When should I attempt assist feeding?

[Giddy]

Hello,

I obtained a juvenile BP about four weeks ago. Sinds the first time I tried to offer her food, she doesn't seem interrested. I started with F/T weened mice after ten days. A week later I tried again, refused. Contacted the previous owner, he told me that she only ate live. That last feeding was on august 6th. This week I got some live weener mice for her and put one in her tub. No interest at all, the mouse could do a dance in front of her head, no reaction. I allso noticed that she got a bit sluggish/inactive a few days ago (before I tried to feed live) and that her belly colour has become somewhat yellowish. What could this be, an upcoming shed (shedding)?

How long should I wait before attempting 'assist feeding'? Is she in the shedding proces and therefore not eating? (Her eyes are perfectly clear.) She lives in a rack tub on newspaper, there is a hide, warm-side temp 92F, cold-side temp 81F and there is a waterdish.

Your help/advise is appreciated.

Greetings,

Giddy

[frostysBP]

Have you been tracking her weight? Assist feed is last resort. If its a hatching put it in a 6at tub with aspen and a hide. Wait a week and try a hopper mouse...maby drop the hotspot down to about 87 ish

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[Giddy]

Have you been tracking her weight? Assist feed is last resort. If its a hatching put it in a 6at tub with aspen and a hide. Wait a week and try a hopper mouse...maby drop the hotspot down to about 87 ish

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Yes I weighted her when I bought her, she was 52g, After two weeks 44g and this week she measures 43g.

What is your motivation to lower the hotspot temp? She is not the only snake in this rack as you may assume......

[frostysBP]

I keep my hatching rack lower and to my knowledge most people do...what size tub is it in

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[Stewart_Reptiles]

You do not assist a BP that knows how to eat unless health is an issue, what needs to be addressed is husbandry and prey type.

If you have not done so, switch the BP to a 6 quarts tub max until it reaches 150/200 grams. (Security is the number one priority for hatchling that small)

Use aspen as bedding. (Provides additional security)

Provide a hot spot of no higher than 86/87 (in a tub that small to high of temps do not allow much room to get away from the heat if the animals feel the need to)

Offer a 6 inches plastic flower pot saucer as an hide. (Provide tight hiding place = increase security)

Once you made the switch wait a week and offer food in the tub, offering a LIVE mouse hopper. (Switching is not the priority getting the animal to eat is, once consistent you can attempt to switch)

DO NOT handle your BP until it eats for you 3 to 5 times and keep it to a minimum until the animal is a bit bigger.

[Giddy]

You do not assist a BP that knows how to eat unless health is an issue, what needs to be addressed is husbandry and prey type.

If you have not done so, switch the BP to a 6 quarts tub max until it reaches 150/200 grams. (Security is the number one priority for hatchling that small)

Use aspen as bedding. (Provides additional security)

Provide a hot spot of no higher than 86/87 (in a tub that small to high of temps do not allow much room to get away from the heat if the animals feel the need to)

Offer a 6 inches plastic flower pot saucer as an hide. (Provide tight hiding place = increase security)

Once you made the switch wait a week and offer food in the tub, offering a LIVE mouse hopper. (Switching is not the priority getting the animal to eat is, once consistent you can attempt to switch)

DO NOT handle your BP until it eats for you 3 to 5 times and keep it to a minimum until the animal is a bit bigger.

Hello Deborah,

I've got two size tubs, the smal one is 15x11x5.5 inch, the large one is 31x22x7 inch. I have one snakerack and one thermostat. I allso installed a separate thermometer with two probes in an empty small tub. One probe is taped down to the bottom of the tub at the hotspot (90-92F) and the other probe hangs at the cold side (81F).

I will provide the juvenile with Aspen and will look for a pot saucer. At the moment she has a hiding cave (size M) from Exo Terra. I've got nine live hopper mice for her. I'll feed her one next week.

Greets,
Giddy

[Giddy]

You do not assist a BP that knows how to eat unless health is an issue, what needs to be addressed is husbandry and prey type.

If you have not done so, switch the BP to a 6 quarts tub max until it reaches 150/200 grams. (Security is the number one priority for hatchling that small)

Use aspen as bedding. (Provides additional security)

Provide a hot spot of no higher than 86/87 (in a tub that small to high of temps do not allow much room to get away from the heat if the animals feel the need to)

Offer a 6 inches plastic flower pot saucer as an hide. (Provide tight hiding place = increase security)

Once you made the switch wait a week and offer food in the tub, offering a LIVE mouse hopper. (Switching is not the priority getting the animal to eat is, once consistent you can attempt to switch)

DO NOT handle your BP until it eats for you 3 to 5 times and keep it to a minimum until the animal is a bit bigger.

Hello Deborah,

I've waited a week now, and I offered a small mouse (13g hopper) in it's tub. I left a small lamp on in the room and went to another room myself. Waited an half hour and checked. The mouse was still in the tub, running around, right in front of the bp. Nothing has happened........ what do I do now? Wait another week? Offer a smaller mouse? Taint a mouse pinkie with fish?
I don't know anymore, please help!

Regards, Giddy

[Galaxygirl]

What worked for us when I had a 50g hatchling that wouldn't eat for five weeks was this - 6qt tub with about an inch of aspen bedding. Two hides, one on hot one on cold, a water bowl wedged between the hides (the 6qt tub was so small the hides could barely fit in it). We kept a towel draped around the front of her tub 24/7. We never held her and she ate hopper mice after about five weeks.

[Stewart_Reptiles]

Hello Deborah,

I've waited a week now, and I offered a small mouse (13g hopper) in it's tub. I left a small lamp on in the room and went to another room myself. Waited an half hour and checked. The mouse was still in the tub, running around, right in front of the bp. Nothing has happened........ what do I do now? Wait another week? Offer a smaller mouse? Taint a mouse pinkie with fish?
I don't know anymore, please help!

Regards, Giddy

If you made all the changes and it does not work I would try the brown paper trick.

Of course it really depends how the animal looks like at this point, assisting is really a call I make based on the animal's look.

Was the person you got this BP from reputable? Was the animal well started? (3 to 5 meals), has the breeder offer any help in troubleshooting the animal? Do you know how he keeps his hatchlings?

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[Giddy]

If you made all the changes and it does not work I would try the brown paper trick.

Of course it really depends how the animal looks like at this point, assisting is really a call I make based on the animal's look.

Was the person you got this BP from reputable? Was the animal well started? (3 to 5 meals), has the breeder offer any help in troubleshooting the animal? Do you know how he keeps his hatchlings?

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Hi Deborah,

The person I bought the BP from was reputable in my opinion. If the animal was well started I don't know (It doesn't seem so to me tho). I do communicate with the breeder, but his suggestion was only 'feed it live' because it had done that before. He keeps his hatschlings in a (self made) juvenile rack.

What is the 'brown paper trick'?

I weighted the bp again, it's weight has gone down more(!) She only weighes in at 37 g(). That is 15 g down from where I started four weeks ago........

Should I assist feed?

Regards, Giddy.