Problem child!

[Matt850]

I have one of my first 5 babies that just will not eat for anything. She is still the same weight she was born at four months ago (I have been force feeding but maybe I should increase the number of feedings?). I feel like I have tried everything. Rat pinkies alive and dead, scented with brains... I have also tried mouse and ASF babies with zero interest. Any suggestions or support from someone more experienced? All the other four babies in the clutch are doing great, I just don't want to give up on any of the babies.

[bcr229]

All you can do is continue to assist feed.

When you do assist feed, what prey are you using and how often do you do it?

[Matt850]

I use pinky rats for the assist feed. After I assist feed I usually try twice over the next 3 weeks with live pinkies. She seems to show no interest but seems a little scared of them. Every day she is leaning on the wall of her tub so I double check all the metrics all the time.

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[Lord Sorril]

If the snake is not getting bigger then you probably are not assist/force feeding it often enough. After each meal is excreted (brown, not urates) I offer the snake a live hopper mouse. If the snake denies the offered food: I will assist feed 2 or 3 pinky mice. I repeat this cycle over and over again (excluding shedding times) until the snake learns that it is time to eat when the mouse is shown. It usually doesn't take mine more than a few weeks to learn-they all seem to get the message eventually. So far I've had 100% success (with dozens of non-eaters).

Note: Some of my hatchlings will even try to regurge after assist/force feeding-In this event-I have to pinch my fingers above their throat and massage the prey item down into their abdomen. This takes a while and if I have 10+ non-eaters I will be dropping F-Bombs like its WWIII by the end of the session.

[Matt850]

If the snake is not getting bigger then you probably are not assist/force feeding it often enough. After each meal is excreted (brown, not urates) I offer the snake a live hopper mouse. If the snake denies the offered food: I will assist feed 2 or 3 pinky mice. I repeat this cycle over and over again (excluding shedding times) until the snake learns that it is time to eat when the mouse is shown. It usually doesn't take mine more than a few weeks to learn-they all seem to get the message eventually. So far I've had 100% success (with dozens of non-eaters).

Note: Some of my hatchlings will even try to regurge after assist/force feeding-In this event-I have to pinch my fingers above their throat and massage the prey item down into their abdomen. This takes a while and if I have 10+ non-eaters I will be dropping F-Bombs like its WWIII by the end of the session.

Thanks for this. I like the advice and it makes sense. I will start with the mouse hopper and assist feed if necessary. I did have one other that needed to be assist fed but only the one time, he caught on quick.

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[Ladybugzcrunch]

How much does problem weigh? Perhaps try something larger, like a small rat pup just getting hair. Also leave it in over night. When you try this, do not assist feed for at least a week or two prior. If it refuses, assist feed upon removal of the prey. Are you forcing or assisting, large difference. If the snake coils and eats after the prey is inserted in the mouth, this is assisting. If it is doing that, then assist with the larger prey. Forcing is shoving the prey at least halfway down the throat, not recommended and a small squishy prey should be used like a rat pink. I have had only one refuse forever, it eventually died after many assist feeds. Surely something else was wrong there. My longest assist feed ever went on for 8 months. Finally that snake caught on but it seemed like a nightmare. She did not grow much during that 8 months either. All my other dozens of assist stories ended as they should. One to five assist feeds then assist with coil, then wham eating fine.

Pinky mice are too small don’t bother. Rat pinks, on the larger side are the way to go with assisting a ball python. And FYI, I would never pinch the throat and have never had an assist feed resurgence.

[Matt850]

How much does problem weigh? Perhaps try something larger, like a small rat pup just getting hair. Also leave it in over night. When you try this, do not assist feed for at least a week or two prior. If it refuses, assist feed upon removal of the prey. Are you forcing or assisting, large difference. If the snake coils and eats after the prey is inserted in the mouth, this is assisting. If it is doing that, then assist with the larger prey. Forcing is shoving the prey at least halfway down the throat, not recommended and a small squishy prey should be used like a rat pink. I have had only one refuse forever, it eventually died after many assist feeds. Surely something else was wrong there. My longest assist feed ever went on for 8 months. Finally that snake caught on but it seemed like a nightmare. She did not grow much during that 8 months either. All my other dozens of assist stories ended as they should. One to five assist feeds then assist with coil, then wham eating fine.

Pinky mice are too small don’t bother. Rat pinks, on the larger side are the way to go with assisting a ball python. And FYI, I would never pinch the throat and have never had an assist feed resurgence.

The problem child is right at 80 grams. So small! I have been unsuccessful with assist feeding. I currently wet a dead rat pup and slide it down until the shoulders are in the throat. Then I lay her in her tub carefully and make sure it goes down. She understands what to do when its in her throat but not how to get to that point. I have tried on multiple occasions putting the head in the mouth but she just spits it out like it is the most disgusting thing in the world. Also, I have never seen her coil around anything.

There may be something wrong with her, but there may not be either. She acts different than the other babies. I will keep trying until the end, i just want to give her every chance.

[bcr229]

I'd also try a mouse instead of a rat pup. A hopper would be a little more durable.

Also while it's not ideal to give two feeders sometimes it's easier to get something like a large fuzzy pushed far enough back so the snake can't spit it out easily, then when the snake starts chewing or swallowing, you can train feed a second fuzzy or a small hopper behind it. The snake gets a decent sized meal and you can wait a few more days between feedings to reduce stress on both of you.

[zina10]

I had one hatchling that was beyond frustrating last year. Didn't even take to assist feeding easily.
It showed the most interest to mice hoppers, but acted "afraid" of them. Whether they were f/t, pre killed or worst, alive!

I kept trying. One day I decided to put all the babies on substrate instead of paper towel. Put them all on Reptile Prime, which is a soft coco coir that is not as fine as Eco Earth, but not as coarse and chunky as Repti Chip.

Now..it could have just been coincidence but that little one seemed to like the dark substrate and the ability to be "lie low" in it. The very next time I tried a pre killed hopper she showed a lot of interest, but didn't go for it. I put it with her and left. (had previously tried that and didn't work then).

To my HUGE surprise and GREAT relief the hopper was gone when I checked 2 hours later A week later, same thing. She showed interest but was easily spooked. I left the pre killed hopper and she ate it up fairly quickly.

A week later she STRUCK and wrapped the pre killed hopper. What a relief. We turned the corner. After a few more meals I re-homed that snake and she continues to do VERY well and is much loved.

I have to admit, I came close to giving up on that one. Assist feeding is relatively easy, and I don't worry about it much. But this hatchling wanted nothing to do with that or anything else food related. It ignored all feeding attempts and fought the assist feeding.

Don't give up, but don't get to rough.

If that one is on paper towels, put it on dark substrate. make sure the tub is small and private (not open view all sides). Let it settle in the new setup with the substrate and then offer a pre killed hopper. If she/he is interested but shy, leave the hopper near her and walk away. Don't give in to peek until next day or at least a few hours later. Offer it late at night.

Good luck !

[Skyrivers]

Do you have a photo of the little one?