One hatchling refusing to eat

How many times does a hatchling have to refuse for you to start thinking about assist feeding? I have a hatchling from a clutch that hatched 5/20 and shed on 5/30. He has refused every time I have offered him food and I’m seriously considering assist feeding him. Any ideas?


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Depends what you mean by assist feed. I've seen that used a lot of different ways. Usually after 3 or 4 failed feedings (at week apart minimum) I will do it where you gently tease the head of the prey into their mouth and most of the time they will coil and swallow on their own from there. I try to avoid anything more aggressive than that until I feel like they are getting too close to emaciated that if I go any longer it's going to be really rough on them to recover, at which point I'll use a large pinky mouse or small fuzzy mouse to make it pretty much impossible to spit out so they can still swallow on their own.

It depends on the condition of the animal, I had a twin egg runt at 29 grams I assist fed after two weeks. Usually I always offer live hopper for my first feeding, if they do not eat after 5 weeks I take a mouse fuzzy and assist feed by inserting feeder in his mouth and letting them swallow on their own. Usually after 2-3 assist feeding they start to eat on their own for me.

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Originally Posted by nikkubus

Depends what you mean by assist feed. I've seen that used a lot of different ways. Usually after 3 or 4 failed feedings (at week apart minimum) I will do it where you gently tease the head of the prey into their mouth and most of the time they will coil and swallow on their own from there. I try to avoid anything more aggressive than that until I feel like they are getting too close to emaciated that if I go any longer it's going to be really rough on them to recover, at which point I'll use a large pinky mouse or small fuzzy mouse to make it pretty much impossible to spit out so they can still swallow on their own.

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Assist feeding to me is exactly what you described. I’ve watched a few videos of how it’s done but I have never physically done it. I just don’t want to stress him to the point where he doesn’t want to eat unless I assist feed


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Originally Posted by mdb730

It depends on the condition of the animal, I had a twin egg runt at 29 grams I assist fed after two weeks. Usually I always offer live hopper for my first feeding, if they do not eat after 5 weeks I take a mouse fuzzy and assist feed by inserting feeder in his mouth and letting them swallow on their own. Usually after 2-3 assist feeding they start to eat on their own for me.

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He has lost 10 grams (he was 73 after his first shed) and it looks like he has some loose skin towards the end of his tail. That’s why I’m starting to worry a bit


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Have you tried the hairdryer method ??


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Originally Posted by Zincubus

Have you tried the hairdryer method ??


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No, I’m dealing with live prey not frozen thawed


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Originally Posted by CK BALLS

No, I’m dealing with live prey not frozen thawed


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Ah . .. apologies


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Originally Posted by Zincubus

Ah . .. apologies


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No worries. I might as well try ft, I’m willing to try anything at this point


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Originally Posted by CK BALLS

No worries. I might as well try ft, I’m willing to try anything at this point


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I’ve sent you a pm

It’s just a copy - paste method


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Just curious how is your tub setup? They will not eat for various reasons from too hot, too cold, too big of a hide (security). Don't know how you feel about braining f/t mice but i'd had success with that as well. I use a small plant saucer to make snug hide, and place a brained F/T fuzzy in the hide. Usually overnight they eat but if that fails in my opinion a little stress for the hatchling is much better than watching it deteriorate. If you do assist feed be prepared to have it spit it out and having to repeat the process (push the pinky on the upper lip to open the mouth, insert feeder, close mouth, pull prey a little back to catch on teeth and place BP back down). Good luck, none eating hatchling is the most frustrating part of breeding.

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Originally Posted by mdb730

Just curious how is your tub setup? They will not eat for various reasons from too hot, too cold, too big of a hide (security). Don't know how you feel about braining f/t mice but i'd had success with that as well. I use a small plant saucer to make snug hide, and place a brained F/T fuzzy in the hide. Usually overnight they eat but if that fails in my opinion a little stress for the hatchling is much better than watching it deteriorate. If you do assist feed be prepared to have it spit it out and having to repeat the process (push the pinky on the upper lip to open the mouth, insert feeder, close mouth, pull prey a little back to catch on teeth and place BP back down). Good luck, none eating hatchling is the most frustrating part of breeding.

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Right now all my hatchlings are in a C Serpents V-18 hatchling rack. Hot spot is 88 and my snake room sits at 80. He has a little reptile basics black hide, he also has cocoblox as substrate. I also have the front of his tub covered with duct tape so he doesn’t see me moving around my snake room. I have never brained a feeder but I’m not opposed to it. Should I try to leave it in his hide tonight even though I offered him food last night? Could possibly trying a live rat fuzzy help anything? He also is never in his hide, he likes to cram himself behind it. That must be more comfortable somehow [emoji23]


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Originally Posted by CK BALLS

No, I’m dealing with live prey not frozen thawed


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In the wild (ie. without human assistance), some snakes just don't have as much "drive to survive" as others, & they don't make it- they feed something else. I hate to say it, but in a way, it's for the best, so "only the strong survive". But obviously no one wants to give up on c/b snakes, & it might just be that this snake is actually intimidated by live & would actually prefer f/t or f/k (fresh killed).

In your shoes, I'd try both f/t & f/k prey, including all the various methods (zombie-dance, leave overnight, "hair-dryer" method, etc). As pet stores have often found, some snakes will eat if left undisturbed in a fairly small paper bag with prey overnight. I will add that I've never found any benefit to "braining" f/t rodents, & there's a much easier way to release more scent anyway- just pinch-damage the rodent's nose with your feeding tongs- I've seen that work. There are even a few snakes (not usually BPs though) that get inspired for a first feeding when the f/t prey gets a little "ripe", so don't be too quick to remove f/t prey left overnight. It's worth trying everything before assist-feeding, IMO.

With the live prey, have you tried leaving a large fuzzy mouse or small rat pup (eyes NOT open, they're too active & intimidating for some snake's first meal) in a good-sized heavy (tip proof) shallow bowl overnight? Because I've found some snakes find their courage after they can watch from slightly above (& out of the reach of) their prey- as from the edge of the heavy bowl, while the prey crawls around. In the hours overnight, some snakes finally figure it out & get better from there.

And I'm sure you know, but just to add that you never want to keep trying too often, as that just stresses shyer snakes & may cancel out their feeble-feeding instincts, as does handling.

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Originally Posted by CK BALLS

Right now all my hatchlings are in a C Serpents V-18 hatchling rack. Hot spot is 88 and my snake room sits at 80. He has a little reptile basics black hide, he also has cocoblox as substrate. I also have the front of his tub covered with duct tape so he doesn’t see me moving around my snake room. I have never brained a feeder but I’m not opposed to it. Should I try to leave it in his hide tonight even though I offered him food last night? Could possibly trying a live rat fuzzy help anything? He also is never in his hide, he likes to cram himself behind it. That must be more comfortable somehow [emoji23]


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If you have been trying with mice, rats may work. I haven't fed live as a go-to for a very long time, more as a last resort, but usually I have better luck feeding live mice vs rats to hatchlings because the correct size have a bit more movement. A fuzzy rat may be too big for a first meal, but use your judgement, maybe a really borderline pinky-fuzzy rat.

Braining has worked pretty well for me in the past with colubrids, but it doesn't seem to work as well for me with BPs. Still worth a shot. You can try a but of tuna juice to scent as well, and that could even work by dabbing it on live on the head.

Have you tried a multi? I have tried a few methods but what works for me is letting the prey defrost during the day and then submerge in really hot water, dry off on a paper towel and then offer.
Sometimes you have to dance the prey around like it moving and that normally works.
Definitely try multis next, keep us posted

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Originally Posted by mrsmac

Have you tried a multi?

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What is a multi?

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Originally Posted by CK BALLS

What is a multi?

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Originally Posted by Zincubus

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Unfortunately ASFs are illegal in California so that isn’t an option for me


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Zincubus: Thanks for explaining what a "multi" is, I've never heard an ASF called that before either...:confusd: I was like, "a what?" :cool:

And wow, it looks like they can nurse 2 dozen pinks at a time! :O I can totally see why they might need to be regulated (prohibited)- we hardly need such prolific rodents taking over farming areas where they don't currently exist or belong.

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

Zincubus: Thanks for explaining what a "multi" is, I've never heard an ASF called that before either...:confusd: I was like, "a what?" :cool:

And wow, it looks like they can nurse 2 dozen pinks at a time! :O I can totally see why they might need to be regulated (prohibited)- we hardly need such prolific rodents taking over farming areas where they don't currently exist or belong.

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I’ve used them before for a reluctant feeder .. without success sadly . Frozen / thawed.

In the uk they were bladdy expensive and had to be ordered specially by the pet store .

They supposedly have a very distinctive smell ( and taste presumably ) that some snakes go crazy for ..


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Originally Posted by Zincubus

I’ve used them before for a reluctant feeder .. without success sadly . Frozen / thawed.

In the uk they were bladdy expensive and had to be ordered specially by the pet store .

They supposedly have a very distinctive smell ( and taste presumably ) that some snakes go crazy for ..


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I've heard that too, that they're the most like what BPs catch in the wild. I've never fed ASFs, nor needed to- it's funny how some snakes are so closed-minded about their prey, but few can really afford to be.

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

I've heard that too, that they're the most like what BPs catch in the wild. I've never fed ASFs, nor needed to- it's funny how some snakes are so closed-minded about their prey, but few can really afford to be.

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If I could get my hands on them I would love to try it out. But California sucks [emoji23]


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Originally Posted by CK BALLS

If I could get my hands on them I would love to try it out. But California sucks [emoji23]


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Every state has things they "suck" for...it's just not the same for each state. -I'm a former Californian of many years & there are many things I miss there. ;)