Little Pin is a Finicky Feeder

There is this 180g Pin at work that has been there as long as I have i.e. almost 9 months. He looks skinny for his age, but he eats a mouse every week. Unfortunately, he should be fed weaned rats but we don't carry them. He's always striking the glass if you're working by the tanks and if you enter theirs, your going to get snapped at...guaranteed. We marked him down 50% but nobody wants him because he's such a finicky eater. He will get so aggressive, but it usually takes me about 45 minutes to get him to feed. He will strike the mouse, then hide and do this several times before finally striking and eating. People don't have patience. I feel so bad, so I asked the AM to ask if we can mark him down 75% so I can take him home, fatten him up, and maybe adopt him out (but probably not). :) what do you think?

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Be willing to bet with larger prey items and some time, you could have a nice snake there. I'd do it if you can give him a better life.

Dave

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Originally Posted by AKA Dave

Be willing to bet with larger prey items and some time, you could have a nice snake there. I'd do it if you can give him a better life.

Dave

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Thanks :) I think I should

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Would ASF help bulk him up and maybe entice him to eat?

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I feel like the adoption would be good, if he's striking a lot he may be stressed out a lot or scared. If he eats fine, try feeding him a extra mouse either the same size or smaller. It'd probably be best to work with him. I don't know his age, but my 3 month old ball python that I got when he was a month old has only ever struck once at me in fear. Just be thankful he eats, my ball python doesn't do it on his own needs assist feeds.

Also try mouses that are not white, some breeders I know feed their bps black mice since albino mice are not natural in the wild. From the whole strike and hide of it you should just leave the mouse in there for a bit. Or can try multi feeder tricks like brain cracking, etc.

avoid to feed mice ... better start straight to rats.

When you go in to speak to your manager, there are a few talking points that you can use to your advantage so you can bring this little guy home. Your biggest tool is going to be able to explain that a "seemingly" aggressive snake is going to make potential owners uncomfortable about getting a snake at all. After all, who wants to own a snake if one snaps at the mere passing of a customer? Make it about the dollar signs and potential loss of revenue. It's hard to sell a $200 snake kit when the snake scares people. Use your knowledge about the BP too, and present the position that you will be able to rehab him and give him a good life.

Hope you are able to work it out.

Dave

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Originally Posted by AKA Dave

When you go in to speak to your manager, there are a few talking points that you can use to your advantage so you can bring this little guy home. Your biggest tool is going to be able to explain that a "seemingly" aggressive snake is going to make potential owners uncomfortable about getting a snake at all. After all, who wants to own a snake if one snaps at the mere passing of a customer? Make it about the dollar signs and potential loss of revenue. It's hard to sell a $200 snake kit when the snake scares people. Use your knowledge about the BP too, and present the position that you will be able to rehab him and give him a good life.

Hope you are able to work it out.

Dave

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I absolutely agree. My animal care manager owns a lot of snakes so she will be for it, we just need the GM permission ^^

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Originally Posted by Naraku

I feel like the adoption would be good, if he's striking a lot he may be stressed out a lot or scared. If he eats fine, try feeding him a extra mouse either the same size or smaller. It'd probably be best to work with him. I don't know his age, but my 3 month old ball python that I got when he was a month old has only ever struck once at me in fear. Just be thankful he eats, my ball python doesn't do it on his own needs assist feeds.

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I firmly believe this is the case. Unfortunately, it's often against protocol to feed 2 prey items, but I might need to do so anyway

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Originally Posted by Naraku

Also try mouses that are not white, some breeders I know feed their bps black mice since albino mice are not natural in the wild. From the whole strike and hide of it you should just leave the mouse in there for a bit. Or can try multi feeder tricks like brain cracking, etc.

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I can only use what I have at work :/ that, and we have left him for HOURS with the mouse and he won't eat it

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Originally Posted by darkranger69

avoid to feed mice ... better start straight to rats.

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Exactly my thoughts

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Well, I mean like brain crack feeding is a good way to feed. There's a lot of need nothing tricks, like just putting him in a dark place to eat so he feels safe. I don't know if you feed him in the cage or not but cage feeding might help too.

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Originally Posted by Naraku

Well, I mean like brain crack feeding is a good way to feed. There's a lot of need nothing tricks, like just putting him in a dark place to eat so he feels safe. I don't know if you feed him in the cage or not but cage feeding might help too.

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Not allowed. Company policy :/

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Originally Posted by darkranger69

avoid to feed mice ... better start straight to rats.

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Every time I see this I ask....... Why?


Feed what they will eat and get some weight on them.
Store policy to feed only one mouse??? Not cool.

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Originally Posted by PitOnTheProwl

Every time I see this I ask....... Why?


Feed what they will eat and get some weight on them.
Store policy to feed only one mouse??? Not cool.

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Yeah. Guess they are worried about power feeding or rapid growth. This baby needs my TLC

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That's a horrible policy, policy #1 should be as little stress as possible no matter what.

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Originally Posted by Naraku

That's a horrible policy, policy #1 should be as little stress as possible no matter what.

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I know :/ I do as much as I can to sneak extra food to him during feeding

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How much even is he?

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Originally Posted by Naraku

How much even is he?

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Usually 149.99 now 74.99

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Thats top dollar at 75 even in my opinion.

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Originally Posted by SCWood

Usually 149.99 now 74.99

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Originally Posted by frostysBP

Thats top dollar at 75 even in my opinion.

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The normals at Petsmart are like $95 regular price. I'm like seriously? Even the sell price of $65 is really high. And there was a poor looking pastel for $120.

I'd buy him, too bad you're more than likely not located in NH lol.

Our little male has been with us for 3 weeks not and up until today had not eaten. Much like you describe he would just strike at it but never took it. Today I tried again and again I got the same response but this time I left the mouse laying on him and left the room. Came back 10 min later and the mouse is gone and his belly is fat. ; ).

Now that I think about it, he came from a large bp farm and likely spent his entire life in a Tupperware dish. He was considered a good eater on ft mice so I am guessing they just threw the mouse in there with him and left him alone to eat.... maybe this might help your little guy?

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Originally Posted by enginee837

Our little male has been with us for 3 weeks not and up until today had not eaten. Much like you describe he would just strike at it but never took it. Today I tried again and again I got the same response but this time I left the mouse laying on him and left the room. Came back 10 min later and the mouse is gone and his belly is fat. ; ).

Now that I think about it, he came from a large bp farm and likely spent his entire life in a Tupperware dish. He was considered a good eater on ft mice so I am guessing they just threw the mouse in there with him and left him alone to eat.... maybe this might help your little guy?

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I've done this several times and he refuses to eat it :/

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I'm honestly to the point of going and purchasing weaned rats myself for this poor thing

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Just a thought but do you dip the head of the rodent in hot water before offering? I do this with all mine and I find that they have a really good feeding response compared to when it's not heated, I do have a het pied female that would eat anything, she'd probably take it if it was still frozen too [emoji23]

You said the snake is eating every week. It doesn't sound like it's being too finicky to me. It's likely stressed due to the enclosures and conditions that places like petco tend to provide. I'm going to assume from your original post that the BP is being housed together with other BPs that are marked to sell, and that they don't have much of a place to hide. Sounds like a stressed animal to me. Make the point to potential buyers that he will likely not be that way once set up properly and by himself.

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Originally Posted by tbowman

You said the snake is eating every week. It doesn't sound like it's being too finicky to me. It's likely stressed due to the enclosures and conditions that places like petco tend to provide. I'm going to assume from your original post that the BP is being housed together with other BPs that are marked to sell, and that they don't have much of a place to hide. Sounds like a stressed animal to me. Make the point to potential buyers that he will likely not be that way once set up properly and by himself.

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I have provided them with hiding spots in the enclosure. Like I said, he does eat but it takes a while to get him to take it.
Not to be snippy, but I'd really prefer you NOT refer to me and my store like that. I know petco has a bad rap but at my store, we care deeply for our reptiles and provide for them to the best of our abilities.

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Originally Posted by Jamiesniper

Just a thought but do you dip the head of the rodent in hot water before offering? I do this with all mine and I find that they have a really good feeding response compared to when it's not heated, I do have a het pied female that would eat anything, she'd probably take it if it was still frozen too [emoji23]

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I didn't ! It might help, I should try that!

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The reason I say about heating the head, my lesser won't touch a rodent if it's cold, dip the head in hot water and he jumps out of his tub after it, most times he wraps the tongs too.

Give it a try, hopefully it works for you :)

Yeah, I would say make sure that the prey is very warm. Not too hot to burn your snake of course, but it should be warm to the touch. I've only fed my baby twice but both times I had to reheat the fuzzy, and man did it stink /: But I think that's exactly what does it for them. The first time I fed her she was a little shy, but the second time I had even accidentally dropped it into the tub (I didn't want to squish it open so I grabbed too lightly) and she struck right there in front of me even though it wasn't doing the 'zombie dance' or anything.