Baby Yellow Belly not eatting

Ok, here is the story. I got a late 09 yellow belly female from a breeder in March. She weighed roughly 330g so I know she has had a a few meals at least. I put her in a 6 quart tub in my baby rack, the warm side is always around 90 degrees. I bought a male mojave from the same breeder and approximately the same time. they are both in the same rack with a few other baby bps i have picked up. The breeder was feeding live hopper rats and the mojave eats like a pig. I just cant get this yellow to take anything I offer her. I have offered live and prekilled rat hoppers, rat pinks and small mice. The live ones she just seems to cuddle with meaning she lets them just hang out in her coils or next to her. (I have never left a live with her over night other then a rat pink or non-eye opened rat fuzzy). She just does not show any intrest in eating. She has struck twice so far but then just let go no coiling involved. She has lost about 50 grams since i got her. I don't have a supplier of asf or gerbils to try them. Her breathing seems normal no wheezing or any other indications of illness. I have tried to feed in tub and in an secondary tub. And only try to feed once a week. I was considering a force feeding but i have heard horror storys. Any suggestions

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Originally Posted by derrabe

Ok, here is the story. I got a late 09 yellow belly female from a breeder in March. She weighed roughly 330g so I know she has had a a few meals at least. I put her in a 6 quart tub in my baby rack, the warm side is always around 90 degrees. I bought a male mojave from the same breeder and approximately the same time. they are both in the same rack with a few other baby bps i have picked up. The breeder was feeding live hopper rats and the mojave eats like a pig. I just cant get this yellow to take anything I offer her. I have offered live and prekilled rat hoppers, rat pinks and small mice. The live ones she just seems to cuddle with meaning she lets them just hang out in her coils or next to her. (I have never left a live with her over night other then a rat pink or non-eye opened rat fuzzy). She just does not show any intrest in eating. She has struck twice so far but then just let go no coiling involved. She has lost about 50 grams since i got her. I don't have a supplier of asf or gerbils to try them. Her breathing seems normal no wheezing or any other indications of illness. I have tried to feed in tub and in an secondary tub. And only try to feed once a week. I was considering a force feeding but i have heard horror storys. Any suggestions

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I had a picky eater before like this as well. What I did, was take some newspaper and crumple it up, scatter around the tub, (this makes them feel more secure) and do not hold the snake what so ever. Just water changing. This mojave would not eat! Could care less what it was.

He was pounding rats every 5 days before I sold him. I also tried the smaller tub, but that made it worse and he was constantly roaming/stressed out. Put him in a bigger tub and it worked. I eventually took all of the newspaper out and he was fine.

Sometimes I would have to leave the rat pup in overnight because he would not eat with any lights on. This was f/t as well, not live. It was a good 4 months of not eating.
All of this changed just from moving him to a bigger tub and using crumpled up newspaper. I read the newspaper trick on here a long time ago and decided to use it.

Cheers

I usually crack open the rat's (f/t, not live) cranium when my ball gets picky about eating. They seem to love the smell of brains. It works most of the time for me.

I would also avoid handling to reduce any stress on the lil guy (or girl in your case). Striking without coiling could be a sign that she is stressed out. I also feed in tub and sometimes let the snake strike while he's inside his hide to avoid putting him off his appetite.

I hope that helps. Good luck

Does anyone else have problems with yellow bellies. I have two currently and my male that is my main breeder this year took about 4-6 months to take his first meal. And would only eat until recently if I had a hide in his tub. None of my other snake have hides in the tubs and eat fine. I need to find a small hide for a 6qt tub I may try and just leave her alone for a week or two (other then water change) and see if that works. Yellow bellies so far are the most trouble eaters I have dealt with.

I am pleased to announce that the yellow belly finally took a meal last night WAHOO!!!!!

Congrats on her eating :gj:

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Originally Posted by derrabe

Does anyone else have problems with yellow bellies.

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My yellow bellies are some of the best eaters around.
My smallest Aug. 09 female yb is 650 grams and the largest is 900.
My male breeder is 1500+ and he's an mid 08.
My babies last year all ate their first week and haven't stopped yet :P

I suggest a 330 gram baby be jumped up to a 15/16 qt tub and given a hide :)

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Originally Posted by derrabe

I am pleased to announce that the yellow belly finally took a meal last night WAHOO!!!!!

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Sweet, did it act like it wanted another? ;)

That part i didnt check, I just let it stike and kill the rat made sure it was dead then went up stairs to let it eat in peace. Came back in 20 minutes and it was gone and the yb was coiled in the back of the tub

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Originally Posted by derrabe

Came back in 20 minutes and it was gone and the yb was coiled in the back of the tub

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Sounds like yb was content again :gj: