlings awhile ago and I made sure that at 5g their feeders weighed 1g. If it is a 2g pinky I would go ahead and cut the pinky in half, but if the pinky weighs 1g don't cut.

If you don't have a scale, then I would either do what kaypar2011 suggested or cut a pinky in half.

I agree with Bitsy, I had a nervous feeder and making it dark and quiet did the trick (actually after a few feedings, the snake didn't need it to be dark anymore, ate the pinky the moment I put it in the deli cup).
 
RoseRed said:
Do you have a scale? I got two little 5g hatchlings awhile ago and I made sure that at 5g their feeders weighed 1g. If it is a 2g pinky I would go ahead and cut the pinky in half, but if the pinky weighs 1g don't cut.

If you don't have a scale, then I would either do what kaypar2011 suggested or cut a pinky in half.

I agree with Bitsy, I had a nervous feeder and making it dark and quiet did the trick (actually after a few feedings, the snake didn't need it to be dark anymore, ate the pinky the moment I put it in the deli cup).
Click to expand...

Thanks for the advise. I do have a scale. I wondered what the appropriate size feeder to snake ratio was.
 
It has been about 4 days since first feeding attempt. No handling since first one. At this point no handling since bringing him home 8 days ago. It has been 2 weeks since his last reported feed. He is 5g. I cut a 2g pinkie in half, it weighed in at 1g. left it in feed container for about 40 min. He showed no interest this time. so I re-warmed and tried teasing and wiggling for him. No strike or anything. I am leaving him in container, inside viv overnight but I am not very optimistic.

I am not sure what to try next and any suggestions would be appreciated. How long should I wait before a third attempt? Etc.
 
If he doesn't eat this time (fingers crossed he does!) wait 4 days, then get a 'red' or day-old pinky. Thaw it, then put it in freshly boiled water out of the kettle, until it goes pale and rubbery. Put in the feeding container with the snake overnight, no peeking. Good luck! (Don't try wriggling or teasing, just straight in the container, cover and leave in peace)
 
Ah, I just realised, 5g at 6 months? That is seriously underweight and I'd doubt he's ever eaten. Can you get a live day-old 'red' to try? To be honest though I'd take him back to the store and demand a refund, no healthy 6 month old corn weighs that little
 
diamondlil said:
Ah, I just realised, 5g at 6 months? That is seriously underweight and I'd doubt he's ever eaten. Can you get a live day-old 'red' to try? To be honest though I'd take him back to the store and demand a refund, no healthy 6 month old corn weighs that little
Click to expand...
Age could be off. I think that was a guess by the person helping that particular day. By all other accounts he seems to act healthy. Moves back and forth between cool and warm sides. hangs out in hides and up in tree. I would love to start handling him but will wait till he eats I guess.
I am concerned that he is not eating and that size. (5g about 11 inches)
Still not sure what to try next.
 
I am a new snake owner too, we got our little one about a month and a half ago. When we got her, they said she's 2 months old. She was 16 inch long and weighted about 15 grams. 5 grams seems awfully little, when they first come out of the egg and are 1 day old, I'd assume even then they are more than 5 gr?!
 
Mine tend to be somewhere between 6 and 10g on hatching. (I got twins at 3g each last year, that was scary)
RDG was there a feeding record with your snake? Did they say how and how often they usually feed them?
 
I had a hatchling who would not eat unless I put her in a deli cup with a very very hot day old pink. I had to cover the deli cup with a towel and turn the light off in the room. It also had to be quiet. After one hour I would check and some times the pink was gone some times not. If not I would reheat and try another hour. If still not eaten I would leave over night. After that if the pink wasn't eaten I'd throw it out and try again next feeding day.
 
Talking to a second person who seemed more knowledgeable said they figured that the group he was with was more like 2 mos. old or so. Supposedly while there had been on a 7 day feeding schedule. No feeding record.
Thanks for all of the advice so far!
 
Thanks to everyone who offered advise. However, the little guy did not make it. The pet store did make good and gave us a replacement that was slightly older and an established eater. I learned a valuable lesson and will never purchase a snake that way again but did end up with a good starter pet.

This guy is much stronger, weighs in at 26g and we have had one successful feeding after a week of settling in and no handling.
 
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