Hatchling feeding frustration!

[JulieInNJ]

Okay, I'm really just venting because I'm super frustrated.

I have a hatchling that just flat out refuses to eat (she's on f/t rat pinkies). When I open her tub, she's more interested in trying to get out and see the world than attack. Last week, she escaped for a few hours on feed day. We caught her, put her in her tub, and almost had a successful feeding. I say almost because she didn't exactly strike as much as she just daintily took the rat from the tongs. But then today, we're right back to square one. At one point, the rat got curled up with her body and was cruising around the tub on her back. Stellar.

I've done everything I can possibly think of (with lots of suggestions from bp.net members) EXCEPT for feeding live - I can't bring live rodents into the house out of respect for my family. I HATE assist feeding her because I know how much it stresses them out.

I think I have the ball python equivalent of an anorexic socialite. She belongs in Hollywood. Anyone want to be her agent?

[Skittles1101]

No that's totally normal. I have a hatchling that has refused every single f/t rodent possible. She is now on live mouse hoppers, which I am not happy about, but at least she's eating. I have adults that boycott food for weeks too, it just comes with the species sometimes. All my others are on f/t except her. P.I.T.A. lol

[Stewart_Reptiles]

Some hatchlings do poorly on rats and some do poorly on F/T, I know it's not what you want to hear but what I would do is offer a live rat and see how it goes and than once a little better established convert to F/T again.

Worse case scenario if that does not work, live mice.

Some will convert to f/t very young, some will take a rat as a first meal and some just don't.

The bottom line you need to feed what works because assisting is just not a long term option and is detrimental to your snake's health.

[Kinra]

I'm kind of in the same boat as you, but my problem is that if I need to feed live I have to drive 30-40 minutes (round trip) out of the to get them before I go home. I currently have 2 BPs that haven't eaten for me and they are both under 100g. If they don't eat this weekend I will try live.

I hope your little one eats for you.

[JulieInNJ]

The bottom line you need to feed what works because assisting is just not a long term option and is detrimental to your snake's health.

I completely and totally agree. I was so excited when she actually ate last time, and then so crestfallen when she didn't this time. She started out with mice and then I tried rats (which was what she took). Waiting her out didn't work, either. So, so frustrating.

My last resort is to ship her to a friends house to try the live, because - believe me when I say this - if I bring any live rodents into my home, I'll be homeless real quick! If she stays on live and doesn't switch back to F/T, I'm in trouble.

[wendhend]

I have learned to not expect hatchling ball pythons to take frozen / thawed, becuase they typically won't. Most of mine have been willing to switch at about a year of age, but not much sooner than that. I have had some that have gone on "hunger strikes" right after I have tried pushing frozen / thawed at them when they were real young. Now I just go along with the live feeding thing until they are bigger, chubby and approaching a year of age. I had great success this summer switching almost all of my yearlings to frozen / thawed dangled on tongs outside the door of their hides. They always seem to have a better appetite in the summer, and I capitalize on that and get them switched over.

[rperry03]

My last resort is to ship her to a friends house to try the live, because - believe me when I say this - if I bring any live rodents into my home, I'll be homeless real quick! If she stays on live and doesn't switch back to F/T, I'm in trouble.

Well in my opinion (if its really worth anything) is to leave it with your friend to get her eating and gain some weight, and then let her wait it out long enough so when she is good and ready she will eat the f/t.

When I got my yearling hog island, I tried feeding f/t and just turned his head. I contacted the breeder and said he was on live, went out and picked up a juicy rat that night and he did not hesitate. At that time my Colombian would eat f/t, p/k, and live.

[mpkeelee]

ya i gto some picky babies too. first week two of them took f/t fuzzy rats. a few days later nobody ate. a few days later i tried f/t mouse hoppers and nobody ate, a few days later tried the hoppers again and nothing. so in a couple days im going to pick up some live mouse hoppers and hopefully they will all eat. im worried and irritated but hey, its what they do.

[Don]

Starting on FT is not always successful. I've done it a few times, but only when i was having problems getting live. Normally, after two or three live feedings (on mouse hoppers or rat pinkies) they will eat FT. Most of my babies get a variety of FT and live.

For me, it is easiest to get them started on live mouse hoppers for the first few feedings. Good luck.

[JulieInNJ]

Thanks everyone. She's just so darned tiny that I'm a bit concerned about her. Picked her up 4 weeks ago at 46g, and she's now 72g. Slowly getting there in terms of weight, but I'm doing her no good if she won't take food on her own. Stubborn little girl!