feeding a hatchling

Hello everyone,
I just got my first bp. I think he's about 6-8 weeks old and about 20". He's eaten four times now but I just found out the place where I got him was assist feeding him. They told me I should bring him in and they would feed him until he takes food on his own but this worries me. The more I read the more I don't like the idea. I tried giving him a f/t pinky rat then a pinky mouse with no luck. I guess I'll try again next week but how long a hatchling can go with out eating. I know an adult can go months and still be healthy but I havn't found much info about hatchlings. My hot side is about 90, the cool side is about 82, and the humidity is 60%. When I got him he just hid in either of his hides(one on each side). I left him alone for a week and now he's pretty active and doesn't seem stressed at all. I guess what I'm asking is should take him back to the store to feed or should I keep trying to get him to eat himself?

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Originally Posted by Bozzy

Hello everyone,
I just got my first bp. I think he's about 6-8 weeks old and about 20". He's eaten four times now but I just found out the place where I got him was assist feeding him. They told me I should bring him in and they would feed him until he takes food on his own but this worries me. The more I read the more I don't like the idea. I tried giving him a f/t pinky rat then a pinky mouse with no luck. I guess I'll try again next week but how long a hatchling can go with out eating. I know an adult can go months and still be healthy but I havn't found much info about hatchlings. My hot side is about 90, the cool side is about 82, and the humidity is 60%. When I got him he just hid in either of his hides(one on each side). I left him alone for a week and now he's pretty active and doesn't seem stressed at all. I guess what I'm asking is should take him back to the store to feed or should I keep trying to get him to eat himself?

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First do me a favor and slap those people for stressing that poor snake:mad: .Try feeding it either a small fuzzy mouse or a small fuzzy rat.I have 4 females that are feeding great on fuzzy rats every 5 days give or take.Majority of babies will not take frozen thawed until they are older where you start out with pre-killed then frozen thawed.Give it about 7 to 10 days then try a fuzzy mouse or rat (whichever is the perfect size for it).If it refuses to eat wait 3 days then place it in a brown bag with the prey item overnight.Keep us posted

really? a hatchling on a fuzzy? and in a paper bag?

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Originally Posted by recycling goddess

really? a hatchling on a fuzzy? and in a paper bag?

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My babies are about a month or so old and i place them in a plastic deli container with a small fuzzy rat.In about a hour i come back and its gone into there bellies lol.The brown bag thing is for hard to get to eat babies or juvies that i used in the past.

oh okay, never heard of that before LOL

Here is a good read:

http://www.8ballpythons.com/journal/...ingseating.htm

thanks for that link... excellent read!!!

The plastic container worked for me.Good luck

Thanks for all the advise. I phoned all over town and live pinkys/fuzzies are not easy to come by. I found one store that will get a live fuzzy for me on thursday. I got a deli container I'll put him with the live pinky when I get it. I'll let everyone know how it goes.

good to hear :)