New hatchling BP not eating

[Pareeeee]

Hello

New to owning BP's, not new to reptiles. I just bought a new BP hatchling about 3wks ago - which makes him 6wks old. When I bought him from the breeder, he said that he had eaten, and it was obvious he was telling the truth by the bulge in the little guy's tummy. I have not been able to get him to eat yet myself.

I'm trying to get him on f/t because the stupid hick pet stores around here don't sell live *small* sized rodents, only adults. (I've called several, they practically laugh at you when you ask...)

He is so terrified of me that when I open the tub he hisses loudly and tenses all up, sometimes he opens his mouth. I tried wiggling the mouse in front of him with the tongs, and it made him more terrified. He just hissed at it. So next feeding, I tried just covering his tub with a dark piece of fabric and just leaving a dead fuzzy on the heat source. Still there in the morning.

He's in a 6qt tub, small ventilation holes around the top, heat mat with thermostat at between 90-95deg on the warm side. I mist his enclosure so it's always humid, and there's also a small water dish. He doesn't seem to like using his hides. Substrate is paper towel.

Any advice would be appreciated...I know young snakes can't go as long without food as adults can.

[el8ch]

Welcome to the site!

Wondering where you got your hatchling? Typically reputable breeders will ensure that hatchling have had atleast 3 consecutive meals before selling their offspring. It would suprise me if a 3 week old snake was well started from the breeder.

That aside, I would ensure that your new snake feels secure and is left alone for a week or so to acclimate to his new environment. If you can, black out the side of your tub and put the snake in a low traffic area. After a week or so of no handling try and feed an appropriate size f/t mouse ensuring it is hot enough for the snake to be able to sense it. Feeding F/T to hatchlings can be a chore, typically I would feed a LIVE hopper mouse to get them on food. What size of mouse have you been offering?

Make sure your husbandry is up, tone down the heat a bit maybe. I wouldn't be letting my tubs get to 95 degrees, keep them at 90. What sort of hides do you have in a 6qt tub? 1 or 2, identical?

[Annarose15]

1) Turn the stat down a couple of degrees (88-ish). Hatchlings don't need as much heat as adults, and it's hard to get any kind of gradient in a 6-qt tub. That could also be why he isn't going in the hide (oven effect).
2) Switch him to aspen (helps them feel more hidden).
3) If at all possible, get him a live meal just to get him started, then switch to F/T.
4) If live isn't possible, make sure you are heating the F/T fully and just leave it in front of his hide (or near him) overnight. No zombie dance, because it sounds like it is intimidating him. And no peeking!
5) (to el8ch) It is possible he had three meals at three weeks old. Shed after one week, and then feedings every 3-4 days after that is aggressive, but possible.

Add: Make sure you are waiting a few days between offerings, so he has time to settle down after each refusal. Unless it is very dry where you are, I would also hold off on misting him for a few days, because I know none of mine appreciate being squirted (hard to avoid if he isn't in his hide).

[el8ch]

5) (to el8ch) It is possible he had three meals at three weeks old. Shed after one week, and then feedings every 3-4 days after that is aggressive, but possible.

Agreed. (at work and on edge, )

[Annarose15]

Agreed. (at work and on edge, )

Lol, I know the feeling!

[MrLang]

A small-ish adult mouse is only about 17-22g. If you observe the feeding from outside the tub and are ready to intervene if you need to, I see no reason why a hatchling snake can't take it down.

Just go to the store and pick the mouse yourself. Ask when their shipping days are as they probably get mice that are closer to juvenile at those times.

Leave the snake alone for a week in the dark and then drop the LIVE mouse in at dusk or just after sunset.

GL!

[Pareeeee]

Welcome to the site!

Wondering where you got your hatchling? Typically reputable breeders will ensure that hatchling have had atleast 3 consecutive meals before selling their offspring. It would suprise me if a 3 week old snake was well started from the breeder.

That aside, I would ensure that your new snake feels secure and is left alone for a week or so to acclimate to his new environment. If you can, black out the side of your tub and put the snake in a low traffic area. After a week or so of no handling try and feed an appropriate size f/t mouse ensuring it is hot enough for the snake to be able to sense it. Feeding F/T to hatchlings can be a chore, typically I would feed a LIVE hopper mouse to get them on food. What size of mouse have you been offering?

Make sure your husbandry is up, tone down the heat a bit maybe. I wouldn't be letting my tubs get to 95 degrees, keep them at 90. What sort of hides do you have in a 6qt tub? 1 or 2, identical?

No the guy I got him from is a breeder of many different morphs. He also breeds his own rodents. The hatchling had been fed at least twice before I got him. He shed shortly after I bought him.

I've been offering f/t fuzzies. Too small? I've been trying to start my own breeding operation but only one of my female mice has had babies, it was her first litter so she ate all except one... the one baby is still too small (pinkie) to feed so far.

I will get the temp down. The hides are not identical...I guess I should see if I can find one the same as the other one I have...my Rosy Boa doesn't care if his hides are identical, not used to this picky little BP.

1) Turn the stat down a couple of degrees (88-ish). Hatchlings don't need as much heat as adults, and it's hard to get any kind of gradient in a 6-qt tub. That could also be why he isn't going in the hide (oven effect).
2) Switch him to aspen (helps them feel more hidden).
3) If at all possible, get him a live meal just to get him started, then switch to F/T.
4) If live isn't possible, make sure you are heating the F/T fully and just leave it in front of his hide (or near him) overnight. No zombie dance, because it sounds like it is intimidating him. And no peeking!
5) (to el8ch) It is possible he had three meals at three weeks old. Shed after one week, and then feedings every 3-4 days after that is aggressive, but possible.

Add: Make sure you are waiting a few days between offerings, so he has time to settle down after each refusal. Unless it is very dry where you are, I would also hold off on misting him for a few days, because I know none of mine appreciate being squirted (hard to avoid if he isn't in his hide).

1) Temp: Refer to what I said up there ^^
2) I was afraid of him ingesting some bedding with his meal - that's why I just opted for paper towels. What should I do? I would feed him in a separate tub but touching him scares him too much...
3) Well if my stupid mice would stop eating their babies...it's like they're saying "FINE! I'll eat them so the snakes can't..."
4) I have been heating the fuzzy in a zip-lock bag immersed in hot tap-water until completely thawed. Yeah, the first two times I did the "zombie dance" last night I did exactly what you suggested, with no peeking, lol. I even hung a blanket as a barrier so light from the other room wouldn't disturb him.
5) I haven't been offering very often because of his extreme fear of me. I don't mist extremely often, but yes, I agree that they HATE it.

A small-ish adult mouse is only about 17-22g. If you observe the feeding from outside the tub and are ready to intervene if you need to, I see no reason why a hatchling snake can't take it down.

Just go to the store and pick the mouse yourself. Ask when their shipping days are as they probably get mice that are closer to juvenile at those times.

Leave the snake alone for a week in the dark and then drop the LIVE mouse in at dusk or just after sunset.

GL!

I thought an adult mouse was too large for a teeny 6wk hatchling? He is pretty small...haven't weighed him yet since he's so scared, but he is very small.

PS: Here is his feeding chart:

July 26/2012: Purchased at 3wks old. Had eaten well prior to purchase. Bulge visible.
Aug 1/2012: Did not eat f/t albino fuzzy mouse (wiggled with tongs)
Aug 3/2012: Perfect shed
Aug 5/2012: Did not eat f/t albino fuzzy mouse (wiggled with tongs)
Aug 12/2012: Did not eat f/t coloured fuzzy mouse (left alone on heat pad by hide)
(He has not pooped yet since I bought him)

[Pareeeee]

**Bump**

[Pareeeee]

I finally got him to eat about 3 days ago, he only took a mouse fuzzy. I weighed him yesterday and he is about 50g in weight, 16 inches long. Either my scale is off, or he's really small...what is the largest mouse he could eat?