Hatchling did not eat... When should I worry?

[Enirei]

As title says, my hatchling did not eat, he's looking a bit thin to me, and I'm wondering when I should start worrying.

So I've had a hatchling for about a week (breeder told me he was about a week old at purchase). He's in a tub. UTH is lows 90s, cold side high 70s low 80s. Ambient air is averaging around 80. Humidty is typically above 50%. He has a water dish. His hides consist of two solo cups with doors cut into them (more solid hides arriving tomorrow) and a bunch of fake plants to hide under and fill up the excess space. The tub has an opaque lid, creating shade within the tub.

His behavior... Usually hiding under the plants during the day with some bouts of activity (usually in the evenings), poking his nose at the lid and his tongue flicking. The times I've held him, he has appeared calm and sometimes flicking his tongue.

I bought him on Saturday at a reptile show. When I went back to buy him, the breeder was not around so I could not ask questions (and I needed to leave to get somewhere). I figured he probably would've been fed Friday morning at the most recent (to have a down time before the show). The breeder told me he had been fed pinkies in an earlier conversation.

Wednesday I tried feeding him a f/t hopper. He backed away from it wiggling in front of him. Friday I tried again and same response. I noted he was looking skinny and I weighed him, he was about about 60g (length is a bit more than 14 inches). I thought maybe if he was used to a pinkie to try one, tried a live one today. Still not interested in it, even after leaving him alone with it for a few hours.

He's not a bread loaf shape, more of a pentagon house shape. And it has been brought to my attention that handling too much in the first week could've caused stress and result in not eating. I'm going to leave him alone for a week with minimal checking (check temps and see what side he's on) before attempting another feeding.

If he doesn't eat after that, when should I start worrying?

[Stewart_Reptiles]

There are a few inconsistencies if the animal was a week old at the time of purchase this would mean that the animal never took a meal. BP hatched, than shed for the first time 10 to 14 days later than feed for the first time.

Is your BP in a 6 quarts tubs with low ceiling? If not switch the animal to a 6 quarts tub and use a 6 inches flower pot saucer as a hide and aspen as bedding. Provide a hot side no higher than 88 degrees.

DO not handle this snake anymore until it eats for you.

Once you have made the changes wait a week and offer a LIVE hopper mouse in the tub, close the lid and remove if uneaten after 10 min.

A barely hatched animal is not established enough to be consistant on f/T and this one as probably never had f/T before (I don't consider my animal switched until 5 f/T meals and that only happen after 3 to 5 live feeding). In other words switching is not a priority getting the animal to eat is.


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[Slim]

breeder told me he was about a week old at purchase

Are you positive this is what the seller told you?

[jennmbarker]

As title says, my hatchling did not eat, he's looking a bit thin to me, and I'm wondering when I should start worrying.

So I've had a hatchling for about a week (breeder told me he was about a week old at purchase). He's in a tub. UTH is lows 90s, cold side high 70s low 80s. Ambient air is averaging around 80. Humidty is typically above 50%. He has a water dish. His hides consist of two solo cups with doors cut into them (more solid hides arriving tomorrow) and a bunch of fake plants to hide under and fill up the excess space. The tub has an opaque lid, creating shade within the tub.

His behavior... Usually hiding under the plants during the day with some bouts of activity (usually in the evenings), poking his nose at the lid and his tongue flicking. The times I've held him, he has appeared calm and sometimes flicking his tongue.

I bought him on Saturday at a reptile show. When I went back to buy him, the breeder was not around so I could not ask questions (and I needed to leave to get somewhere). I figured he probably would've been fed Friday morning at the most recent (to have a down time before the show). The breeder told me he had been fed pinkies in an earlier conversation.

Wednesday I tried feeding him a f/t hopper. He backed away from it wiggling in front of him. Friday I tried again and same response. I noted he was looking skinny and I weighed him, he was about about 60g (length is a bit more than 14 inches). I thought maybe if he was used to a pinkie to try one, tried a live one today. Still not interested in it, even after leaving him alone with it for a few hours.

He's not a bread loaf shape, more of a pentagon house shape. And it has been brought to my attention that handling too much in the first week could've caused stress and result in not eating. I'm going to leave him alone for a week with minimal checking (check temps and see what side he's on) before attempting another feeding.

If he doesn't eat after that, when should I start worrying?

I bought what I was told was a 3 wk old hatchling normal het pied and he was very hard to feed. The breeder told me he had eaten prior to me buying him. I put him in his enclosure and did not mess with him agin until feeding time. I offered him food and he refused. I did everything f/t, live rat pups, ect. I finally called the breeder back asking when was his exact hatch date, when he shed, and when he ate. I talked to his wife that time and she told me he hadn't shed to her knowledge and she didnt know if he had ate. So I was pretty upset and told her I wanted him to call me asap. He didn't call me, rather texted and told me he hadnt ate and hadn't shed and was only a week old when I bought him and he was my problem now. I was pretty pissed off and was affraid i would lose him to starvation. But I left him alone and he pulled thru. His first meal he took was a freshly killed brained rat pinkie. ( Pinkie with head split showing brains) after that he ate weekly and finally became a healthy boy. Good luck with the baby.

[Enirei]

I bought what I was told was a 3 wk old hatchling normal het pied and he was very hard to feed. The breeder told me he had eaten prior to me buying him. I put him in his enclosure and did not mess with him agin until feeding time. I offered him food and he refused. I did everything f/t, live rat pups, ect. I finally called the breeder back asking when was his exact hatch date, when he shed, and when he ate. I talked to his wife that time and she told me he hadn't shed to her knowledge and she didnt know if he had ate. So I was pretty upset and told her I wanted him to call me asap. He didn't call me, rather texted and told me he hadnt ate and hadn't shed and was only a week old when I bought him and he was my problem now. I was pretty pissed off and was affraid i would lose him to starvation. But I left him alone and he pulled thru. His first meal he took was a freshly killed brained rat pinkie. ( Pinkie with head split showing brains) after that he ate weekly and finally became a healthy boy. Good luck with the baby.

Thank you for your experience. Mine is a normal he was trying to get rid of, even told me if he didn't sell with a week or two he'll be feeder for something. It should've set off warning bells for me but stupid me, he was a pretty little baby for $10 and I've been wanting a snake for a good number of years.

[PitOnTheProwl]

As already mentioned. It probably has never eaten. Leave it be for a week.
A small live hopper mouse usually does the trick.

[Enirei]

As already mentioned. It probably has never eaten. Leave it be for a week.
A small live hopper mouse usually does the trick.

The pet store near me that stocks live feeder rodents doesn't list hoppers, the list goes from "fuzzies" to "mice". Should I go for a fuzzy?

[chrid16371]

Thank you for your experience. Mine is a normal he was trying to get rid of, even told me if he didn't sell with a week or two he'll be feeder for something. It should've set off warning bells for me but stupid me, he was a pretty little baby for $10 and I've been wanting a snake for a good number of years.

As stated leave alone for couple weeks then offer live. Being that you have wanted a snake for awhile I'm assuming you have never owned one. It's important your husbandry is perfect. Read this care sheet a few times and make the necessary adjustments.

http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...ius)-Caresheet http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...ius)-Caresheet

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[bcr229]

The pet store near me that stocks live feeder rodents doesn't list hoppers, the list goes from "fuzzies" to "mice". Should I go for a fuzzy?

Get the largest live fuzzy you can find. Fortunately a fuzzy is too small to hurt a snake so you can leave it in the tub with the snake for a while.

Offer the feeder just after sunset, this is when BP's normally become active as they're nocturnal hunters.

Also this breeder didn't do you or the snake any favors, a hatchling that has never taken a meal should not be sold, especially to someone who is inexperienced with starting a baby.

[Freakie_frog]

Get the largest live fuzzy you can find. Fortunately a fuzzy is too small to hurt a snake so you can leave it in the tub with the snake for a while.

Offer the feeder just after sunset, this is when BP's normally become active as they're nocturnal hunters.

Also this breeder didn't do you or the snake any favors, a hatchling that has never taken a meal should not be sold, especially to someone who is inexperienced with starting a baby.

^^^^^ this.

Mice are snake crack so if you can find some one with a mouse hopper or three that would help. Depending on just how bad the snake is, it might be past the point of no return.

Just for the understanding and information of everyone who sold you an un-started baby and didn't tell you?