First Successful Assist Feeding

[West Coast Jungle]

Of all my hatchlings this year my favorite (prettiest) hasn't fed. She was hatched on 5/28 and shed on 6/6. Her siblings have eaten 6-8 times but she keeps refusing. Adam gave me some great tips, tried them all but still nothing. She is a reduced pattern pastel (from reduced x pastel breeding) and was an obvious keeper from the day she hatched but just wouldn't feed. Her behavior is normal and everthing else about her is great but no feeding respose whatsoever! So tonight after what seemed like the billionth attempt I took the mouse fuzzy (plump & live) out of her tub, gased it with CO2, wet it down and decided to assist feed for the first time. I have done many things to BP's(shots, oral meds) but never had to assist feed before. So I refered to my bibles (VPI book Vol. 2 and Kevin McCurley's book) and gave it a go. I did it in her tub on my snake work table and after getting the head in her mouth close her jaws gently and put her back in the rack and watched (with extreme joy) as she began to swallow the rest of mouse hopper on her own. I haven't shown any pics of her since hatching because I didn't want to disturb or jinx her until she ate on her own. I want to thank Adam for taking the time to give me excellent advice and help on stubborn hatchling feeding. Hopefully next week she will eat on her own but for know I know she has a full tummy and more than likely will be fine. She never got real skinny or sickly looking but I didn't want it to get that far. Here is a hatchling pic (still don't want to jinx or disturb her more than needed).



She's in the lower left hand corner. Now I gotta come up with a name for her.

[frankykeno]

We've had to assist feed a couple of our 07 hatchlings Raul and it's not much fun is it. Hopefully your girl will get the idea now. Sometimes a very gentle jerk on the tail of the f/t prey gets them really interested in gulping it down. That's what worked for Darra anyways and she hit her prey herself at the next feeding after the assist. I don't like to have to assist but with zero feeding response and very tiny babies, it gets to the point of that or they aren't going to make it I guess. Crossing my fingers that little beauty of yours gets the point now and eats independently.

[rabernet]

Raul,

She is a very pretty and special baby, and I'm glad to read that your assist feed was successful!

Some names:

Aimi - Beautiful Love - Japanese
Ayanna - Beautiful Flower - African
Bella - Beautiful - Italian
Callista - Most Beautiful - Greek
Caroline - Beautiful Woman - Latin
Damali - Beautiful Vision - Arabic
Donatella - Beautiful Gift - Italian
Eavan - Beautiful Radiance - Celtic/Gaelic
Maliha - Attractive, Beautiful - Arabic
Meiling - Beautiful and Delicate - Chinese
Misa - Beautiful Bloom - Japanese

[West Coast Jungle]

Beautiful names! When I wake up more I will absorb them better LOL.(6 am west coast). Thanks for the kind words

[jkobylka]

good job! sounds like she took it without too much of a struggle too. I bet she'll take off for you and be slamming on her own soon.

[jglass38]

Nice job Raul! I am sure you'll get her going. It might take a couple more assist feeds though. I have two 05 girls that I had to assist feed and they are by far my best eaters.

[muddoc]

Great job Raul. Assist feeding, when done correctly, can be a life saver. No pun intended. It sounds like you got some great help and advice, and got the job done right.

Congrats,

[Rapture]

Great job on assist feeding... glad you didn't have to force feed. Sometimes getting a meal in their belly is just what they need to get going on their own.

[aaajohnson]

I am glad that went OK for you Raul, and hopefully she will eat on her own nextweek. She looks gorgeous from what I can seein that pic, can't wait to see more of her. As for an name ... a stubborn female thats a picky eater, lets see my youngest daugter is named Alexis, and that describes her perfectly!!!

Neil

[West Coast Jungle]

Fed my hatchlings some mouse hoppers again today and everyone ate but my reluctant feeder looked at first like she struck, missed and wrap around the paper towel bedding then released and ignored the hopper. Well we were having a get together for my wifes B-day so I just left her be with hopper in her tub. Well I just checked on her tonight(9:30) thinking I might have to assist feed again and wooohooo no mouse hopper !!!!!!! The little bugger ate on her own(finally) and I am one proud popa . It is so true when it comes to these animals it's all about patience. My rats should be having some babies this week and I am looking foward to giving her some rat pinks next week. Nice way to end the day