Hoggie not eating

So, Mr Spot is not eating. He's a hatchling, we've had him for 3 weeks, and I've tried f/t pinkies, live pinkies, pinkies dipped in warm water, and he will sniff and sniff, he even opened his mouth on one for a minute, but then he turns his little snoot up and sidewinders away. I can't get a weight on him because he's so tiny he doesn't register on the scale. He also moves too much. So... any advice? Is there something I can scent the pinkies with, or substitute a different critter? He is doing really well otherwise. I just worry because I know he should be eating by now.

Do you know if/what he was eating before you got him? Often times hatchling hognoses cant be quite picky. Some people have had success scenting pinkies with frogs and/or toads.

Neither of my babies took straight to pinkies when I got them and this is what worked for me. Take the water dish out the day before your next feeding attempt when you do the soaked pinky method. They will start drinking water off of the pinky and sometimes transition straight into eating - this worked for one of my babies the first time I tried it. My more stubborn baby required scenting. I used some tuna canned in plain old water. I just thawed my pinky out in the tuna water and it got the more stubborn hatchling feeding straight away.

Make sure your snake is setup right and you're giving it plenty of time undisturbed. I wouldn't hold or mess with him any more than necessary until he's a strong feeder. Give him 3-4 days between feeding attempts. When you do the water method you just gently hold the head of the pinky on the snake's nose. When you do the scenting method try by leading the snake by half an inch or so until he's following strongly then let him hit it.

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Originally Posted by Krynn

Do you know if/what he was eating before you got him? Often times hatchling hognoses cant be quite picky. Some people have had success scenting pinkies with frogs and/or toads.

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We were told he was eating pinkies... so we will try scenting with a frog (gives me an excuse to get one :P), and we were also told maybe vienna sausages? I don't know how safe that is though.

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Originally Posted by John1982

Neither of my babies took straight to pinkies when I got them and this is what worked for me. Take the water dish out the day before your next feeding attempt when you do the soaked pinky method. They will start drinking water off of the pinky and sometimes transition straight into eating - this worked for one of my babies the first time I tried it. My more stubborn baby required scenting. I used some tuna canned in plain old water. I just thawed my pinky out in the tuna water and it got the more stubborn hatchling feeding straight away.

Make sure your snake is setup right and you're giving it plenty of time undisturbed. I wouldn't hold or mess with him any more than necessary until he's a strong feeder. Give him 3-4 days between feeding attempts. When you do the water method you just gently hold the head of the pinky on the snake's nose. When you do the scenting method try by leading the snake by half an inch or so until he's following strongly then let him hit it.

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I will definitely try that. We've been leading him, but then he just says no. If it continues I'm calling his breeder to find out what he thinks. Thank you!

If he was eating I scented pinkies I would not scent is prey, it making a step backward.

I am curious how big is it and what is you husbandry like?


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Originally Posted by Deborah

If he was eating I scented pinkies I would not scent is prey, it making a step backward.

I am curious how big is it and what is you husbandry like?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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This was just taken last week:
http://ball-pythons.net/gallery/file.../5/3/spot4.jpg

He's in a small vivarium with aspen and a hide, he has an UTH and a cool side with a water dish.

What's the temps?

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Originally Posted by KMG

What's the temps?

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85-90 during the day 75-80 at night

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Originally Posted by stloria

85-90 during the day 75-80 at night

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So that's ambient? Why the big drop?

What is the uth set to?

My hoggy was a pain and still refuses frozen. I found mine wanted a uth and a tad higher temp than I was providing. Once things were a bit warmer it started gobbling up live pinks without a problem.

I would recommend getting the ambient to stay around 85 without letting it drop under 80 at any time. Then I would get the uth to 86-90.