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need secret feeding tips for hatchlings
- Thread starter Shaky
- Start date
That's so incredibly foreign to me. A couple of my friends and I got baby snakes all out of the same clutch and most of their snakes haven't eaten since their first meal. I can't understand that at all since my babies have never refused a meal (ever since their inital one).
If they have eaten once, the should be ok for a few weeks as long as they have access to fresh water. They're not going to starve to death right away or anything.
I got mine to start eating by offering a thawed pinkie head in the evening. Regular braining didn't work. It took them a while to notice the the heads and to figure out that they were food, but within an hour the heads were gone.
I feed mine one pinkie each every 4 or 5 days. They have never refused.
Maybe they are stressed by something. Temps?
I don't think you should try force feeding yet. Everything I've heard about it indicates it's only a LAST LAST resort. How long has it been since your hatchlings last ate?
If they have eaten once, the should be ok for a few weeks as long as they have access to fresh water. They're not going to starve to death right away or anything.
I got mine to start eating by offering a thawed pinkie head in the evening. Regular braining didn't work. It took them a while to notice the the heads and to figure out that they were food, but within an hour the heads were gone.
I feed mine one pinkie each every 4 or 5 days. They have never refused.
Maybe they are stressed by something. Temps?
I don't think you should try force feeding yet. Everything I've heard about it indicates it's only a LAST LAST resort. How long has it been since your hatchlings last ate?
Force feeding is something that needs to be shown by someone with experience. Can you check with a local vet or breeder that has experience and can show you? I wouldn't give up on the other methods yet. You don't say what methods you have tried but if they have eaten once that's a good start
I hope you don't have to resort to force feeding.
I hope you don't have to resort to force feeding.
Matt L
New member
Shaky,
I would have to agree with Alicia, force feeding should be a last ditch effort. I had 2 stubborn hatchlings this year that would not feed. I tried isolation with food items--didn't work. Braining has never been to succesfull for me--so I passed. Scenting with a Green Anole did the trick. I must admit that my 2 year old frozen Anole has become obsolete. A fresh one from the garden shed provided the right stimulation for feeding. Well after all Anoles are reptiles too. I don't know what the thing is with Green Anoles. The brown ones don't work!
Good Luck!
Matt L.
I would have to agree with Alicia, force feeding should be a last ditch effort. I had 2 stubborn hatchlings this year that would not feed. I tried isolation with food items--didn't work. Braining has never been to succesfull for me--so I passed. Scenting with a Green Anole did the trick. I must admit that my 2 year old frozen Anole has become obsolete. A fresh one from the garden shed provided the right stimulation for feeding. Well after all Anoles are reptiles too. I don't know what the thing is with Green Anoles. The brown ones don't work!
Good Luck!
Matt L.
Shaky
Ought to know better
Re:
I have a live anole and mediterranean gecko for that purpose, and it worked the first time, but hasn't since. I swear, i've tried all I know. Tonight i'm re-trying the pinky heads in isolation, next time i'll try the lizards again. Just keep going till something works.
I really hesitate to force feed.
I almost rather they die than go thru that.
thanks.
I have a live anole and mediterranean gecko for that purpose, and it worked the first time, but hasn't since. I swear, i've tried all I know. Tonight i'm re-trying the pinky heads in isolation, next time i'll try the lizards again. Just keep going till something works.
I really hesitate to force feed.
I almost rather they die than go thru that.
thanks.
SilverTongue
Friend Of Gaia
heya Shaky sorry about your snakes. Let us know if things change.
But it is good to have another Texas resident on this forum!!!
But it is good to have another Texas resident on this forum!!!
sue frederick
New member
Did you try the small paper bag trick. That worked last night for me and has worked in the past. Take a small brown paper lunch bag, put the snake and the pinky in there. Tape the top shut so the snake can't escape. Then put the bag back into the snake's tank and leave it overnight. Make sure not to leave it on the hot spot as it could get too hot. I put mine on the cool side. Did you already try feeding a live pinky to them? I have also heard of soaking the (thawed or prekilled) pinky in no salt chicken broth. Something about the chicken smell sometimes helps. But apparently you have to use the no salt kind so they can definitely smell only the chicken.
sue frederick
sue frederick
Matt L
New member
Sue,
I have not had to try the broth yet--But that is another good idea. The brown bag is what I would call "Isolation feeding", I usually use a white deli cup with a piece of paper towel over it.
I place the pinky in with the hatchling(or stubborn feeder) and leave it undisturbed for 36 hours. This usually works.
Matt L.
I have not had to try the broth yet--But that is another good idea. The brown bag is what I would call "Isolation feeding", I usually use a white deli cup with a piece of paper towel over it.
I place the pinky in with the hatchling(or stubborn feeder) and leave it undisturbed for 36 hours. This usually works.
Matt L.
Gregg
Ancient Elder
Force Feeding another way.
Hi Shaky.
I don't advocate force feeding over any other method you've tried, but it is the only thing we are left with sometimes.
I have a male Silver Queen that ate a couple of times after I got him and then refused to eat after that. (I am convinced that a strange, new environment will cause some of them to stop eating.) Anyway, I was at my wit's end. I had tried every conceivable trick in The Book (Kathy's, that is). I emailed Rich. I emailed Kathy. I followed every suggestion. This snake did not want to eat. Then, one night, I got mad. I had had enough. Out of desperation, I got the smallest pinkie I could get and, holding the snake like it was a pit viper with my left hand and the pinkie with my right hand, I said, "Open up snake!" I pried the snake's mouth open with the pinkie's snout and shoved that rodent child down that snake's throat. When the pinkie was half way into the snake's mouth, the snake took over and swallowed. I've had little trouble with him since, and when I do, I pick him up and say, "Remember that night in the kitchen? You, me, that pinkie?"
There have been other cases with other snakes in my collection where I have gone back the next morning and the pinkie is still there in the food dish. If they are not in shedding, then I will take out their hide(s) so there's no place to run and they will discover the food and eat it.
Then, on the other hand, I had this other little snake that was constantly on the move. She stopped eating. I went through almost all of the tricks before getting her to eat. Fortunately, she liked pinkie heads. After that, she was no problem at all for five months. Then one day, during my usual post feeding check up, I went to check on her and she was dead in her hide. There was no obvious cause of death, but I suspect she just couldn't settle into her new envirnoment. Constand roaming around and planning the Big One, may be a sign of being too stressed.
Then again, I may be projecting reasons onto the snake's behavior.
Good luck in getting your snake back on line.
Hi Shaky.
I don't advocate force feeding over any other method you've tried, but it is the only thing we are left with sometimes.
I have a male Silver Queen that ate a couple of times after I got him and then refused to eat after that. (I am convinced that a strange, new environment will cause some of them to stop eating.) Anyway, I was at my wit's end. I had tried every conceivable trick in The Book (Kathy's, that is). I emailed Rich. I emailed Kathy. I followed every suggestion. This snake did not want to eat. Then, one night, I got mad. I had had enough. Out of desperation, I got the smallest pinkie I could get and, holding the snake like it was a pit viper with my left hand and the pinkie with my right hand, I said, "Open up snake!" I pried the snake's mouth open with the pinkie's snout and shoved that rodent child down that snake's throat. When the pinkie was half way into the snake's mouth, the snake took over and swallowed. I've had little trouble with him since, and when I do, I pick him up and say, "Remember that night in the kitchen? You, me, that pinkie?"
There have been other cases with other snakes in my collection where I have gone back the next morning and the pinkie is still there in the food dish. If they are not in shedding, then I will take out their hide(s) so there's no place to run and they will discover the food and eat it.
Then, on the other hand, I had this other little snake that was constantly on the move. She stopped eating. I went through almost all of the tricks before getting her to eat. Fortunately, she liked pinkie heads. After that, she was no problem at all for five months. Then one day, during my usual post feeding check up, I went to check on her and she was dead in her hide. There was no obvious cause of death, but I suspect she just couldn't settle into her new envirnoment. Constand roaming around and planning the Big One, may be a sign of being too stressed.
Then again, I may be projecting reasons onto the snake's behavior.
Good luck in getting your snake back on line.
Shaky
Ought to know better
I've tried all these suggestions already, but...
I havent done the isolation feeding for longer than overnite.
I'll try it for 24 hours next.
Last nite, I tried a sliver of thawed lizard tail on the pinkies. No dice.
I've done the chicken broth too. Worked on one snake, only one time.
I have 5 non-eaters, 2 of which are picked as keepers. They still dont look too thin, but are thinner than they should be.
I tried the severed heads a couple of days ago. It just doesnt make any sense to me either.
Ah, well.
I may try to force one of them to see how it goes soon.
I'm running out of options. Their last(and only) feed was on 6/24.
Thanks for the suggs, Keep em coming.
-Jack
I havent done the isolation feeding for longer than overnite.
I'll try it for 24 hours next.
Last nite, I tried a sliver of thawed lizard tail on the pinkies. No dice.
I've done the chicken broth too. Worked on one snake, only one time.
I have 5 non-eaters, 2 of which are picked as keepers. They still dont look too thin, but are thinner than they should be.
I tried the severed heads a couple of days ago. It just doesnt make any sense to me either.
Ah, well.
I may try to force one of them to see how it goes soon.
I'm running out of options. Their last(and only) feed was on 6/24.
Thanks for the suggs, Keep em coming.
-Jack
Force Feeding...
I've resorted to this before. I had 6 problem feeders and it saved three of them. The other three seemed to die from complication involving too much bacteria in their gut and an in ability to digest the pinky. So you have to be careful and consider treating for bacteria or even consider a probiotic treatment. And then force feed. You can probably get a local reputable pet store or herp society member show you. But it's not always easy I've had some that come he!! or highwater they were just not going to let that pinky go down. And I'd fight with them for a half hour, so it can be very stressing on you and the snake. But there is another option before force feeding. Take the pinky and put it's head in the snakes mouth and gently push the snakes mouth shut and pull back on the pinky to sort of set the teeth and draw blood and then set him down and he may finish the job for you. If that doesn't work then try force feeding. Good luck. I'm going through the same thing right now with a CH ball python I've had to force him every month or so and as of yet he hasn't taken on his own but it's got to happen soon. I hope!
Rhoman
I've resorted to this before. I had 6 problem feeders and it saved three of them. The other three seemed to die from complication involving too much bacteria in their gut and an in ability to digest the pinky. So you have to be careful and consider treating for bacteria or even consider a probiotic treatment. And then force feed. You can probably get a local reputable pet store or herp society member show you. But it's not always easy I've had some that come he!! or highwater they were just not going to let that pinky go down. And I'd fight with them for a half hour, so it can be very stressing on you and the snake. But there is another option before force feeding. Take the pinky and put it's head in the snakes mouth and gently push the snakes mouth shut and pull back on the pinky to sort of set the teeth and draw blood and then set him down and he may finish the job for you. If that doesn't work then try force feeding. Good luck. I'm going through the same thing right now with a CH ball python I've had to force him every month or so and as of yet he hasn't taken on his own but it's got to happen soon. I hope!
Rhoman