Another Feeding Help Thread

ok now 2 out of my 5 guys are eating, the 2 not eating are breeding, so thats expected. Now my new little pastel girl. I bought her a live mouse, she struck constricted killed then let go. I think me moving scared her... But i tried the dead one and she repeditly strikes and out of 20 strikes she maybe constricted once then let go. Any input?

Hi,

Sounds like you spooked her.

You could try heating the head of it up with a hairdrier and re-offering ( basically it's just P/K ) but if she does take it back away slowly then FREEZE.

At the moment I have to do that with my hatchlings - takes forever to feed the little baskets. :rolleyes:

You could also try leaving it in her tub overnight. If it is still there in the morning just throw it out.

But if she is too freaked to eat then just give it up as a bad job and try again next week - don't be tempted to offer more food tomorrow as that could end up stressing her even more and skipping one meal is no big deal.


dr del

yeah thanks i was actually going feed her tommorw, so thanks for answering but this thing with the strike and release- she has done this before, thats why i cant feed f/t... she just strikes and misses over and over again. I realy hope she outgrows this nasty habit...

Hi,

Well it's not really a nasty habit as such.

It's usually a defensive strike to get whatever is stressing it out to go away. ;)

Striking but missing can also be the prey item not being hot enough but striking, biting but not coiling is usually pure defensive.


dr del

thats what i thought at first too, until she struck and missed 3 times then struck and coiled on her first live mouse under my care

whell the baby pastel continues to do this with a f/t mouse im trying to feed her. Any clue why she keeps doing this?

Hi,


Same answers I gave 3 posts ago. :P


dr del