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Otis needs help guys

N

nicolefowler2005

New member
So I've been so worried about Otis lately! He hasn't been gaining much weight at all since I got him. I know they grow at different rates and such but today I took him to the vet because I haven't been able to get him to eat for over a week! This normally wouldn't bother me so much but where he is so small and all it did! The vet said there is nothing wrong with him, no parasites or anything like that thankfully but that he isn't getting enough calories! So do you guys have any helpful hints that I could try to get him to eat? I have tried warming the pinky and have given him plenty of time but he seems to be more scared of the food than interested in it! He will strike at it out of fear but not eat it!! I feed f/t so it's not like he's been bitten or anything!! PLEASE HELP I LOVE MY BABY AND AM DYING INSIDE THAT HE ISNT HEALTHY[emoji24][emoji24][emoji24]


Nicole
 
Have you tried the deli cup or ithe paper bag trick? When I first brought Cleo home she literally ran away from pinkies. The paper napkin covered deli cup worked wonders. Also, have you tried just a pinky head? I also washed the pinky in blue Dawn and rinsed in very hot water, then cooled to safe temp, the first time that Cleo ate.

My heart goes out to you. I know how much you love him.
 
I have one that is ~super~ shy when it comes to feeding. While I transfer my other snakes to a feeding tub, the only way I have ever been able to get her to eat is to simply place the mouse inside her hide and then place a towel over the entire enclosure and leave her for the night. Have you tried so,etching like that?
~Beau
 
He only weighs 15g! I'm going to try the paper bag thing tonight! I'm so worried! The breeder told me he was born in October so if that's true he is so under weight if I compare him to what Bella weighed at that age!! He's too small to feed anything but pinkies! What is that powder called that people sprinkle on the food to give them more nutrition?


Nicole
 
There are two powders. One is Nutribac which is used after a regurge to help with gut flora. The other powder is a reptile vitamin. Informal tests shows that vitamins promote growth. An example would be Reptivite with D3. There are others, that's just the one I know about.

The one you might want is the vitamin, but I would not try it until Otis is established eating. And then put an extremely small amount on the rear of the mouse. There is no established dosage and dosing too much could be worse than nothing. He may reject the mouse it is on hence putting it on the rear. I also would dose no more than once a month. Again, too much could be detrimental.

Personally, I think feeding every 4 to 5 days and gradually increasing the pinky size is safer at this point, but if you are very sparing with the vitamin you may do no harm and possibly do some good.

P.S. I normally do not recommend a 4 day feeding interval, but maybe just until he starts gaining, even slowly.
 
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Ok I'm just trying to make sure he gets the nutrition he needs!! I'm am going to try the deli cup tonight, I tried just a pinky head last night and he still seemed to be scared of it!! He gets into a striking posture and will strike at it but only out of fear!!


Nicole
 
Give him a break between attempts. Trying every day is very stressful. I know its difficult, but wait a few days.

Take a deep breath. If you leave him alone and let him rest a few days, he won't use much energy.

However, no matter what I or anyone recommend, he's your snake so in consultation with the vet, make the best decisions you can. While you are waiting, read as much as you can.

Nanci has a great feeding thread. I just posted it on another thread a few days ago. Search for it. There are a wealth of ideas.
 
Ok I will give it a couple days then! I even tried to just lay him on the floor with some paper towels last night so that he didn't feel caged in the feeder tank!


Nicole
 
While I understand how much you want to be involved in feeding your snake and how exciting it can be to watch them strike and devour their food, keep in mind that young snakes are rather agoraphobic. He will feel most secure if he feels safe and protected in his hide, which is why I recommended placing the mouse inside his hide and leaving it over night. It is very likely, that every time you take him out of his cage he will become stressed, at least in the beginning.
~Beau
 
With feeding in his hide the only thing I really worry about is him ingesting any substrate! When I feed him in the feeder tank I always put a towel over it so he has some privacy but I guess I could put a paper towel in his hide or something


Nicole
 
What has his feeding schedule been like ? He's obviously been eating since hatching. Some snakes just start off real slow. I got a few !

Keep in mind that (IMO) the #1 killer of reptiles is STRESS ! :)

The more you stress over it the more Otis is going to be stressed.

Though 15g at that age is small it is not unheard of. I've had many that size and age in different species that just took time and PATIENCE :) to get them going. I have siblings that look more like mother and daughters/sons than offspring.
Hopefully Otis will start to pick up speed growing when he get a little bigger.
 
His feeding schedule was supposed to be every 5 days at first but he would never eat more than once a week so that's what I pushed it back to but now he doesn't even want to eat! It's honestly like all of a sudden he seems scared of his food like I said he only strikes at it out of fear!! I went to the local animal shop today and got some smaller pinkies and will try feeding him in a hide or paper bag in a couple days! I don't want to stress him out and I haven't been handling him at all because of that!!


Nicole
 
OK.

Well he's been eating regularly up to now so hopefully he is just skipping a week due to whatever. It is not unusual to skip a week here and there. Be patient and give him a week with no stress and then try feeding him as you have been.
Hopefully he's just going through a "faze". They do that:shrugs:
 
Yeah he has eaten about 10 times since I got him and I'm not doing anything different at all which is why I thought he had an internal issue but the vet said he's fine!! I am going to put him in something with the mouse in a couple days cause I tried feeding him last night!


Nicole
 
nicolefowler2005 said:
With feeding in his hide the only thing I really worry about is him ingesting any substrate! When I feed him in the feeder tank I always put a towel over it so he has some privacy but I guess I could put a paper towel in his hide or something


Nicole
Click to expand...

I put down a 1/4 of a good paper towel down with the pinkie on top. I have fed my Lilitu that way for almost a year now and I've never had a dream problem with injested substrate.
Good luck,
Beau
 
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I've never been so happy to see a snake eat!! Obviously we aren't out of the woods yet but this is a huge step!! I wanted to ask you guys though; at this point should I try for every 5 days or step back to once a week?


Nicole
 
Just curious, what did you do to get him to eat? Or did he just decide to on his own?

At any rate, I'd follow a 5 day schedule for at least a few feedings.
 
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