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Hatchling not eating...need advice...
I have a hatchling that is reeeeeaaaaally trying my patience. He hatched on 03 July and weighed 70 grams. He shed on 11 July. Began offering hopper mice to him along with my other nine hatchlings. He along with a female spider wanted nothing to do with it. I tried again every 3 or 4 days with no luck. I've tried pinky mice, hopper mice, rat pups, f/t, live, brained, with newspaper balls, with a covered tub, in a smaller tub, on a different shelf of my rack, off tongs, left overnight...nothing works. I've tried assist feeding 3 times now with no luck. I get the mouse head in his mouth and he just spits it out. I've tried holding him the whole time, I've tried putting him down and he still spits it out. I've tried getting the mouse hooked on his teeth and he has no problem shaking his head and dropping it. I'm certainly no expert, but I have assist fed baby balls before with no problems. Once the head is in their mouth they usually either start eating or coiling it up and then eat. Not this guy. Last attempt I sat there holding him with the mouse in his mouth for about 5 minutes and he just sat there. Still as can be. I very slowly put him down and he spit it out. :rage: :rage: :rage: :rage: :rage: :rage:
I've been keeping an eye on his weight: 07/22 he weighed 66 grams. 07/29 he was 62 grams. 07/31 he was 63 grams, and today, 08/04 once again weighed 63 grams. He seems to be drinking fine but just won't eat. Maybe he's vegetarian???
Just wanted to get an idea of how much time I have left and how soon I need to get a little more aggressive with the assist feeding. I'm a little hesitant about forcing anything down his throat, but if it comes to that, so be it.
Here's a pic from today right before my latest failed attempt at assist feeding...
How long do I have to get this guy going???
Thanks for any and all advice. I'm afraid I'm starting to lose a little hope...:weirdface
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...s/IMG_6999.jpg
p.s. the Spider female is feeding great...she was just a little slower to get started than the others...
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Re: Hatchling not eating...need advice...
at this point its been a month and you need to assist feed him.
Pre kill a hopper mouse and slowly assist the mouses head into the snakes mouth till he opens up and then bites down. Be sure to push it in enough so he coils it. Once coiled set him back in the tub and hell do the rest.
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Re: Hatchling not eating...need advice...
Have you tried putting him in a brown bag and staple it shut overnight?
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Re: Hatchling not eating...need advice...
Quote:
Originally Posted by RichsBallPythons
at this point its been a month and you need to assist feed him.
Pre kill a hopper mouse and slowly assist the mouses head into the snakes mouth till he opens up and then bites down. Be sure to push it in enough so he coils it. Once coiled set him back in the tub and hell do the rest.
Did you read my rambling post? I've tried assisting 3 times now. He doesn't bite down and doesn't coil. Last time I tried, about an hour ago, he just sat there with the mouse in his mouth. For about 5 minutes. I've tried getting his teeth hooked but he still shakes it...:rage:
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Re: Hatchling not eating...need advice...
Quote:
Originally Posted by sho220
Did you read my rambling post? I've tried assisting 3 times now. He doesn't bite down and doesn't coil. Last time I tried, about an hour ago, he just sat there with the mouse in his mouth. For about 5 minutes. I've tried getting his teeth hooked but he still shakes it...:rage:
Need to push the mouse further down towards the back of the throat. Some will latch on right away some need the mouse further down.
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Re: Hatchling not eating...need advice...
Quote:
Originally Posted by joepythons
Have you tried putting him in a brown bag and staple it shut overnight?
That's one thing I haven't tried. I have tried leaving it in his tub and in his hide over night. I've tried the newspaper balls. I've tried covering his tub with a black towel...I'm not sure if a paper bag would be any different??? The scrawnier he gets the more limited I am with live options...the few places near me are out of live mice/rats small enough. I have plenty of frozen options but I'm not sure if that's going to get him going...:weirdface
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Re: Hatchling not eating...need advice...
Quote:
Originally Posted by RichsBallPythons
Need to push the mouse further down towards the back of the throat. Some will latch on right away some need the mouse further down.
That will be my next step but I wanted to get an idea on how soon I should attempt that. It's sooooooooooooo nerve racking, I hate to put him through it...I guess I should let him chill after tonights ordeal...maybe in a few days...? So aggravating....
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Re: Hatchling not eating...need advice...
Quote:
Originally Posted by sho220
That's one thing I haven't tried. I have tried leaving it in his tub and in his hide over night. I've tried the newspaper balls. I've tried covering his tub with a black towel...I'm not sure if a paper bag would be any different??? The scrawnier he gets the more limited I am with live options...the few places near me are out of live mice/rats small enough. I have plenty of frozen options but I'm not sure if that's going to get him going...:weirdface
If possible post a ad on craigslist wanting ASF fuzzies and see if hell take them to get started. He will switch back to mice or rats once eating steadily.
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Re: Hatchling not eating...need advice...
Quote:
Originally Posted by RichsBallPythons
If possible post a ad on craigslist wanting ASF fuzzies and see if hell take them to get started. He will switch back to mice or rats once eating steadily.
Good idea. Thanks. I appreciate the help guys...
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Re: Hatchling not eating...need advice...
Quote:
Originally Posted by sho220
Good idea. Thanks. I appreciate the help guys...
Of course I forgot about how CL is around here. I can't even list balls for rehoming without getting flagged constantly. After all the trouble of trying to find homes for the few normals I hatched last year, I took the two I hatched this year to a local pet store and gave them up...much easier than dealing with the flag happy lunatics on CL....
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Re: Hatchling not eating...need advice...
Quote:
Originally Posted by sho220
Of course I forgot about how CL is around here. I can't even list balls for rehoming without getting flagged constantly. After all the trouble of trying to find homes for the few normals I hatched last year, I took the two I hatched this year to a local pet store and gave them up...much easier than dealing with the flag happy lunatics on CL....
Still wont hurt to try. Can also try hoobly and kijiji for local ads as well
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Re: Hatchling not eating...need advice...
Quote:
Originally Posted by RichsBallPythons
Still wont hurt to try. Can also try hoobly and kijiji for local ads as well
Definitely...just posted the ad a minute ago...probably flagged by now...:rolleyes:
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Re: Hatchling not eating...need advice...
Just thought I'd update this in case anyone else cared. :D
He ATE!!!
Last night I essentially forced a pinky rat into his throat and worked it down. I was really hoping that getting some protein and nutrients into him would kick start his feeding response. It was only a 2 gram meal but I was hoping it would do the trick. He was not happy about it and fought me the whole way. :mad:
Well...it seemed to do the trick! I thawed a fuzzy mouse tonight and planned to do the same process as last night. But once I got the head of the mouse into his mouth he started "walking" it down a tiny bit. I very slowly lowered him into his tub and he immediately coiled and then ate. Soooooo relieved!!!
Just thought I'd share the joy! :)
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Re: Hatchling not eating...need advice...
:banana::banana::banana:
Congrats, glad to hear he is eating on his own!
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Re: Hatchling not eating...need advice...
Quote:
Originally Posted by Animals As Leaders
:banana::banana::banana:
Congrats, glad to hear he is eating on his own!
Not quite out of the woods yet, but I have a feeling he is on his way. When he grabs them off the tongs all on his own I'll be happy! :banana:
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Re: Hatchling not eating...need advice...
Quote:
Originally Posted by sho220
Not quite out of the woods yet, but I have a feeling he is on his way. When he grabs them off the tongs all on his own I'll be happy! :banana:
Just be patient, it may take several assists to get him going. Like you said, push the pink down into the throat, this is a better method. I had a few I had to get going this year. Just part of the game I guess. Glad to hear you had success though.
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Re: Hatchling not eating...need advice...
Quote:
Originally Posted by twistedtails
Just be patient, it may take several assists to get him going. Like you said, push the pink down into the throat, this is a better method. I had a few I had to get going this year. Just part of the game I guess. Glad to hear you had success though.
I have faith! :D The first time he wanted nothing to do with it. This time he definitely seemed to figure it out. Hopefully he is good to go! Thanks man! :gj:
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Re: Hatchling not eating...need advice...
once you get a few down and they digest them, it makes the hatchling feel hungry. most of the ones I had to assist feed turn into pigs at feed time. so don't think because he was slow out of the gate, that he will be a picky eater. good luck, don
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Re: Hatchling not eating...need advice...
I don't really have any ideas you didn't try. I picked up a baby girl female albino who was not interested and I moved her from a ten gallon tank to a 6/1 qt tub and it worked! I can say I empathize with your frustrations.
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Re: Hatchling not eating...need advice...
Quote:
Originally Posted by corgigirl9
I don't really have any ideas you didn't try. I picked up a baby girl female albino who was not interested and I moved her from a ten gallon tank to a 6/1 qt tub and it worked! I can say I empathize with your frustrations.
He's eaten three times now. the last two just assisted...get it in his mouth and he takes it down. I did put him on aspen to see if that helps. That tip was mentioned in another thread. It does seem that it's calmed him down a bit. He used to cruise his tub a lot more when he was on newspaper. He just seems more comfortable on the aspen. So...whoever threw out that suggestion, thanks! :D
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Re: Hatchling not eating...need advice...
Quote:
Originally Posted by sho220
He's eaten three times now. the last two just assisted...get it in his mouth and he takes it down. I did put him on aspen to see if that helps. That tip was mentioned in another thread. It does seem that it's calmed him down a bit. He used to cruise his tub a lot more when he was on newspaper. He just seems more comfortable on the aspen. So...whoever threw out that suggestion, thanks! :D
That was BG's suggestion in another thread.
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Re: Hatchling not eating...need advice...
Quote:
Originally Posted by jben
[/B]
That was BG's suggestion in another thread.
I think you're right...thanks BG! :gj: I'll have a beer tonite in your honor! :D
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Re: Hatchling not eating...need advice...
just dropping a line to say what a gorgeous snake.
sorry cant help though i'm not an expert to these force feeding tactics.
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Re: Hatchling not eating...need advice...
yay :taz: now to fatten em up
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Re: Hatchling not eating...need advice...
Your not getting far enough down his throat,use some forcepts & get it into his throat he will start to swallow because when it gets in that far he cant twist it out you will get the hang of it once he has had three or 4 meals he will probley eat on his own thats has work for 4 hatchings I have had trouble with no all are eat aggressively.
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