wobbles in an enchi?

[roundbrowndog]

Hi all,

I was given a clutch of pewter x enchi babies about 2 months ago along with an adult cinnamon female (unrelated) and a pewter male (daddy of the clutch - he is a total sweetheart and has zero issues). Although it was an excellent learning experience it was very poor planning on my part because it immediately put my numbers too high (!) So...I sold the babies that were eating well to a friend, kept the prettiest (also eating), and have been assist/force-feeding the two smallest who - even now - will NOT strike or eat on their own. That is a problem in its own right but isn't why I'm asking for advice...here's the bigger issue: the very smallest has started displaying what I can only describe as a mild wobble when I feed her. Give the genetics (or what I was told, anyway) I'm quite surprised and dismayed and am honestly trying to decide if I should euthanize (considering the whole "won't eat on its own" issue + the wobble). I know sometimes babies just don't do well...just like humans and every other critter, there will always be some that just aren't quite "right". I started assist feeding both siblings when their weight dropped to 58-60g and they still wouldn't eat (they were ~ 4-5 weeks old at that point and the other 5 were readily taking hopper mice). These two have been getting pinkies every 5 days since then - but while one sib is up to 78g (I finally was able to up her to a fuzzy mouse last night) this other baby is only 67g so there has been minimal weight gain AND we now have a wobble of unknown origin. So...should I accept that this might be a baby who just won't make it? What do folks typically do in this situation? My snakes are pets first and I try to take the best care of them that I can...but I don't want to drag out a life that isn't meant to be. Thanks for the advice!

[bcr229]

The "wobble" could be due to nervousness or stress over recognizing it's about to be assist fed. If it doesn't display the behavior at any other time I wouldn't worry about it.

[roundbrowndog]

I'll run with that - thank you! I've worried about all sorts of things with these babies (beginning with the decision to start assist feeding in the first place). I think I'm a wee bit on the paranoid side. ;-)

[zina10]

Try to leave the food over night with the ones that aren't eating. Right before everything will go quiet and dark. Don't check until morning. I had one really stubborn hatchling I had to assist feed for 6 meals. I waited longer then 5 days in between and tried different things. I changed from paper towel to substrate (Coco, reptile prime). After that the hatchling showed interest but wouldn't strike. So I left the food and she ate it overnight. She did that twice and then she actually struck and ate. After that she ate like a perfectly normal snake. She was a particular difficult one and even the assist feeding wasn't easy with her. She was determined NOT to eat. But you should see her now...fat and happy and her new owners simply adore her...


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[zina10]

I should add that the food I left overnight was a frozen thawed mouse fuzzy. She previously didn't want anything to do with either live, frozen thawed or prekilled. Neither rats not mice.


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[Aerries]

I was having the same frustration with Skittles the last two feedings, would show interest in the rat but never struck. I just left it over night and it was gone. They just may not know how to python yet lol


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[roundbrowndog]

Thanks for the suggestions! - I've tried different approaches and haven't had much luck but now that they are used to getting pinky/fuzzy mice on a regular basis it sounds like it might be worth trying an overnight again. My 78g bigger one is pretty easy - she lets me open her mouth and as long as I position the mouse properly (and it isn't too big) she doesn't give me much trouble. The littler one is very stubborn and feeding is a trial for both of us - bcr229 is probably right that the wobbling is just from the stress of feeding. It is good to know though that this shouldn't last forever (!!). Zina10, I'll wait a bit before the next feeding (7 days?) and then I'll try another overnight and see where we get. As I said I'm really paranoid and until at they least break 100g I'll probably continue to totally obsess about them. (but by then I should have another clutch of eggs to obsess over anyway lol). Much appreciated everyone!