Kali's One Week...

Well Kali's one week without contact or feeding attempts was over yesterday. She still didn't eat. This Sunday it will be 2 weeks since I bought her. I know this is not a long time at all but does anyone have any ideas on getting my newly aquired baby girl to eat? I have currently only tried live hoppers on 2 seperate occasions.

:confused:

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Originally Posted by Kilo

Well Kali's one week without contact or feeding attempts was over yesterday. She still didn't eat. This Sunday it will be 2 weeks since I bought her. I know this is not a long time at all but does anyone have any ideas on getting my newly aquired baby girl to eat? I have currently only tried live hoppers on 2 seperate occasions.

:confused:

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Wait another week and try again.Not every snake will eat right away sometimes it takes them a little while longer.How are you attempting to feed her? Try placing her and the prey item in a brown paper bag and staple it shut for about a hour or two.Do not place the bag close to or under your heat source as you can cook them inside;) .Just be patiant:)

I will definitely try that! I know they can go for a while without eating... but I don't want her to lol! I want a nice healthy baby girl. Thanks man!

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Originally Posted by Kilo

I will definitely try that! I know they can go for a while without eating... but I don't want her to lol! I want a nice healthy baby girl. Thanks man!

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No problem ;) .If this does not work then let me know as i have a few other tricks left:D .The one thing you need to learn is some PATIANCE(spelling) when it comes to young snakes:cool: .

Sorry to hear she hasn't eaten yet...I would try the paper bag thing too...let us know how it goes!

*sends warm snakey thoughts*

Hope she eats for ya soon. If not I wouldn't worry about it just yet.

How is Kali set up?

Thanks Joe! I will keep everyone posted.

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Originally Posted by cassandra

Sorry to hear she hasn't eaten yet...I would try the paper bag thing too...let us know how it goes!

*sends warm snakey thoughts*

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* catches those thoughts, wraps them with Cato's memories and sends them back *

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Originally Posted by lillyorchid

Hope she eats for ya soon. If not I wouldn't worry about it just yet.

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Thanks, Im trying not to worry too much but it's hard.

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Originally Posted by KLG

How is Kali set up?

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Kara, she is set up in a 28qt tub with 2 granite hides and a medium water dish. Temps/Hum being read with an Acu-Rite. Newspaper substrate. Medium UTH. temps are 90-93 on the warm side and 82-84 on the cool side with an ambient hum of 53-62.

Thank you all for advice, support and thoughts.

Kill the basking spot. Little bloods don't like hot basking temps. If you can, try moving her to a smaller tub with a simple setup - hide box, water bowl, consistent ambient temp 82-84 all the the time. Baby bloods tend to feel a lot more secure in tight little enclosures. It's kind of hard tell from the one pic I've seen of her, but if she's a small snake, even a 28 qt tub is probably too big at first. I bet if you move her to a smaller cage w/o the hot basking spot & let her settle in even more, she'll start eating for you pretty soon.:)

So I should alter the dimmer? what should I maintain the warm side at?

The whole enclosure should be between 82-84 degrees consistently - day & night. Don't worry about a hot spot. Big cages & high basking temps are the 2 biggest reasons that little healthy bloods don't eat.

I think Kara is saying no warm side at all right now...go for a homogenous 82-84 environment, both floor and ambient in a smaller tub.

Kara = :blossom:

:blossom: + :snake: = :bow:

P.S.
Kara > Cass at replying

Thank you both!

So should I go and purchase a smaller tub tonight or just try to reduce the temps I'm currently holding. Because logically if I reduce the warm side the cool side will also be reduced... possibly below 80 (not that Kali has ever been on the cool side) and risk a RI.

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Originally Posted by Kilo

Thank you both!

So should I go and purchase a smaller tub tonight or just try to reduce the temps I'm currently holding. Because logically if I reduce the warm side the cool side will also be reduced... possibly below 80 (not that Kali has ever been on the cool side) and risk a RI.

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Hmmm ...personally I wouldn't change it Kilo, if you do go out and rehouse and mess around further with the set up you may stress the snake and further lengthen the eating period.

you have just left it for a week to settle in I wouldn't then go and change anything at this stage IMO if it has only not eaten for a couple of weeks.

My bloods done really well in large enclosures and basking spots and if anything its the young female that shown a liking for it more than the adult male. Although you could reduce the temps a bit i would leave everything else.

a couple of questions:

1. When did it last eat ?
2. When did it last shed?
3. Where is the enclosure positioned ?
4. Is there much traffic going by it ?
5. What method did you try and feed ? live or F/T ?

If it is due to shed soon it may not take any food especially since it is still settling in , a week is nothing I would not worry just yet and start trying all manner of things just yet.

Give it another week at least I say ........just my opinion mind not in anyway discrediting anyone else's.

snakey

Ouch! After KLG and Cass posted I left work and went shopping for a bunch of new things! (I also have a new snake on the way from Bailey and Baileys Reptiles) I went a bought a 12qt tub to replace her 28qt tub. She is already set up and inside of it.

(I have had her for 1 1/2 weeks)

here are your anwsers:
1. not sure (never with me)
2. not sure (never with me)
3. in my room on a table
4. nope only me and not directly by it
5. I have tried live hoppers and live pinkies... both rejected

Hope that helps with the advice I hope I recieve ;)

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Originally Posted by Kilo

Ouch! After KLG and Cass posted I left work and went shopping for a bunch of new things! (I also have a new snake on the way from Bailey and Baileys Reptiles) I went a bought a 12qt tub to replace her 28qt tub. She is already set up and inside of it.

(I have had her for 1 1/2 weeks)

here are your anwsers:
1. not sure (never with me)
2. not sure (never with me)
3. in my room on a table
4. nope only me and not directly by it
5. I have tried live hoppers and live pinkies... both rejected

Hope that helps with the advice I hope I recieve ;)

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ouch indeed !

a bit of advice for future reference , whenever you buy a snake try and get at the least info such as, what it was feeding on , when it last ate and when it last shed , its all basic info anyone worth their salt should give you to provide you with information to gauge a suitable feeding time and indeed give you some idea when it will shed. Bare in mind young bloods can triple their body weight before they shed as youngsters from hatchling.

you have not even had it for 2 weeks and you have now changed the set up again which means you will need to leave her again for a week or 2 weeks to settle in again :(

I certainly would have waited longer but its your call and I wish you thevery best of luck. Try feeding F/T if its accessable to you it could be this was what it was feeding on , also with this mthod you can try leaving the mouse in over night and see if she takes it.

can you post pics of your new set up ?

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Originally Posted by KLG

The whole enclosure should be between 82-84 degrees consistently - day & night. Don't worry about a hot spot. Big cages & high basking temps are the 2 biggest reasons that little healthy bloods don't eat.

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When I first got my little Kali-Ma she too was hesitant to eat.

I followed exactly the same advice generously offereg by Kara and bam if it didn't do the trick hands down!

Snakey I will try and post pics when I get off of work today.

Smulkin, she is now housed in a 12qt tub with a water bowl, hide, newspaper substrate and an Acu-Rite. I have been taping and untaping holes to help get the humidity just perfect (it is between 55-69%!!). Aside from that the toverall temp is 83-84. I hope she eats next week!

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Originally Posted by Kilo

Snakey I will try and post pics when I get off of work today.

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Originally Posted by Kilo

Smulkin, she is now housed in a 12qt tub with a water bowl, hide, newspaper substrate and an Acu-Rite. I have been taping and untaping holes to help get the humidity just perfect (it is between 55-69%!!). Aside from that the toverall temp is 83-84. I hope she eats next week!

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cool , also my young female I left for 3 weeks before attempting to feed her so no need to panic its barely in the door so to speak I am sure she will come round and start feeding they are notoriously "good" eaters on the whole and its uncommon for them not to eat with patience and time.

Your set up as you were instructed now so try Kara's excellent advice and see how you go , every snake is an individual but bloods are generally good feeders once you get them started. Kara has obviously had good results with the info she has posted you as I have mine, but it wont do any good chopping and changing so please carry on as you have been instructed now that you are set up that way.

Young bloods are shy and edgy at 1st so be sure to give her space and time to settle in.

How big is the prey to snake ratio btw ?

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Originally Posted by snakey68

bloods are generally good feeders once you get them started.....

Young bloods are shy and edgy at 1st so be sure to give her space and time to settle in

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Definitely concur on both those points. I think the only snakes I have that could give my blood s arun for their money in terms of consitent hardy appetites are the carpets.

Don't stress too much she'll be fine - though I certainly understand how easy it is to become so emotionally inested with their well-being.

Snakey, will do! I have tried to feed her hoppers and pinies... the hoopers being slightly smaller than her girth and the pinkies being considerably smaller than her girth.

Smulkin, It's so hard not to be worried! All that I can think is... I want her to eat... I want her to eat.... I want her to eat!

I fully agree. I followed Kara's suggestions when I first set up my Sarawak and it worked out great.

Btw, depending on how old your blood is, it may have not gone through it's first shed yet.

I don't recall the exact length of time, but baby bloods take a lot longer (up to 2 months? ) to go through their first shed.

Try reading this article, it will help you alot http://www.proexotics.com/blood_article.html It sure helped me.

Here are some more just in case http://www.ssnakess.com/caresheets/s...iled/blood.htm
http://www.gregcooper.net/reptiles/b...thon/care.html
http://www.vpi.com/7VPICareSheets/Py...ythonMaint.htm
http://www.newenglandreptile.com/CareBlood.html

I am sure you will learn alot from reading these articles. Good luck!

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Originally Posted by Schlyne

I fully agree. I followed Kara's suggestions when I first set up my Sarawak and it worked out great.

Btw, depending on how old your blood is, it may have not gone through it's first shed yet.

I don't recall the exact length of time, but baby bloods take a lot longer (up to 2 months? ) to go through their first shed.

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absoloutely right it can be as much as 3 months before their 1st shed.