I have about a 1 foot snake wat should i feed him?? This will be the first feed so i need some help
09-03-2005, 10:34 AM
kavmon
Re: Feeding
make sure before you feed that your setup is totally correct!!! allow the snake a week or two to settle in!!! most babies can eat a hopper mouse or a pinkie rat with no problems.
vaughn
09-03-2005, 10:49 AM
tigerlily
Re: Feeding
Like Vaughn said get your temps right first. Snakes need those temps to be able to digest their food. 92-94 hot side and 82-84 on the cool side. Offer multiple places to hide and no handling until you get em eating. Babies can stress out so easily and then you end up with a snake that won't eat. Find out what the snake was eating before you got it and try and repeat that. Good luck!
09-03-2005, 01:22 PM
mr~python
Re: Feeding
feed him a prey item equal to the thickest girth of the snake once a week.
09-03-2005, 06:09 PM
mlededee
Re: Feeding
do not feed your snake. do not handle your snake. do not touch or interact with your snake AT ALL. leave him completely alone for 7-10 days. make sure that his temperatues and husbandry are perfect. 82-84 degrees on the cold side and 92-94 degrees on the hot side, humidity between 50-60%, measured on a digital thermometer/hygrometer (the accurite model is great and can be found at walmart for about $15), one snug hide on each side of the tank and clean water in a shallow dish. when your husbandry is correct and it has been 7-10 days, attempt to feed a prey item that is equal to or a little smaller than the girth of the snake. if he doesn't take the prey re-check your husbandry and leave him completely alone for another 7 days before you offer him another meal. continue to do this until he does eat. give him 48 hours minimum to digest after each meal before you handle him so that you do not stress him out and cause him to regurgitate the meal. once he has eaten 3-4 consecutive meals you can begin to handle him regularly, for 10-15 minutes per day. he may be very shy and nervous at first but with short handling sessions he will begin to get used to you and settle in.
if you stray from these guidelines you may stress your new snake and cause him to refuse food and to become ill. PLEASE take these things into consideration and make sure you take the best interests of your new snake to heart.
