Getting hatchlings to eat.

Hello all. I have 4 snakes that came out of their eggs November first and then shed about a week and a half later. A few days after that I left rat pink in their 6 quart tubs overnight. None of them ate so I waited 4 or 5 days and tried again. They still didn't eat so today I tried mouse hoppers and left them in. 3 of the hoppers are still in their cages, 1 is dead but not eaten.

Any advice on getting these little girls started?

Try again in a few days. Make sure their humidity is still pretty high and temps are correct. I keep my babies at 70-80% humidity for the first month or so and slowly wean them down to 50% humidity. They eat within the first week after their first shed. Babies like it warm and humid. Maybe get some fuzzy crawler mice, or just repeat with hoppers in a few days.

How open are the cages? It might help to add some extra "stuff" to the cage fore security...something as simple as an extra PVC tube for hiding really made a difference for a friend of mine last season when he had a few picky eaters.

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Originally Posted by Physician&Snakes

How open are the cages? It might help to add some extra "stuff" to the cage fore security...something as simple as an extra PVC tube for hiding really made a difference for a friend of mine last season when he had a few picky eaters.

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They are 6 qt sterlite tubs with just paper towels on the bottom. Maybe I should add some crushed newspaper to fill up some of the space. Maybe some aspen instead. Some of my smaller snakes seems to like and dig a little in it.

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Originally Posted by Billy305

They are 6 qt sterlite tubs with just paper towels on the bottom. Maybe I should add some crushed newspaper to fill up some of the space. Maybe some aspen instead. Some of my smaller snakes seems to like and dig a little in it.

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I would almost bet that is the issue, some snakes like the idea of tight solid spaces in their environments so I usually recommend something like opaque plastic cups or PVC pipe, but sometimes yes shredded newspaper does the trick. Of course there are also specimens out their that would eat in an open hockey ring.

Most of mine will eat soon after their first shed. I have had a few this year (from different clutches) not eat for a few months after hatching, not for lack of trying. Some took to a frozen/thaw rat pink better than a live one. I was starting to get really worried, but eventually everybody ate and they are now eating like pigs. Some just don't want to eat right away.

Adding an extra hide also helped. I cut sections of 4" PVC pipe down the middle and it makes a pretty good hide for babies.

Yup. Definitely give them some hides and extra security. Then try mouse hoppers again for the next scheduled feed.


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I have better luck with starting them out on aspen (a more natural substrate). Fill the tubs about halfway, that way they have a lot less empty space. I also like to fill mine with crumpled newspaper. Also, make sure the hides are snug for them.

Update.

Unfortunately I found one of the babies passed away last week and with none of the others eating we decided the other babies should be assist fed. All the took mice assisted and next week didn't take a meal again so they were assist fed again.

I guess the plan is to offer weekly and if they don't take assist until they learn to eat on their own.

Has anyone else been in a similar situation and how long did it take them to start eating on their own?

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Originally Posted by Billy305

Update.

Unfortunately I found one of the babies passed away last week and with none of the others eating we decided the other babies should be assist fed. All the took mice assisted and next week didn't take a meal again so they were assist fed again.

I guess the plan is to offer weekly and if they don't take assist until they learn to eat on their own.

Has anyone else been in a similar situation and how long did it take them to start eating on their own?

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I have a baby that hatched in July that still isn't eating on his own...however, most will start eating on their own after an assist or two...

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Originally Posted by sho220

I have a baby that hatched in July that still isn't eating on his own...however, most will start eating on their own after an assist or two...

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I'm in the same boat with two of mine. I've been assist feeding them for 6 months now. I've never had to assist feed more than a handful of times before this year. Like he said, usually it only takes a few times if that.

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Update. On the third feeding attempt 2 of the babies took live mouse hoppers on their own. The third didn't so I took him to my friend Dustin to be assisted again. When he went to feed her, he stuck the mouse head in her mouth and she bit down and coiled it.

Week 4 I was only able to get some prey that was a little smaller than appropriate but the third one who had to be "assist fed" the week before took it on her own and the others didn't.

Either way I'm very hopeful for them to be on their way

Rat pinks are far too small for baby bps, personally I start the majority of mine on rat pups, or for the smaller ones rat fuzzies. I will leave the fuzzies in for a cpl days at a time usually and then if they haven't been eaten after a cpl days I pull them then try a again the following week. Picky eaters get tried on hopper mice after a few weeks of refusing. After a cpl hundred clutches I can count on 2 hands how many assist feeders I have had. I put them onto coconut right after they shed, never have any issues

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Originally Posted by sho220

I have a baby that hatched in July that still isn't eating on his own...however, most will start eating on their own after an assist or two...

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Originally Posted by SlitherinSisters

I'm in the same boat with two of mine. I've been assist feeding them for 6 months now. I've never had to assist feed more than a handful of times before this year. Like he said, usually it only takes a few times if that.

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I'm really glad you both posted this, as I have two that are being troublesome. One was a runt, from a mini egg with only a tiny yolk (hatched at 32g, I let her shed and then intervened when she dropped to 29g), and the other one has eaten only a few times (she'll just starve herself). I was starting to feel like I was doing something wrong, even though I have some pretty expert help around locally. Hatchlings can just be SO frustrating, and I'm at least comforted knowing it's not just me who has "special" babies.

I agree with EME

ALL of our balls are started on rat fuzzies for the smallest balls ever and most take rat pups. I know they look HUGE but its what they want. We very rarely have to assist any of our baby balls...

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Originally Posted by Wapadi

I agree with EME

ALL of our balls are started on rat fuzzies for the smallest balls ever and most take rat pups. I know they look HUGE but its what they want. We very rarely have to assist any of our baby balls...

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I do prefer that they start on rats, but the tiny one I have is only now big enough for that. When she hatched a day-old rat pink would have been nearly twice her width and almost 1/3 of her body weight :(. And the other idiot turns up her gorgeous nose at everything, rats, mice, ASFs... so I just keep trying and waiting and trying.

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Originally Posted by Badgemash

I'm really glad you both posted this, as I have two that are being troublesome. One was a runt, from a mini egg with only a tiny yolk (hatched at 32g, I let her shed and then intervened when she dropped to 29g), and the other one has eaten only a few times (she'll just starve herself). I was starting to feel like I was doing something wrong, even though I have some pretty expert help around locally. Hatchlings can just be SO frustrating, and I'm at least comforted knowing it's not just me who has "special" babies.

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For babies that hatch that size, (and I had 3 this year, small female, small eggs all 3 babies under 30g) you need to start them on mouse fuzzies, anything else is just too big. Usually takes a month or so then move them to hopper mice for about a month then right to rat pups, usually works no problem

All 3 took small mice yesterday so it looks like their feeding response is better. One is a little aggressive.

In the next meal or 2 I'll try and switch them to rats