Feeding Hatchlings Question

i had a clutch of six eggs hatch out a month ago. i have two from that clutch that have eaten 3-5 times and one that has eaten 1 time. the other three don't want anything to do with food.

does anyone have any tips on what i should/can do to get them to eat? (and yes, i have tried mouse hoppers)

and at what stage of the game should you start to worry/thinking about assist/force feeding?

any help would be much appreciated! thanks!

Smaller, darker enclosures and crumpled newspaper mostly filling the tub and hides to provide more cover are things to try.

i have them in 6 qt tubs in a black rack. it can't really get much darker/smaller than that haha. and i had hides in there but they weren't using them. they were just going under their paper. so i don't really think its either of those things. i can try putting the hides back in but i'm not sure if that will do much.

thanks for the reply though!

What and how are you feeding?

You said you tried mouse hoppers, what else have you tried? When have you offered food? Have you been leavin them alone otherwise?

I personally go with 3 weeks after shed, for normal weight hatchlings. If they haven't eaten by then, I assist-feed. No sense in letting them weaken and get too thin.

Things to try first:
A hide (if using racks without them)
Crumpled newspaper trick
Different prey (if trying mice, then try rats, and vice versa).

Usually, assist-feeding is all it takes to 'prime the pump' and give them an appetite, but a few might require more work.

i have tried feeding pretty much everything appropriately sized from fuzzies to hoppers i even tried rat pinks. nothing. i have left them completely alone other than trying to feed every few days. i have left prey alone inside their tubs with them and i have tried off tongs.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by adam_c

i have tried feeding pretty much everything appropriately sized from fuzzies to hoppers i even tried rat pinks. nothing. i have left them completely alone other than trying to feed every few days. i have left prey alone inside their tubs with them and i have tried off tongs.

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Have you tried live yet? Some people have a lot better luck getting their babies to feed with live then switching to f/t.

ASF rats are a last resort feeder for me that work extremely well!

yes i tried live first. nothing. F/T still nothing. i tried assist feeding and got 1 out of the 3 to eat. now it's down to 2. i have tried everything from live to f/t to assist feeding to different sizes and types of prey. everything. and nothing is working. the only thing left to do is force feed unfortunately. thanks for all the help everyone.