Help feeding, never fed hatchling!

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Originally Posted by Blender345

Well I woke up this morning and he did not eat it. Now what? Should I try to get a live hopper somehow? I hope petco will have one.

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He's probably going to need live stimulation. I would wait a week before offering one. I'm still disgusted that a breeder sold a baby before it had its first meal to someone not experienced starting new babies, but that's a rant for another day.

Call around to small mom and pop pet stores in your area and see if any of them sell live feeders and have very small live mice (they may not know the term "hopper" so explain you want eyes and ears JUST opened).

Alright now I have a problem. Just called my local petstores and no one carries live hoppers. I spoke to the guy at petco who said he had a baby ball and he fed it a live mouse, but since it was bigger he fed it less frequent than once a week. Do you think I should feed my baby a live small white mouse or will it be too big? Also if you think I should stick with hoppers, where can I get live ones? I will continue to look and search but if someone else may know I can use the help. Thank you.

ask him how much the mouse weighs,also ask him who the supplier is for his mice, maybe you can contact the supplier directly. or the pet store can place an order for you

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Originally Posted by Blender345

Alright now I have a problem. Just called my local petstores and no one carries live hoppers. I spoke to the guy at petco who said he had a baby ball and he fed it a live mouse, but since it was bigger he fed it less frequent than once a week. Do you think I should feed my baby a live small white mouse or will it be too big? Also if you think I should stick with hoppers, where can I get live ones? I will continue to look and search but if someone else may know I can use the help. Thank you.

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Where are you located? Have you searched to see if there are any reptile breeders that are somewhat local to you that are willing to help you out (many breed their own prey)?

Petco, as far as I know, doesn't get their rodents locally - they have a contract with huge breeders and they are shipped to them regularly.

Call back some of the smaller pet stores and see if any will tell you where they get their mice from or ask them if they can request that their rodent supplier delivers some hoppers on their next delivery.

I was thinking of breeding my own, even though I wouldn't have a hopper for a month, atleast I would not have to rely on anyone else. Does anyone have experience doing this? I have all week to find where to get a hopper and I think during the week will be easier to find one than Sunday.

I have a 15 gallon tank not in use and was feeling I should get maybe 1 male and 5 females, even though I only have 1 snake. Should I maybe do 1 male 2 females? I don't plan on giving them a wheel or anything just water and food until they breed and give me hoppers I can feed him. What do you guys suggest? I plan on keeping them in my basement on the floor, and it is pretty cool down there, usually between 60-70 depending on time of day.

I think you should realy put that energy into finding food for the little guy. Otherwise it will have to wait a long time to get its meal. Even if you get the mice, it doesnt mean they will start breeding right away, it could take months.

Where do you live? maybe someone here close to you could help you. :)

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Originally Posted by Blender345

I was thinking of breeding my own, even though I wouldn't have a hopper for a month, atleast I would not have to rely on anyone else. Does anyone have experience doing this? I have all week to find where to get a hopper and I think during the week will be easier to find one than Sunday.

I have a 15 gallon tank not in use and was feeling I should get maybe 1 male and 5 females, even though I only have 1 snake. Should I maybe do 1 male 2 females? I don't plan on giving them a wheel or anything just water and food until they breed and give me hoppers I can feed him. What do you guys suggest? I plan on keeping them in my basement on the floor, and it is pretty cool down there, usually between 60-70 depending on time of day.

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That's a good long term plan, but your snake needs to eat before then. Feel free to PM me where you live if you aren't comfortable posting it in the forum. I was going to see if I could find any breeders in your location that might be able to help you out.

I live in Connecticut. I posted an ad on craigslist looking for hoppers and someone called me telling me they breed mice for their 9 snakes so I will call them tomorrow. So I have hoppers for now so I am set with that. They even said I can bring my snake over and they'd try to help me get him eating but I don't think I should cuz it might be too stressful for him. What do you guys think?

Success? I picked up 3 hoppers today from someone for 2 bucks. One ended up dying on it's own, the other was laying still a bit, and the other has energy and runnin around. I threw out the dead mouse, and put the lazy looking one in the snake cage, and still have the energetic one in a plastic box. I went next door to my neighbors party, and about 2 hours later I came home and the hopper is gone. I am assuming the snake ate it, even though I don't see a lump or anything really. I am happy tho because it looks like my feeding problem might be over.... for now...

I'm glad he ate for you, but it concerns me that one of the hoppers died, and one was sluggish/ill.