Small Hatchling Questions

[FoxReptiles]

My last clutch is hatching and encountered my first twisted umbilical cord. The cord was twisted around the snake's tail. I was able to get it off of the snake, but it unfortunately resulted in a knot in the cord. I wasn't able to get the knot out and was forced to tie-off and cut the cord. There was about a quarter sized amount of yolk left in the sac, but it had already hardened some and wasn't usable for a syringe feeding.

The hatchling is 35g. The smallest I've had so far. I'm just trying to plan the next few steps to make sure this baby has the best chances of thriving.

I moved the baby to a deli cup with about a 1/4 inch of water. I left the deli cup in the incubator to keep her nice and warm. Hoping that she will be able to drink as much as she can. Planning to move her to another cup on damp paper towels later today.

Not sure exactly how to approach feeding a hatchling that's this small and probably a bit weaker than her siblings. My first thought is to just wait a bit and offer her a mouse pinkie like normal. Should I try to offer sooner than I normally would (before 1st shed) since she might be too weak to eat normally in 5-10 days when she sheds?

Has anyone else dealt with a similar situation before? Can you think of anything else I should be doing at this point? Any good thoughts on how to proceed with feeding in the next several days?

Thanks in advance!

[Stewart_Reptiles]

In that kind of case I would give the hatchling 48/72 hours and offer food (live fuzzy mouse), he may or may not take it on it's own, if not I would go ahead and assist.

[Dave Green]

I would try and feed it before they shed. Small babies seem more willing to eat and I've had some luck feeding a small meal even before they shed. If not just try right after they shed.

Also, I would just put her on damp paper towel, 1/4 inch of water and a small baby might not mix well.

[Kibbleswhites]

I had a 32 gram hatchling this season. I would skip mice all together (ones without eyes open are too small and ones with eyes open could bite the baby and further delay feeding normally). I would get him out of the deli cup and into a small bin with several tight hides and wet paper towels and water dish of course. In 24 hours I would throw in a live rat pink (5-6 grams would be great) and leave it overnight. If it did not eat that I would wait til it shed and offer again the same type meal. If it refused I would thump that pink and attempt assist feed. If it takes it great, leave it alone and repeat live then thump then assist in 3-4 days. If it refuses the assist feed I would not assist feed again for at least a week but better two weeks but still offer a live rat pink every 3-4 days. My 32 gram hatchling did not take his first meal until he was a month old. That was after offering live every 3-4 days and two failed assist feeds. He finally took an assist feed just days before I was going to go with a pinkie pump method (quite yucky and I hate to do it). Stress can be hard on a hatchling.

[Sama]

We had a twisted umbilical hatchling last year, as soon as the extra cord fell off and looked normal we put him in with his siblings. He was almost normal sized and took about 2 weeks to get eating but did great after. However he did wait 1 full month before shedding, we keep in contact and he is doing well : ). We also had a twin baby where the second twin never developed and we had to cut her cord as well, she was very small, 28g. Same thing, deli cup with a damp paper towel until the umbilical fell off naturally and then put her in with her siblings until they all shed (she was only a day or 2 late on the shed). She started eating mouse fuzzies right away and is pushing 1400g at 1 year old!

[rafacacho]

If you can recognize an afraid state from a hunting mode, then I will go with the live fuzzy. Just keep a flat head screwdriver in your hand to make the mouse bite it just in case. It is not nice, but is better than a bite in the baby.

[CORBIN911]

If you can recognize an afraid state from a hunting mode, then I will go with the live fuzzy. Just keep a flat head screwdriver in your hand to make the mouse bite it just in case. It is not nice, but is better than a bite in the baby.

...... This is just nonsence. a Live fuzzy for a 30 gram snake, thats more then 1/3rd of the weight... Id go with what deborah said. Aswell as assist feeding may have to come into play

[rafacacho]

You are right. I guess I missed the 30 gram part....