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Non Feeders

Tim66/corns

I have no Accent
I am still new to all this and hope to be a good breeder in the future. That is why I bought all my stock young so that by the time they are of age in 3 yrs I should know what it's all about.
One of my questions is non feeders. I was given a cute butter motley guy who I am attached to already but he just won't eat on a regular schedule. Since he has hatched in Sept. He has eaten twice that is it. He looks healthy but for how long without taking a meal. He is the only one out of my 23 not eating.
But what do breeders do when they have a lot of them. Can I expect at least one or two a clutch? And do you try for a little while then place for free with friends to try who do not have as many snakes. Or if you have a King I heard you can feed them out. Don't think I could do that yet.
But I want to learn what to expect if I have 5-6 clutches or more a season. What do we do with these little ones.
Right know since I have just the one it is not to give up on little Gus.
I used to raise & show rabbits a long time ago so was used to culling there. But I just sold the stock that wasn't good enough for pet or show for meat.
I would never want to sell a non feeder snake. O.K. I think I am going on know.
But I have been around animals my whole life & I know there's some things that don't like to be talked about. But I need to know.
Gus & I thank you
 
Getting problem feeders is part of breeding snakes. Some years, you'll get lucky and have all your hatchlings eat right out of the egg, and then you'll have some years where you have a high percentage of non-feeders. There are many threads listing multiple options to try to get those problem feeders to eat. Some years one method works more often than the others, but won't work the next year. And sometimes, you will get those hatchlings that absolutely refuse to eat, no matter what. How long you give problem feeders a chance to start eating is up to you. Some breeders refuse to give more than 3 offerings. They feel they should only allow the strongest and best feeders to survive. Others give hatchlings every opportunity for as long as it takes. Once you have determined your limit, you have the option of not letting the hatchling go to waste and feed it to a kingsnake, or you can opt to humanely euthanize it, whichever you are more comfortable with.
 
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