My difficult hognose is finally eating :)

[Mari]

Well I've had a long ride with my little hognose. I took him from a friend back in October '13 and one managed to get him to eat maybe 5 total times from October to July! He didn't seem to lose any weight from October until at least March, but in May he started dropping. He started at approx. 7.9g, and was down to 5.3g in early June. He was sluggish, wasn't drinking on his own (I had to put him in his water to drink) and he seemed like he was probably going to die... I had tried everything from toad scenting, toad urine, salmon, chicken, boiling, braining, anchovies, live, live scented, etc... But nothing really stuck, even though I offered him food every 3 days during that time.

And when I weighed him in July and he was at 5.3 grams and hardly moving, I realized that obviously I had two options. I could humanely euthanize him, or try a real toad. WELL, I wouldn't have been able to live with myself if I didn't try everything, so a toad it is.. I live in central/southern FL so finding frogs is never a problem, but finding a 5.3g hognose sized frog is! I finally found a tiiiny baby southern toad, just the right size for him and he didn't even hesitate for a single SECOND to eat that toad! I could hardly get a picture!

I know it was dangerous considering parasites, etc.. but... I was pretty much at the end of my rope.

So after he ate the toad, something snapped in him I think, and now he can hardly get enough of eating. He's back up to 7.6grams thankfully, hasn't turned down a meal since, and he's been eaten partial pinkies that are scented with toad. I made a gif of his crazy food response that he's been exhibiting these days:

To think this was the same animal that would just 24/7 refuse.
Now he's so responsive, bright, exploring, pooping nicely, and I can probably expect him to shed in the next month. ;_; We're so happy!

 

[rainbow_bright83]

Hes so cute! Im glad you got him eating again.

 

[Nanci]

Wow- great news! He knew he wanted toads, he knew pinks weren't toads, now he thinks pinks ARE toads!

I bet you could get him to eat a toad scented pink, and then follow with plain and he would just keep going.

 

[ratsncorns]

That is awesome news! And just to think so many people are afraid of feeding toads to their picky/nonfeeding hoggies because of the risk that they will never eat another mouse again. Maybe in extreme circumstances it can jump start them back onto eating like yours did. I would definitely do what Nanci suggests, just toad scent and gradually move him to unscented. It might just be what he needs.

 

[Zombiegirl]

Way to go!! Mine was being stubborn and I was getting to my wits end with him so I got a deli cup and put the HOT pinky in the cup, put him in there with it, put the lid on (I hid the cup with him in it under one of his hides so no one could "see" him) and left him in his viv for 24 hours...checked the next morning and it was gone...this has been the way I've been feeding him since and it's worked every time....they are such funny little pains in the butts lol.

 

[Chip]

Congrats! I also agree 100% with Nanci's advice. Toad scenting is easy. I keep a pet toad just for that purpose. I initially got it to freeze for scenting, but couldn't bring myself to do after taking care of him for a few weeks, and now he's part of the clan -he just has to get his back rubbed with a pinky once in a while.
Love the little hoggie's feeding response! When they come at ya with that open mouthed push, those are fun ones!

 

[Mari]

Thanks everyone for the kind words! I hope to try and switch him to unscented as soon as I can. He's putting on so much weight though, and he's getting better with his motor functions (he was very sluggish before)

Unfortunately I can't seem to get the husbandry right on the toads I keep catching... they just won't eat or drink and just starve themselves when I take care of them lol. I'm sure I just need to try harder with them, but, for now I just keep them for a few days at the most.

This whole experience has actually made me completely fall head over heels for hogs. I want to get a billion more of them now, because they're so perfectly adorable and fun to work with. At least they're relatively small - easier to convince my loved ones!

 

[Nythain]

That animated gif is so win. He's like NOMNOMNOM ALL THE THINGS!

 

[Mari]

Quick update - 8.5g. All his loose skin is being put to use flattening at me when I try to weigh him. Also, he's in a very cantankerous mood.... is it possible we're going to see a shed soon? :crazy02: