Yearling Retic feeding question/problem

[smvmarine]

Ok, I know this has been covered extensively here but here it goes. Got a young female retic (born Jan. 18’)
that has been eating weekly but it’s been a struggle. The problem........I have been feeding her F/T rat pups and she takes them with a really great feeding response. When she takes them she coils them as normal, but won’t eat them. I have left them overnight several times and they are still laying there in the morning. After about 2-3 days of trying she usually eats one. I’m wondering if I should try her back on live or be persistent with the f/t. My other retic and burm are both on f/t and have absolutely zero issues with them. This is my first this young, so wondering if she just hasn’t got goin yet or what. Also, u try to feed her every 5-6 days.


She she is kept in a 40qt tub (waiting on AP cages) with a hide.
90 degree hot spot verified with IR temp gun
60-70% humidity.

[Zincubus]

My SD Retic sometimes 'looks' to have gone to sleep after he's grabbed and restricted the thawed rat ... I just grab the rat's tail with some LONG tongs and give it a few tugs which kick starts the swallowing..


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[Craiga 01453]

So is the snake a yearling or 3 months old (born Jan 18)?

Either way, you may be offering too often and stressing the snake. By saying "after about 2-3 days of trying she usually eats one" are you saying you offer on consecutive days??

If she's accepting F/T and maintaining a solid body structure I would stick with it and offer less often

[smvmarine]

Yeah I dont know why I put yearling she’s only 3 months old. I’ll try cutting back to every 7 days for now and see if that helps. It’s more like 2 days consecutively not 3. On feeding days I don’t mess with her at all. I’ll stop trying on back-to-back days too. I’m sure she’ll take off shortly, was just curious if you all had any insights. Thanks!!

[Craiga 01453]

Yeah I dont know why I put yearling she’s only 3 months old. I’ll try cutting back to every 7 days for now and see if that helps. It’s more like 2 days consecutively not 3. On feeding days I don’t mess with her at all. I’ll stop trying on back-to-back days too. I’m sure she’ll take off shortly, was just curious if you all had any insights. Thanks!!

Sounds good. Are you handling the snake at all?

[smvmarine]

Yeah I handle all my snakes on a regular basis. I just avoid on feeding day and 24-48 hours after they eat.

[xShevi]

My retic kills the rat fluff too and then leaves it be. Sometimes eats it, sometimes doesn't. I don't bother too much. If she doesn't eat for that week I'll try the week after that again. The retic will get going on itself if it has eaten F/T before anyway. Maybe it just wasn't hungry.

When I looked into getting a retic all the people said "they are garbage cans! They eat anything!" en fin.. I get one and she only eats rats and only sometimes too lol.. Well whatever. Snakes have really slow metabolism and will be fine for a long time after a meal.

What I'm saying is, if it didn't eat, take the prey out after 2/3 hours (personally I don't advise keeping those really young pups and pinkies in overnight just because they rot really fast) and offer again on the next scheduled date you were going to give it its meal. A week off feed doesn't kill your snake, neither does two or three, or double that .

Mine is eating weekly now, but still takes a really long time after striking and coiling. She leaves it be, makes a few rounds and climbs in her viv and then eats it after 30 minutes or something lol..

[Sauzo]

I've heard of some retics doing that. Just create some activity in the tub and it should get the retic 'awake' again. Caesar sometimes does that with his food. I usually just slide of a door a little then close it again and he wakes up and remembers he has food lol. They are quick to grab it but sometimes kind slow to realizes they got it still and havent eaten it yet haha.

[Zincubus]

I've heard of some retics doing that. Just create some activity in the tub and it should get the retic 'awake' again. Caesar sometimes does that with his food. I usually just slide of a door a little then close it again and he wakes up and remembers he has food lol. They are quick to grab it but sometimes kind slow to realizes they got it still and havent eaten it yet haha.

This ........ and / or shake the rat with tongs as I mentioned ..


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[Craiga 01453]

Yeah I handle all my snakes on a regular basis. I just avoid on feeding day and 24-48 hours after they eat.

Typically with young snakes there are 1 of 2 reasons they don't eat. 1) husbandry and 2) stress. I personally don't handle any new snakes until they are eating consistently. Obviously a little here and there while spot cleaning, etc...but no actual handling sessions. Assuming husbandry is on point it may be stress??