Hatchlings not feeding.

[mrsbrougher]

I have tried offering rat pinks and mice pinks. The babies will strike, but not coil they hatched on June 27th and none have taken a meal advice?

[Tyler_Royality]

I would try prey that offers more movement, to induce a better feeding response. I always start with "Hopper" mice, or Small mice. pinkies just never seem to work very well. and the reason is that they are just to boring of prey to trigger a good feeding response.

Also, ull run into stuborn hatchlings... force feeding is a very last resort. ive only had to do this with a hatcling once, and I wouldnt suggest it unless the snake is getting dangerously skinny.

hope this helps, and GL

[stevepoppers]

Mouse fuzzies.

[mrsbrougher]

Thanks, I'll try some bigger prey tomorrow; I've always used pinks as first meals for my hatchlings but this whole clutch is hard headed! Did end up with a couple nice albinos though.



They are really high contrast, my cell phone doesn't pick up the orange well.

[joepythons]

Try not to handle them until they have eaten a couple times .I always offer rat pinks to the new borns i have produced.

[Gavin Cooper]

I start all of my hatchlings on live rat pups. I feel rat pinks or mice are too small of a prey item. This is not to say it's 100% but it works very well for me.

I would not worry too much until around 5-6 weeks old or until they show signs of a large weight loss. Your hathclings are only 3 weeks old, nothing to worry about.


Gavin

[JHB Reptiles]

What I like to do with picky feeders sometimes which works is place the snake in a bag with the mouse, like the brown paper lunch bags and sometimes that gets them to eat for me. I typically start all of my babies on rats but some babies need the movement of mice in order to get them to eat. Hope this helps..
- Josh

[mrsbrougher]

Thanks for all the replies, I try not to handle them often, just took a couple of pics for people interested in them and put them back in their tubs. I will try some small hoppers in a few days.