Problem Hatchling

I've been all over these boards updating you guys about the little hatchling that just won't eat. I have tried assist feeding 4 times now and I have offered live prey 4 times. He's in his tub right now. I attempted to assist feed him and while he still had the rodent in his mouth, I quickly put him in his tub and left him alone. I'm going to check back in 30min-1hr to see if he's eaten the meal. If not then I'm taking him to a local reptile store owner to have him force fed. Does that sound like a good idea? Its been over a month and he hasn't shed or eaten. (1 month, 1 week, and 4 days)

I just checked on him and at first I didn't see the pinky. I turned the tub every which way and could not find that darn pinky. Then I looked at his underside and sure enough there is a bulge in his throat, so he's attempting to eat it. I'm going to check back in 20 minutes to see if he's swallowed it completely.

Normally they get to the point where they figure out its easier to just eat it than to spit it out, :D

I really hope he starts eating. Only 10 minutes till I check on him again. So if he swallows this meal and keeps it down should I offer a live meal in a few days or assist feed again? And if he doesn't keep this meal down (regurge) or spits it back out, should I try assist feeding again or a force feed?

ive had to do this with one of my hatchlings. its in its second shed. so hopefully after shed 2 it will eat on its own. good luck!!

I just checked on him. He's still working on it but this is the furthest he's even swallowed a mouse pinky. He's actually working it down his throat and its passed the 2nd kink, so I'm going to check on him in another 30 min and hopefully by then he will have swallowed it. :please::please::please:

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Originally Posted by Jay_Bunny

I just checked on him. He's still working on it but this is the furthest he's even swallowed a mouse pinky. He's actually working it down his throat and its passed the 2nd kink, so I'm going to check on him in another 30 min and hopefully by then he will have swallowed it. :please::please::please:

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my hopes are with you man :bow:

Good luck......

I checked on him again. He hasn't made much progress. He's been working on it for a while now, but he hasn't spit it back out. I took two pictures to show you how far he's been able to work it down. I'm uploading those now.

http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r...ke/mine020.jpg

http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r...ke/mine020.jpg

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Originally Posted by Jay_Bunny

http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r...ke/mine020.jpg

http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r...ke/mine020.jpg

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oooo.. id give him overnight.. check on him every hour insted of half hour if u want

Will he be ok working on swallowing it that long? He won't suffocate or anything?

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Originally Posted by Jay_Bunny

Will he be ok working on swallowing it that long? He won't suffocate or anything?

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No, he won't suffocate. Some large pythons take hours to eat large meals in the wild.

I hope that he does well for you, but his kinking may cause him to not be able to ever eat properly. If that is the case, it may be best to euthanize him.

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Originally Posted by Jay_Bunny

Will he be ok working on swallowing it that long? He won't suffocate or anything?

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i think hell be fine. you should still check on him every 45-60 mins just to be safe. just check and see if it is going down any further.


and i hope this one doesnt need to be force fed... it shortens life span.:(

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Originally Posted by bamf64

and i hope this one doesnt need to be force fed... it shortens life span.:(

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How does force feeding shorten life span? It seems to me that it would do just the opposite.

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Originally Posted by Wh00h0069

How does force feeding shorten life span? It seems to me that it would do just the opposite.

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thats just what ive heard over about 6 months of research. i heard the snake doesnt get the same nourishment being stressed(when being forcedd), than being fed normally.

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Originally Posted by bamf64

thats just what ive heard over about 6 months of research. i heard the snake doesnt get the same nourishment being stressed(when being forcedd), than being fed normally.

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IMO, they would get the same amount of nourishment, but force feeding would be very stressful. The stress could cause them not to eat on their own. Force feeding should be the last resort, but is sometimes necessary.

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Originally Posted by Wh00h0069

IMO, they would get the same amount of nourishment, but force feeding would be very stressful. The stress could cause them not to eat on their own. Force feeding should be the last resort, but is sometimes necessary.

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yup :)

look up up force feeding on the forums dr del has a post on it.

Force feeding is my last result, but I'm crossing my fingers for him to swallow this meal. I just checked on him and its roughly in the same spot so I'm going to leave him alone for an hour and check on him in another hour and take pictures periodically and post so you can see his progress.

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Originally Posted by Jay_Bunny

Force feeding is my last result, but I'm crossing my fingers for him to swallow this meal. I just checked on him and its roughly in the same spot so I'm going to leave him alone for an hour and check on him in another hour and take pictures periodically and post so you can see his progress.

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ok

http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r...ke/mine021.jpg

I think I meant to post this one instead of posting the other one twice. Oops. :P

If it were me and he hadn't swallowed it within about an hout I would try to massage it down to his stomach. If he regurged in the next few days I would euthanize.

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Originally Posted by pfan151

If it were me and he hadn't swallowed it within about an hout I would try to massage it down to his stomach. If he regurged in the next few days I would euthanize.

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i disagree about the euthanization. he deserves a chance.

He definitely deserves a chance. He is the first ball python I have produced and he has a special place in my heart. He's my little baby and I want him to live. He is TRYING to eat and that in itself earns him a chance at life.

He hasn't made any more progress. How would I go about massaging it down into his stomach?

Just out of curiosity did you moisten the pink at all prior to assist feeding him???

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Originally Posted by pfan151

If it were me and he hadn't swallowed it within about an hout I would try to massage it down to his stomach.

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I had to do this with my vine snake who was in really bad shape when I got him. I just worked with the swallowing motions the snake made and rubbed gently down if that makes sense.

As for euthanasia thats for each person to decide as long as you feel there is a chance than its your choice to keep trying. I have brought animals back from near death while others I knew just didn't want to fight anymore and had them put to sleep. Personally I would keep trying as long as I felt the animal had a will to live but that's just me.

Yes, the pinky was moistened. And he salivated a lot too. I don't think the pink could have dried up on the way down. I saw him open is mouth a bit and you can see the tail of the pinky mouse right at the entrance to his throat.

As an update....

Rubiix had the pinky mouse in his throat in the same spot for over 24 hours! Finally when I got home he was in the process of spitting it out. The pinky mouse was very elongated and the skin came right off it. The inside of its body was mushy like. I know what a normal, live pinky mouse feels like as far as bones and the bones felt like they were not even there. I wish I would have taken a picture but my mother in law flushed it before I had the chance.

I took him out of his tub and gave him a bath in some shallow warm water. He didn't drink any but some did get in his mouth (I'm worried about dehydration since he went 24 hours without having any water to drink.) I then cleaned up his tub and put him back.

I want to give him a few days before I try anything else, but I don't know what the next step is. He seems able to get it down a little further each time, but this time it just stopped and wouldn't go any more. Not that we really have the money for it but would an x-ray show if he's able to pass anything through? I was thinking of using a pinky pump for a few feedings to get him to gain some weight. Maybe if he could get a little larger he could pass a pinky.