Need some help please.

If you can't get them to eat mice or rats, try a gerbil. I'd suggest getting a small one or killing it first because gerbils can be aggressive. If they don't eat that, then it's probably something else. If they have eaten mice and rats before, I don't see why they won't eat them again. Perhaps leave them be a few days to calm down and try again?

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Originally Posted by Lowen

If you can't get them to eat mice or rats, try a gerbil. I'd suggest getting a small one or killing it first because gerbils can be aggressive. If they don't eat that, then it's probably something else. If they have eaten mice and rats before, I don't see why they won't eat them again. Perhaps leave them be a few days to calm down and try again?

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Bad idea!

Yup.
Bad idea x2

:confused: How is that a bad idea?? It was suggested to me by a vet, and it worked without blemish..

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Originally Posted by Lowen

:confused: How is that a bad idea?? It was suggested to me by a vet, and it worked without blemish..

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Because the snake could get used to eating gerbils and then refuse rats and mice, which are much easier to come by and less expensive.

Yep! Seconded(or fourthed?). I'm not about to go spend $12 per gerbil at my local Petsmart or Petco because a snake of mine won't eat(which doesn't happen anyway). $24 to feed ONE snake is beyond ridiculous..

If you haven't tried this, you might try to crumpled newspaper trick. It worked for my baby when she didn't want to eat when we first got her.

Just take newspaper and crumple it into loose balls. Put enough in that the entire floor of the enclosure is covered. That way the snake will feel secure and hidden even while not in a hide. Once the snake is eating again, you can gradually reduce the amount of newspaper.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Lowen

:confused: How is that a bad idea?? It was suggested to me by a vet, and it worked without blemish..

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Because these snakes were eating fine for the breeder - not feeding is a symptom of a problem. It's usually best to figure out what that problem is and fix it, not put a bandaid on it. ;)

I usually feed in the evening. A couple of times when a snake has refused 2 feedings I have fed in the morning before dawn and they eat the f/t rat. Just a thought.

someone correct me if i'm wrong, but, someone once suggested to me that scenting your prey with something like chicken broth might interest your snake in eating. :) i haven't tried it myself, because it didn't sound too natural. just some food for thought!