Feeding?

Took Bradley in for his first vet appointment today to a great reptile vet! He had a lot of substrate in his mouth and has some slight irritation on his gums, but other than that she said he looks healthy! Got him some reptile carpet to replace the cypress mulch with. She said that I really should try to feed him asap as he is a little underweight. He wouldn't eat for me before, how do you assist feed and at what point should I try this? I'm gonna give him 'till the end of the week to eat by himself, unless I get other (experienced) advice...

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Originally Posted by ginandbradley

Took Bradley in for his first vet appointment today to a great reptile vet! He had a lot of substrate in his mouth and has some slight irritation on his gums, but other than that she said he looks healthy! Got him some reptile carpet to replace the cypress mulch with. She said that I really should try to feed him asap as he is a little underweight. He wouldn't eat for me before, how do you assist feed and at what point should I try this? I'm gonna give him 'till the end of the week to eat by himself, unless I get other (experienced) advice...

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I'm glad that Bradley is healthy. What was he eating before? Live or f/t? Rats or mice?

Hi, I don't know about the feeding issues but I wanted to mention that the reptile carpet can be very hard to keep clean and sanitary - I would not recommend using that.

There are soo many other good options such as newspaper, paper towels or even the brown craft paper works great.

Just wanted mention this because I used the green reptile carpet when I first got my very first snake - it was awful. Very hard to keep clean is all.

Good luck with your snake.

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Originally Posted by L.West

Hi, I don't know about the feeding issues but I wanted to mention that the reptile carpet can be very hard to keep clean and sanitary - I would not recommend using that.

There are soo many other good options such as newspaper, paper towels or even the brown craft paper works great.

Just wanted mention this because I used the green reptile carpet when I first got my very first snake - it was awful. Very hard to keep clean is all.

Good luck with your snake.

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Agreed, prefer the paper towel route myself.

he was eating live pinky mice. i have f/t fuzzies. i want to get him off the live ones. also, he was assist fed at the pet store, he is 3 months.

I also do not recommmend repti carpet, it harbors bacteria, germs.
How old is Bradley? What was his weight at the vet?

Thanks for the heads up on the carpet, I haven't opened the box yet (Bradley is in his feeding tank, getting comfy so I can try to feed him... paper towel in that one), so I can take it back. He is 3 months, 44 grams. The last time he ate was 7/23, and he had a good poo 7/26. Also, if I leave the (dead) mouse in the tank with him, how long should I leave it before I consider it no good?

I use the carpet but I have two and clean them often. I like them.

I use carpet but not the expensive reptile carpet. I go to lowes and get a yard of the cheapest indoor outdoor carpet they have. Then I cut it up into lots of bin size pieces. I take soiled pieces out right away and replace them with clean ones. I use bleach (color safe) to wash them.

edit:oh yeah - pinkys are way too small for bps. Small hatchlings eat hopper mice but quickly move up to adult mice. Get a few live hoppers and he may get less substrate and more mouse in his mouth!

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Originally Posted by Ladybugzcrunch

edit:oh yeah - pinkys are way too small for bps. Small hatchlings eat hopper mice but quickly move up to adult mice. Get a few live hoppers and he may get less substrate and more mouse in his mouth!

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Not to hijack the thread or anything, but when should I switch from hoppers?.....he's 18 in. and 75.7 grams.

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Originally Posted by ginandbradley

Thanks for the heads up on the carpet, I haven't opened the box yet (Bradley is in his feeding tank, getting comfy so I can try to feed him... paper towel in that one), so I can take it back. He is 3 months, 44 grams. The last time he ate was 7/23, and he had a good poo 7/26. Also, if I leave the (dead) mouse in the tank with him, how long should I leave it before I consider it no good?

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I'd offer him live rat fuzzies or hopper/weanling african soft furs. Pinky mice are WAY too small for any ball. I know it seems like a lot, but trust me, its not. Make sure he is an established feeder before trying to get him on f/t since he is a problem feeder. You say he is 3 months and only 44 grams? Thats is VERY small! Even right out of the egg that is small. I have three that hatched in the middle of June (1.5 months old) and they are 96g, 124g and 126g empty.

After he starts eating on his own reliably and gets some decent weight on him, then give f/t a try. If you try and force f/t on him he might never eat. I would suggest that you try offering f/t to him late at night, right before you turn off the lights or shortly after you turn them off. If he doesn't take it right away, you can leave it overnight. If its not gone by morning, pitch it.

I'll also second thier suggestion on using paper towels or newspaper. Thats what I use and what most breeders use. Its cheap, easy to change out and you can get it anywhere.

Good luck and keep us updated! :gj:

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Originally Posted by Brion99

Not to hijack the thread or anything, but when should I switch from hoppers?.....he's 18 in. and 75.7 grams.

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At that size he should have no problem eating large fuzzy rats. Don't waste your time and money on mice. He will grow out of them very quickly. Get him started on rats now otherwise it can be a real pain later. Pick a rat that is as big around as the fattest part of his body or roughly 15% of his body weight.

3 months at 44g, he's a tad under weight, put him on a 5 day feed schedule.
He's not a problem feeder is he?

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Originally Posted by Ladybugzcrunch

I use carpet but not the expensive reptile carpet. I go to lowes and get a yard of the cheapest indoor outdoor carpet they have. Then I cut it up into lots of bin size pieces. I take soiled pieces out right away and replace them with clean ones. I use bleach (color safe) to wash them.

edit:oh yeah - pinkys are way too small for bps. Small hatchlings eat hopper mice but quickly move up to adult mice. Get a few live hoppers and he may get less substrate and more mouse in his mouth!

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He doesn't eat in his big tank, I have a seperate supper time tank that I use paper towels in. I guess the substrate gets in his mouth from being on his belly all the time, I dunno, havent actually wirnessed it happen. The vet said at his size to give him fuzzies, and since she's seen him and she's the herp pro, I just took her word for it. She said that he would not eat those for long, though... But like alot of people here, I have an underweight snake that just WONT eat, and I'm starting to sweat it a little... especially after that last post with the 18in. 75g...!

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Originally Posted by AK907

I'd offer him live rat fuzzies or hopper/weanling african soft furs. Pinky mice are WAY too small for any ball. I know it seems like a lot, but trust me, its not. Make sure he is an established feeder before trying to get him on f/t since he is a problem feeder. You say he is 3 months and only 44 grams? Thats is VERY small! Even right out of the egg that is small. I have three that hatched in the middle of June (1.5 months old) and they are 96g, 124g and 126g empty.

After he starts eating on his own reliably and gets some decent weight on him, then give f/t a try. If you try and force f/t on him he might never eat. I would suggest that you try offering f/t to him late at night, right before you turn off the lights or shortly after you turn them off. If he doesn't take it right away, you can leave it overnight. If its not gone by morning, pitch it.

I'll also second thier suggestion on using paper towels or newspaper. Thats what I use and what most breeders use. Its cheap, easy to change out and you can get it anywhere.

Good luck and keep us updated! :gj:

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Agh! Now I'm really in a tizzy! Your snakes are really big... I wish I could thank your post twice, though, thats really very helpful. I know he was eating live at the store, but I'm pretty sure he was assisted there, as well.

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Originally Posted by AK907

At that size he should have no problem eating large fuzzy rats. Don't waste your time and money on mice. He will grow out of them very quickly. Get him started on rats now otherwise it can be a real pain later. Pick a rat that is as big around as the fattest part of his body or roughly 15% of his body weight.

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Thx alot....was wanting to switch to rats just didn't know when.

Sorry OP, hate rubbin your nose in mine doin well, I'm really hopin your lil guy starts eatin.