My little headache...

[Cheesenugget]

To OP: just want to say you have my sympathy. I completely understand your frustration but I was fortunate and with the help of this forum, got my bp to eat when he was little. Now as an adult, he started that fasting trend again (he stopped eating for 6 months, ate again, then in late Oct started again) but the husbandry is on point, his tub has been downsized, prey item is the same size or tried mice, and left completely alone and still he would rather do anything but eat. That's fine, whatever, it gets annoying though because I love feeding my snakes.

I guess some animals are fine living life on the edge.

[Zincubus]

So what do you do when the animal won't eat FT?? I have had snakes that will NOT eat FT.. Period, end of story.. Do you just let the animal die?? I do my due diligence in trying to get animals onto FT but there comes a time where the animal suffers because it doesn't know any better... Just seems cruel to me..

Well so far it’s not happened and so I can’t comment .


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[EL-Ziggy]

So what do you do when the animal won't eat FT?? I have had snakes that will NOT eat FT.. Period, end of story.. Do you just let the animal die?? I do my due diligence in trying to get animals onto FT but there comes a time where the animal suffers because it doesn't know any better... Just seems cruel to me..

I'll say it again, the hunger ALWAYS wins in the end. I wouldn't let an animal die but I have yet to see a healthy animal starve itself to death when food was available. Sustenance is sustenance. A healthy human will eat a f/t rat if they get hungry enough. I've had a few snakes that were stubborn eaters when I got them and have had a couple of them take extended food breaks even when I did feed live. I'm probably in the minority but I don't worry when my snakes don't eat anymore. If I think the animal is sick I take it to the vet but as long as they're not losing significant weight I just keep offering food until they decide they want to eat again. If they get to 3-4 months without food I might try a live feeder. I have 11 snakes and they all eat f/t even though many of them started out on live prey. I guess there are animals that will never take f/t but I believe they're extremely rare. Most animals would rather eat anything than to painfully starve to death. Just my 2 cents.

[Bogertophis]

So what do you do when the animal won't eat FT?? I have had snakes that will NOT eat FT.. Period, end of story.. Do you just let the animal die?? I do my due diligence in trying to get animals onto FT but there comes a time where the animal suffers because it doesn't know any better... Just seems cruel to me..

I agree...I've known some very stubborn snakes too, & when they lose noticeable weight & energy they aren't going to suddenly get an appetite back, any more than a
hospital patient would without an I.V. Snakes are "wild" animals that rely on instincts...& those instincts know what they're looking for- live prey. Most can be switched
& that's always best, but some will just go downhill & so does their immune system...then you have not only a starved snake, but a sick one. I'm all for kindness to
rodents, but the snakes are my pets & their needs come first. I think that's just being realistic.

I do understand that we don't all operate under the same set of rules about feeding live...I guess in that case, I'd do a tube-feed, but it's not the same thing as triggering
a snake's natural instincts with that first live meal. I've raised quite a few hatchlings & neonates of many kinds, including 4 BPs.

[pbenner]

To OP: just want to say you have my sympathy. I completely understand your frustration but I was fortunate and with the help of this forum, got my bp to eat when he was little. Now as an adult, he started that fasting trend again (he stopped eating for 6 months, ate again, then in late Oct started again) but the husbandry is on point, his tub has been downsized, prey item is the same size or tried mice, and left completely alone and still he would rather do anything but eat. That's fine, whatever, it gets annoying though because I love feeding my snakes.

I guess some animals are fine living life on the edge.

Hi bud,

Thank you! Every time she has me ready to do something more drastic, she finally eats something. The other thread has some information on her, but she last ate an ASF about 2 weeks ago.

I have offered her another rat crawler, but she did not want that, and I don't have another ASF currently as a feeder. I'll have one soon.

Paul

[dr del]

I'm reluctant to advise this ( it is not a nutritional meal long term ) but have you tried day old chicks?

In a smaller snake you usually have to break it up into either legs or heads ( neither of which is a great meal nutritionally ) but nearly all of mine love the occasional chick when offered as a bit of variety.

[Zincubus]

I'm reluctant to advise this ( it is not a nutritional meal long term ) but have you tried day old chicks?

In a smaller snake you usually have to break it up into either legs or heads ( neither of which is a great meal nutritionally ) but nearly all of mine love the occasional chick when offered as a bit of variety.

Yes chicks are fabulous ‘treats’ or alternatives.. a couple of my Royals will have a meal and if they’re still sniffing around I quickly thaw a couple of chicks and they wolf them down ..

I also had huge Male Pied that was on an extensive fast (15 months !) and he was kickstarted when I recently left a couple of chick heads on a dish in his viv .... I tried every trick on the book ( yes even the usually fabulous hairdryer trick lol ) but this lad refused everything including mice /rats / gerbils / guinea pigs / hamsters and even flamin’ multimates !

Two chick heads and then he ate 4 whole chicks !!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[pbenner]

I'm reluctant to advise this ( it is not a nutritional meal long term ) but have you tried day old chicks?

In a smaller snake you usually have to break it up into either legs or heads ( neither of which is a great meal nutritionally ) but nearly all of mine love the occasional chick when offered as a bit of variety.

I have not. There are not many active poultry around me at the moment, so finding them could be difficult, but I'll put out feelers.

Thank you for this suggestion. I'll try one, but will not be offering them weekly for sure.

Paul