Figures my luck would run out now!

I've talked to a couple breeders I know, but none of them live close enough to me. I'm still reaching out to a couple folks, fingers crossed. I'll keep trying to do what I can for them, but I know I need to give it 3 or so Days before I try again.

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I didn't see it mentioned, or it may have just been left out, but have you tried frozen thawed hopper mice? What about ASF fuzzy/hopper stuff if you have access to it?

Learning to assist feed can be frustrating and stressful on you and the snakes, it takes practice and learning to get the rodent item into their mouths and them set back down as quickly and smoothly as possible can definitely make you pull your hair out. I would suggest starting with the smallest pinkys you can find and don't use live ones. You might need to get the pinkys head into the back of it's mouth, almost to the point of starting into it's throat sometimes.


As for bringing in snakes that were feeding on (insert whatever food item)...I picked up three adult female pastels this season, two on rats, one on asf's...the asf feeder is on rats now, one of the rat feeders is on asf's, and the other rat feeder wants little stuff...I'm talking a 2000gram female that won't touch something larger than a rat fuzzy that's barely starting to open it's eyes. Fun stuff isn't it?

So have not tried frozen thawed Hopper mice, only live. Unfortunately I don't have local access to ASF rats anymore, our supplier seems to have fallen off the face of the earth. Thats why we started breeding our own rats.

I have the basics of assist feeding down, as I said, it's not the first time I've had to, these guys just don't seem to be any kind of interested. I do have a litter of undersized pinkies, from an elderly female I didn't separate soon enough, in the freezer. Next time I try assist feeding I will try them.

The pinks I used last night were between 7-10 grams, so I'll go smaller, and pick up some ft Hopper mice as well, just in case.

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All my hatchlings are attempted to be started on live rat pinks/pups depending on their size. Fussy ones get a few chances with a rat pink. After a few attempts they get a live mouse hopper... a small one.

You would be surprised at how a timid feeder strikes immediately at a live mouse hopper when they would shy away from rats. Once they take a few hopper mice I start them on rats. Get some old stinky mouse bedding and shake and bake a rat pup in it for a few seconds. You little shy timid feeder will now be on rat pups.

Well finally some good news! After another failed attempt to get them to eat on their own, I tried assist feeding them once with no luck. Went back to give it another shot today, and so far both jigsaws have taken after gently pushing the head of the prey item into their throats. They finally got the idea and took them!
http://i620.photobucket.com/albums/t...psd8f46f0f.jpg
I'm so relieved to finally have some food in them! Just taking a quick break to have a smoke and calm down some, then I'll head back in and do the same for the other 3. One of the normals has taken on is own, and the Lemonblast is eating like a champ (had no issues getting her started on her own, and she is up to 90 grams) Oh the joys of BP hatchlings!

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Awesome news!!! I know it's such a relief :)

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Definitely is! All but one have now had at least one meal. The stubborn little Mojave boy is the only one still refusing.

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