Unexpected babies...couple of questions

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Originally Posted by Sunnieskys

Ok so here is an update. We got live hoppers for them. 2 have eaten, 2 have not. Infact one mouse is sleeping with the snake in the hide. How long can we keep the live hopper in with the snakes? She put them in yesterday. Houdini ate almost immediately, and squiggs ate this morning. How long before we worry for the other two or move the mouse to the other two so the mice don't die? This baby thing is all so new. Thanks everyone.

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I’ll let the others answer for sure, but I’m like 100% sure you shouldn’t be letting them stay so long unsupervised. But I could be wrong. Best of luck, and congratulations.

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Originally Posted by Sunnieskys

Ok so here is an update. We got live hoppers for them. 2 have eaten, 2 have not. Infact one mouse is sleeping with the snake in the hide. How long can we keep the live hopper in with the snakes? She put them in yesterday. Houdini ate almost immediately, and squiggs ate this morning. How long before we worry for the other two or move the mouse to the other two so the mice don't die? This baby thing is all so new. Thanks everyone.

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Great that two ate!

That said . . . 15 minutes is the amount of time a non-eaten mouse is supposed to stay in the enclosure. Leaving rodents with snakes unattended is VERY UNSAFE for the snake and the reason we already recommended times of 10-15 minutes before the hoppers are removed. So. Remove the uneaten mice, set them up with mouse food and water. In a week, either re-offer the uneaten mice to the two babies that have not eaten, or give them to the two babies that have eaten. Then, when you, remember to stick with the 15 minute max rule.

But, hey, two babies that have eaten is a start.

I've been busy today & late to answer, but agree with above posts: live hoppers are NOT safe to leave with snake for long. Any mouse or rat with eyes open (like
hoppers) WILL bite in self defense (though not so effectively just yet), and when they get hungry enough, the snake MAY be considered as edible...so never leave
them together for very long...& certainly never together overnight. Always best to supervise live hoppers.

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Originally Posted by Alicia

Great that two ate!

That said . . . 15 minutes is the amount of time a non-eaten mouse is supposed to stay in the enclosure. Leaving rodents with snakes unattended is VERY UNSAFE for the snake and the reason we already recommended times of 10-15 minutes before the hoppers are removed. So. Remove the uneaten mice, set them up with mouse food and water. In a week, either re-offer the uneaten mice to the two babies that have not eaten, or give them to the two babies that have eaten. Then, when you, remember to stick with the 15 minute max rule.

But, hey, two babies that have eaten is a start.

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Thank you. They are coming out now.

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

I've been busy today & late to answer, but agree with above posts: live hoppers are NOT safe to leave with snake for long. Any mouse or rat with eyes open (like
hoppers) WILL bite in self defense (though not so effectively just yet), and when they get hungry enough, the snake MAY be considered as edible...so never leave
them together for very long...& certainly never together overnight. Always best to supervise live hoppers.

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Thanks! Seperating and will offer again in a week to the babes that didnt eat this week.

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Could you try fuzzies for the non-eaters instead? I am aware that fuzzies are not technically enough food for growth, but I have had quicker and less fuss getting shy hatchlings started using live fuzzies for 2-3 feedings and then switching up to hoppers once the snake's appetite kicks in. I have found this works better than having a snake cower and defensively strike at a larger mouse and then have to take the longer more worrying path of still not eating and losing weight.

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Originally Posted by Tila

Could you try fuzzies for the non-eaters instead? I am aware that fuzzies are not technically enough food for growth, but I have had quicker and less fuss getting shy hatchlings started using live fuzzies for 2-3 feedings and then switching up to hoppers once the snake's appetite kicks in. I have found this works better than having a snake cower and defensively strike at a larger mouse and then have to take the longer more worrying path of still not eating and losing weight.

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We can try that too. I'm not involved with the live feeding so I will have her do it. Thanks for the advice.

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Originally Posted by Sunnieskys

We can try that too. I'm not involved with the live feeding so I will have her do it. Thanks for the advice.

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I just read through this entire thread. What do you do when/if your animals don’t eat FT? Just let them suffer? I just can’t wrap my head around people who can’t feed a snake live and will, like Deborah said, force the snake to suffer stuffing a FT rat in their face every 3 days. The snake doesn’t know any better. It’s not their fault. Please don’t put a male and a female together again in my opinion. No more “surprise” clutches hopefully.

I love animals just as much or more than most people. But I have no problems feeding a rat to a snake. It is 100% natural and I don’t see how it bothers people that own snakes. I can see someone not owning a snake because it may have to eat live, but if u own a snake u should know that that could happen.

But it I do feed frozen for the snakes safety, and I have no issue with people that have a problem feeding live but just don’t understand it

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Originally Posted by Danger noodles

I love animals just as much or more than most people. But I have no problems feeding a rat to a snake. It is 100% natural and I don’t see how it bothers people that own snakes. I can see someone not owning a snake because it may have to eat live, but if u own a snake u should know that that could happen.

But it I do feed frozen for the snakes safety, and I have no issue with people that have a problem feeding live but just don’t understand it

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I agree with this 1,000%. I too feed FT to what will eat FT consistently. Some of my animals refused FT multiple times trying to convert... I will never beat a dead horse. I have supply of both luckily, but like you said, it is what it is. I just can’t allow them to go months without eating for MY benefit. Neglectful IMO.