feeding a hatchling

Hello everyone,
I just got my first bp. I think he's about 6-8 weeks old and about 20". He's eaten four times now but I just found out the place where I got him was assist feeding him. They told me I should bring him in and they would feed him until he takes food on his own but this worries me. The more I read the more I don't like the idea. I tried giving him a f/t pinky rat then a pinky mouse with no luck. I guess I'll try again next week but how long a hatchling can go with out eating. I know an adult can go months and still be healthy but I havn't found much info about hatchlings. My hot side is about 90, the cool side is about 82, and the humidity is 60%. When I got him he just hid in either of his hides(one on each side). I left him alone for a week and now he's pretty active and doesn't seem stressed at all. I guess what I'm asking is should take him back to the store to feed or should I keep trying to get him to eat himself?

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Originally Posted by Bozzy

Hello everyone,
I just got my first bp. I think he's about 6-8 weeks old and about 20". He's eaten four times now but I just found out the place where I got him was assist feeding him. They told me I should bring him in and they would feed him until he takes food on his own but this worries me. The more I read the more I don't like the idea. I tried giving him a f/t pinky rat then a pinky mouse with no luck. I guess I'll try again next week but how long a hatchling can go with out eating. I know an adult can go months and still be healthy but I havn't found much info about hatchlings. My hot side is about 90, the cool side is about 82, and the humidity is 60%. When I got him he just hid in either of his hides(one on each side). I left him alone for a week and now he's pretty active and doesn't seem stressed at all. I guess what I'm asking is should take him back to the store to feed or should I keep trying to get him to eat himself?

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First do me a favor and slap those people for stressing that poor snake:mad: .Try feeding it either a small fuzzy mouse or a small fuzzy rat.I have 4 females that are feeding great on fuzzy rats every 5 days give or take.Majority of babies will not take frozen thawed until they are older where you start out with pre-killed then frozen thawed.Give it about 7 to 10 days then try a fuzzy mouse or rat (whichever is the perfect size for it).If it refuses to eat wait 3 days then place it in a brown bag with the prey item overnight.Keep us posted

really? a hatchling on a fuzzy? and in a paper bag?

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Originally Posted by recycling goddess

really? a hatchling on a fuzzy? and in a paper bag?

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My babies are about a month or so old and i place them in a plastic deli container with a small fuzzy rat.In about a hour i come back and its gone into there bellies lol.The brown bag thing is for hard to get to eat babies or juvies that i used in the past.

oh okay, never heard of that before LOL

Here is a good read:

http://www.8ballpythons.com/journal/...ingseating.htm

thanks for that link... excellent read!!!

The plastic container worked for me.Good luck

Thanks for all the advise. I phoned all over town and live pinkys/fuzzies are not easy to come by. I found one store that will get a live fuzzy for me on thursday. I got a deli container I'll put him with the live pinky when I get it. I'll let everyone know how it goes.

good to hear :)

Whatever you do, don't even bother feeding a baby ball pinkies. Its like you getting bubble gum for dinner- you spend more energy chewing it than what you'd get if you swallowed it when you were done.

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Originally Posted by elevatethis

Whatever you do, don't even bother feeding a baby ball pinkies. Its like you getting bubble gum for dinner- you spend more energy chewing it than what you'd get if you swallowed it when you were done.

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Another thing bad about pinks is there skin is ripped very easily and this makes one big mess.Thus the reason i feed mine rat babies with just a little start of there fuzz,not easily ripped open:P .

Yea I hear ya, a pinky rat or mouse isn't much of a meal for the guy. I'll be getting a live fuzzy mouse on thursday only because that's what was availble. The only live feeders I've been able to find readly availble are adult mice, rats, and some gerbils. I'll keep looking but I'll be happy if he eats anything on his own. It'll be a start. He's been assist feed the only four times he's eaten so far and that's something I hope he hasn't gotten used to. Any way, he's far from starving at this point so I'm trying to worry too much yet.

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Originally Posted by Bozzy

Yea I hear ya, a pinky rat or mouse isn't much of a meal for the guy. I'll be getting a live fuzzy mouse on thursday only because that's what was availble. The only live feeders I've been able to find readly availble are adult mice, rats, and some gerbils. I'll keep looking but I'll be happy if he eats anything on his own. It'll be a start. He's been assist feed the only four times he's eaten so far and that's something I hope he hasn't gotten used to. Any way, he's far from starving at this point so I'm trying to worry too much yet.

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May i ask where do you live? Majority of the time i am over run by rodents since i breed my own,sometimes i trade some(rodents) to get more rodent food.I am keeping my fingers crossed yours will eat.

I'm in Winnipeg, Manitoba. If anyone knows someone who breeds feeders in the area I'd love to work out a deal.

Here's a link for Tim Cranwill right there in Winnipeg. His email and phone number are listed and I've heard he's a good guy and so you might want to seek his advice about your hatchling.

http://www.cranwill.com

He's likely to know local contacts as well for live feeders, herp societies, etc.

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Originally Posted by Bozzy

I'm in Winnipeg, Manitoba. If anyone knows someone who breeds feeders in the area I'd love to work out a deal.

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Wow,so how is your weather at this time? I love the internet where else can you chat with others all over the world and not go broke lol:P .

If my memory serves me well, spring in Winterpig...errr...Winnipeg is called...

black fly season! :P

Years ago we lived up in Red Lake, Ontario in the middle of the bush and we'd go to Winnipeg quite a lot. Blew me away that the city had a worse problem with black flies than our little mining town in the middle of nowhere northern Ontario.

But then in Canada we only have two seasons anyways....winter and road construction LOL

hey that's soooo untrue jo. where i live... in beautiful supernatural british columbia we have road construction all year round! (we only get a few days of snow a year)

so there! :P

The weather her is fantastic right now, It's been hot and sunny for a while now and no mosquitos or black flies yet. Although black flies are never bad in the city. I had called Tim Cranwell already he said he doesn't really sell feeders. If my bp takes the live fuzzy tomorrow I'll phone back and explain myself and what's going on and hopefully he can help. Espically now I've caught the bug and am already thinking of more snakes.

I didn't belive it when someone told me that when I got my first BP, that they are like potato chips...well I have 10 BPs now and 17 snakes total!!!!

The store called me today and said the guy forgot to bring my live fuzzy in with their order. They said he'll try to bring it in in the next couple of days. I was looking forward to today but this will put the feed attempt closer to his regular feeding day and put him at about two weeks with no food. It's probably better this way.

when i picked up my last corn snake... it didn't eat for a few weeks and now it's doing GREAT. i think it just needed to get good and hungry...

I called the store about my live fuzzy yesterday and they told me that it should be in on Thursday again. This is was getting frustrating so I stoped at petland on my way home and picked up a couple frozen fuzzies. Today is two weeks since he was assist feed so I figured why not try again. I covered the one exposed side of his tank when I came home from work for lunch. He had about 5hours of his tank being completly covered. When I got home after work I defrosted/heated the mice and dangled one around where he was hiding under some silk plants(seems to like that spot better than either of his hides now). He wasn't to interested at first but I nuged his body with the mouse and that got his attention. He came over to take a look and bang!! he took it and wrapped around it. It was awsome!!![img]images/icons/icon10.gif[/img] I could see from the corner of the tank and watched him swallow it. I've been worried for the last few weeks but I'm pretty happy now. When or should I say if the live fuzzy comes in on Thursday should I offer it to him or wait for the regular feeding day? Can a live fuzzy survive long on it's own or should I kill it and freeze it if it's better to wait to feed again?

If you got it to eat a frozen thawed why change him to live.Its great to read it ate for you,now no handleing for 2 days.

When I got my baby he refused for 3 weeks. Finally I left him and the FT mouse in the delicup over night and he ate. I would highly reccomend that.

a fuzzy should take food... just give it dog food and it should live for a week while you wait to use it for food.

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Originally Posted by recycling goddess

a fuzzy should take food... just give it dog food and it should live for a week while you wait to use it for food.

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Certain dog foods contain a chemical called red dye #3 that is lethal to snakes.Buy a small bag of rodent chow from the pet store if you decide to keep the fuzzy alive for some time.

I just wanted to thank everyone for all the good advice. I feed him again today, this time a f/t pinky rat(yea!!, he ate a rat). He took right away. His eyes were blue too so he's about to shed, I didn't think he would eat until next week. I got the humidity up by misting a couple times a day and I put a damp cloth in the warm hide were he's kept himself hidden away for a few days now. Hopefuly it will come off in one piece and no eye caps.

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Originally Posted by Cubby23

When I got my baby he refused for 3 weeks. Finally I left him and the FT mouse in the delicup over night and he ate. I would highly reccomend that.

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I have two questions for you. What is a delicup? I've seen it mentioned a lot, but I don't know what it is. might be something I should try for Trey in a couple of weeks.
And what is that creature on the left of your sig picture? It is adorable.

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Originally Posted by SarahMB

I have two questions for you. What is a delicup? I've seen it mentioned a lot, but I don't know what it is. might be something I should try for Trey in a couple of weeks.
And what is that creature on the left of your sig picture? It is adorable.

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A deli cup is a container that is used for shipping reptiles in.They are like the containers you get your food in when you purchase salads from a "deli".Unless someone else can show a pic of a deli cup container i will try to post a pic tommorow for you.

that's a crested gecko! aren't they sweeeeeet. i love my two :)

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Originally Posted by joepythons

A deli cup is a container that is used for shipping reptiles in.They are like the containers you get your food in when you purchase salads from a "deli".Unless someone else can show a pic of a deli cup container i will try to post a pic tommorow for you.

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Thanks, Joe. I would love to see a picture of one. How long woould you usually leave a snake in there with a mouse?

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Originally Posted by recycling goddess

that's a crested gecko! aren't they sweeeeeet. i love my two :)

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Yes, it really is too cute! Thanks for the information! Are they very fast?

Check out our crestie forum:


http://www.ball-pythons.net/forums/f...splay.php?f=81

You'll find tons of pics and info on them there. I'm not sure if they're "fast" compared to other flighty lizards, but they are quick to jump. They like to jump from one surface to another.

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Originally Posted by SarahMB

Thanks, Joe. I would love to see a picture of one. How long woould you usually leave a snake in there with a mouse?

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With a adult mouse or mouse fuzzy? If its a adult sized mouse get a ten gallon tank and place your snake in then the mouse.Do not leave the area though as the mouse can kill your snake in a flash.Now if its a mouse fuzzy or crawler i leave them in a container for about a hour then check them.Mouse fuzzy and crawlers are less likely to harm your snake.I will post a pic of a deli container sorry i forgot :oops: .

i usually leave the mouse in until it's eaten if it's f/t but if it's live... i sit and watch. it never takes more than a couple of minutes for the snakes to take down their prey... but i don't use a sep. feeding enclosure for any of my snakes so i don't have to move them after they've eaten.

Well, I've been trying pinkies and fuzzies with Trey, as he's just a baby. He hasn't eaten anything yet, since we bought him. Right now I am having to tube feed him as per vet's orders, but I'm supposed to try mice in again in 2 weeks.
I wonder if I should try rats? I think the main problem before was temps and general environment, but since reading here I have changed everything. Right now I am having to give him antibiotic shots, so he's definitely not going to eat anything willingly.
He's actually killed the mice I've left with him, he just won't eat them. I've been pretty frustrated, but this forum has helped me so much.

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Originally Posted by SarahMB

Well, I've been trying pinkies and fuzzies with Trey, as he's just a baby. He hasn't eaten anything yet, since we bought him. Right now I am having to tube feed him as per vet's orders, but I'm supposed to try mice in again in 2 weeks.
I wonder if I should try rats? I think the main problem before was temps and general environment, but since reading here I have changed everything. Right now I am having to give him antibiotic shots, so he's definitely not going to eat anything willingly.
He's actually killed the mice I've left with him, he just won't eat them. I've been pretty frustrated, but this forum has helped me so much.

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When the vet says that you're ready, try a small live hopper mouse ...their small size and quick movements make them like pez to baby balls. :D

-adam

I will definitely try that. I am so thankful for your advice!
Do you know of anyone in the Dallas area that could help me out with this snake? Since he started the antibiotic shots, he hasn't come out of his hide at all, I'm getting really worried about him now.

OK, here is a pic of the deli containers i use to ship snakes at this time.The larger one is for ball pythons and the smaller one is for corn snake. http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a1...containers.jpg

Oh wow, that's not at all what I was picturing in my mind. Thanks for those pics, Joe!

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Originally Posted by SarahMB

Oh wow, that's not at all what I was picturing in my mind. Thanks for those pics, Joe!

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Anytime.Funny thing these pics come up clear but my snake pics are blurry :confused: .

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Originally Posted by joepythons

Anytime.Funny thing these pics come up clear but my snake pics are blurry :confused: .

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That's because you've done a better job of training your deli cups to sit still for photos. :P

Well your avatar is pretty clear. Maybe the snakes move too much?

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Originally Posted by JLC

That's because you've done a better job of training your deli cups to sit still for photos. :P

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LMFAOROTF!!!!!!!!!!!! :partyon: .

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Originally Posted by SarahMB

Well your avatar is pretty clear. Maybe the snakes move too much?

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My avatar is one from this site.Yea the babies move to much or they want to bite me lol.

Ha, wow, have you actually been bitten? I didn't think Trey actually had any teeth, but he bit the feeding tube yesterday and I was quite impressed!

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Originally Posted by SarahMB

Ha, wow, have you actually been bitten? I didn't think Trey actually had any teeth, but he bit the feeding tube yesterday and I was quite impressed!

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O yea i have been bitten by several types of snakes.Every snake has teeth some are tiny some are larger.The worst bite so far was from a young retic.I was holding it when all of a sudden it decides it wanted to bite me.Well long story short i bled like a stuck pig lol.

Oh, ouch, that's just scary! I think I'll stick with BP's for now. ;)