My hatchlings won't eat, help

So I have babies around 3 and a half weeks out of the egg and they still haven't eaten. Hot spot is 90 and I've offered live pinky rats, hopper mice, and f/t hopper mice. What do I do? Is it time to assist feed?

Did you hatch them? 3 ad a half weeks and no food is really nothing, I usually don't offer food before they are about 2 weeks (that's after first shed plus about 4 /5 days after first shed)

If in that little amount of time since the first shed you have tried that many prey type you are offering too often, only offer once a week.

When your snake hatch and have their first shed wait a few days for them to settle in their individual tubs (I get better feeding response if I leave them alone for a few days after their first shed compare to feeding that day or the next), start with mouse hopper (they are always more enticing and same thing better feeding response), do so for 3 weeks and if after 3 weeks they still do not feed offer a live rat crawler.

And of course

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If you have not done so, switch the BP to a 6 quarts tub max until it reaches 150/200 grams. (Security is the number one priority for hatchling that small)

Use aspen as bedding. (Provides additional security)

Provide a hot spot of no higher than 86/87 (in a tub that small to high of temps do not allow much room to get away from the heat if the animals feel the need to)

Offer a 6 inches plastic flower pot saucer as an hide. (Provide tight hiding place = increase security)

Once you made the switch wait a week and offer food in the tub, offering a LIVE mouse hopper. (Switching is not the priority getting the animal to eat is, once consistent you can attempt to switch)

DO NOT handle your BP until it eats for you 3 to 5 times and keep it to a minimum until the animal is a bit bigger.

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Originally Posted by Deborah

Did you hatch them? 3 ad a half weeks and no food is really nothing, I usually don't offer food before they are about 2 weeks (that's after first shed plus about 4 /5 days after first shed)

If in that little amount of time since the first shed you have tried that many prey type you are offering too often, only offer once a week.

When your snake hatch and have their first shed wait a few days for them to settle in their individual tubs (I get better feeding response if I leave them alone for a few days after their first shed compare to feeding that day or the next), start with mouse hopper (they are always more enticing and same thing better feeding response), do so for 3 weeks and if after 3 weeks they still do not feed offer a live rat crawler.

And of course

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Yes I hatched them. I will try the aspen trick! Unfortunately there's nowhere that sells live mouse hoppers near me, only live adult mice.

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Originally Posted by f22raptor95

Yes I hatched them. I will try the aspen trick! Unfortunately there's nowhere that sells live mouse hoppers near me, only live adult mice.

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Check your state/local Facebook forums for private rodent breeders. You may have to drive a bit but you can usually find someone.

Otherwise you may want to start your own mouse colonies if you plan to keep breeding and live feeders for hatchling BP's are hard to find in your area.

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Originally Posted by bcr229

Check your state/local Facebook forums for private rodent breeders. You may have to drive a bit but you can usually find someone.

Otherwise you may want to start your own mouse colonies if you plan to keep breeding and live feeders for hatchling BP's are hard to find in your area.

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Yeah the only guy is about an hour away, I'm just worried that I'll drive all the way out there and they won't eat them, are live hoppers usually a foolproof meal for them?

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Originally Posted by f22raptor95

Yeah the only guy is about an hour away, I'm just worried that I'll drive all the way out there and they won't eat them, are live hoppers usually a foolproof meal for them?

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With a ball python nothing is "foolproof" but live hoppers usually do the trick to get babies to eat.

You could always get the smallest hoppers you can find that can live away from mama, and if your babiesdon't eat then feed the hoppers for a few days and try your hatchlings again. Just remember this is how people end up with pet mice though...

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Originally Posted by f22raptor95

Yeah the only guy is about an hour away, I'm just worried that I'll drive all the way out there and they won't eat them, are live hoppers usually a foolproof meal for them?

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They are much more enticing compare to rats, I start everything on mice, 90% take them on the first meal the rest by meal 3, I very rarely assist.

When I used to start everything on rats I had a much higher rate of refusal when it came to their first meal.

I switch all my hatchlings after 3 meals on average.

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Originally Posted by bcr229

With a ball python nothing is "foolproof" but live hoppers usually do the trick to get babies to eat.

You could always get the smallest hoppers you can find that can live away from mama, and if your babiesdon't eat then feed the hoppers for a few days and try your hatchlings again. Just remember this is how people end up with pet mice though...

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Which is exactly what I don't want!!!! Lol but I have 2 baby boas that would probably eat the mice if the balls don't. Do you think there would be some small mice in the "live adult" section of the pet store I could get?

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Originally Posted by Deborah

They are much more enticing compare to rats, I start everything on mice, 90% take them on the first meal the rest by meal 3, I very rarely assist.

When I used to start everything on rats I had a much higher rate of refusal when it came to their first meal.

I switch all my hatchlings after 3 meals on average.

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Sounds like I have to find a way to get me some live hopper mice then!

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Originally Posted by f22raptor95

So I have babies around 3 and a half weeks out of the egg and they still haven't eaten. Hot spot is 90 and I've offered live pinky rats, hopper mice, and f/t hopper mice. What do I do? Is it time to assist feed?

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Don't be overly concerned. Two of my clutches this year had babies that didn't eat till week 7-8. And now I cant give them enough. Live hopper mice did seem to entice them rather well.

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