Force Feeding

[rolandslf]

Let me start with a story: Lucky who is a Classic Corn pipped at the end of February '07. Shed normally after about 10 days'. Refused to eat and at the end of June' 07 was so weak that I feared she would die. I decided to take a
risk and Force Feed her, I did not want to do this as I have previously lost 2 Corns from Force Feeding.
The Force Feeding was a success but I have had to do this 5 times now, she
refuses to eat on her own. She has also only shed once after the initial shed.
She is a bit less than half the size of the Amel keeper from the same clutch.

The Question for all you experts: How long do you think I will have to keep
Force Feeding her? and is her lack of shedding a result of being so small and
backward in comparison to the Amel?

 

[Paradox]

They shed as they grow, and if she hasn't eaten she won't have grown; I'd suspect her to shed soon from the force feeding. As for the time span, it's impossible to tell really. Hopefully she'll start eating for you, but if she doesn't do so sometime in the near future, it might (Just might, not would) be kinder to put her down... :shrugs:

Sorry for what you're going through, I know the feeling. My first snake wouldn't eat.

 

[jub_jub_bird]

realy sorry to hear about that, but you're trying and thats the main thing!
i have taken several non feeders before and had to force feed a few which is awfull and realy hard work but oh so worth it when they do feed themselves! if you think it is worth persevereing then carry on, however if you think it is causing the snake more distress to keep force feeding then as paradox said it may be kinder to have him euthanised. But like i said your trying and if i were you i would try too!

most the babies i took on seemed to spontaniously eat after about 3 months or so of me feeding them and it realy does seem to be a spontanious thing! in my experience (and it is only brief) it just seems to be that they dont know how to eat, but after a few good meals the instinct seems to kick in.

again, as paradox said s/he wont be growing because of the lack of food which will result in a lack of shedding so dont worry too much about that.

just to keep your spirits up of the i only lost 1 of the 6 i took on last year and 5 are doing realy well in new homes now and look just like a healthy corn should!

wish you all the best for the little 'un!

Kat

 

[rolandslf]

Encouragement

To both of you Kat and Paradox, Thanks a stack for your words of encouragement. I did at one stage consider euthanasia but from the Force Feeding a bond has developed, so putting her down just will not happen.
I hope she starts to eat on her own soon.

Ciao

 

[jaxom1957]

The Force Feeding was a success but I have had to do this 5 times now, she refuses to eat on her own. She has also only shed once after the initial shed....The Question for all you experts: How long do you think I will have to keep Force Feeding her? and is her lack of shedding a result of being so small and backward in comparison to the Amel?

How short or long a time any individual will need to be forced is impossible to predict. I have one snake I force fed for five months before he started eating on his own. A couple of months after he started eating for himself, he more than doubled his weight.

A force fed snake will probably be smaller than one eating on its own, and will shed less often because it is outgrowing its skin less often.

 

[rolandslf]

Patience

Thanks J. Just have to be patient I suppose.
Do you know if there are any ill effects from prolonged Force Feeding.

Ciao

 

[jaxom1957]

Thanks J. Just have to be patient I suppose.
Do you know if there are any ill effects from prolonged Force Feeding.

None that I've noticed. ShoeString, if anything, is more active and people friendly than any of my other snakes. Handling him for feedings every four days got him very used to me He is about the same size as my other 06s, so I don't see that the slow growth harmed him in the end.

 

[rolandslf]

None that I've noticed. ShoeString, if anything, is more active and people friendly than any of my other snakes. Handling him for feedings every four days got him very used to me He is about the same size as my other 06s, so I don't see that the slow growth harmed him in the end.

Do you think I should bump Lucky up to every 4 days, I've only been feeding her every 7 days due to the stress factor of Force Feeding

 

[diamondlil]

When I was syringe-feeding Lil, I found 5-day intervals helped bring her weight back up and get her growing again. She's a shorter, fatter snake than my others the same age but I'm not sure if this is due to her bad start or if she would have been that way if she'd fed normally :shrugs:

 

[rolandslf]

Confidence

Thanks for all the input, I will bump Lucky up to 4 day feeds and see what happens.

Ciao

 

[jaxom1957]

Do you think I should bump Lucky up to every 4 days, I've only been feeding her every 7 days due to the stress factor of Force Feeding

One pinkie every 7 days isn't enough to grow on, so, yes, I would feed more often. I fed one pinkie until ShoeString was big enough for the bulge to be gone in two days, then bumped it to two pinkies, every five days. Every other feeding, I offered him the opportunity to eat on his own. If he hadn't after an hour, he got force fed. Only when he started to eat on his own regularly did I bump him to seven days, the schedule all of my adults and subadults are on. He was actually on eight days for a few weeks when he was first eating on his own, sporadically, so that he would get very hungry and more likely to eat without assistance, but he was also given three pinks when on that schedule.