Problem with Spotted Python eating

[shadi11]

I have a 5 month old spotted python we have had issues getting to eat. shes gone thru one shed in since shes been with us. we obtained her from someone who had just hatched her and wanted rid of her so she was given to us. she had never eaten and was about a month old. Shes about a foot long now.. Her temps are 88-90 on the hot side and 78 usually right now on the cool side.
we are offering day old pinkies. we have tried live, p/k and f/t. with no success.
I called the vet and he referred me to someone to give a hand because she was becomming lathargic. He force fed her. and that went fine.. she has been force fed for 3 weeks in a row. then the shed and we held off for 3 weeks to see if she would go after it herself because she gained energy and she wouldnt.. she went the complete opposite way. I know force feeding isnt good but at that point it seemed like the only option. she wasnt moving around much anymore. not even when you held her..
She doesnt seem interested at all in food. trying to escape yes. eating no..
So I am unsure what else to do. a breeder i know suggested to rub an anole on a pinkie we tried that. get the pinky to bleed we tried that.. i am at a loss of what to do.
So hopefully maybe someone can come up with a suggestion other than what the vet did and what others have..

[sweety314]

For a ball python there would be the newspaper crumpled up into balls scattered around the tub, tank for security.


Kara (KLG) might have some suggestions. Felix our Stimson's is similar, but he's a pig, so I don't have any good advice for you. Sorry! Did U trying braining the pinky???

Oh...there's a member who's had a baby BP having problems. It was suggested to feed A/D cat food (but U have to buy that from a vet), or a mouse puree with a syringe in order to get them to stay strong.

!! I found a website www.antaresia.com/antaresia_pythons_basics.html

sounds like U might have to get frogs, lizards to start with for prey items......

Another of the pages talks about getting rid of all mouse smell and/or using the skin of a chicken leg to scent the DEAD pinky.

Hope this helps!

RuLyn

[SPJ]

Ah memories of breeding season.

I breed childrens pythons and they do the exact same thing when born.

I have used T-Rex lizard maker with stubborn feeders and it worked great. 2-3 drops on the pinkies head and offer it to the snake. I have also had good luck with bagging the snake and leaving it in there overnight with a thawed pinkie in it's cage. The hard part is getting these guys started. Once you do, they are great eaters. Some start right away and others try your patience.

When you say forcefeed, do you mean putting the head of the pinkie in the snakes mouth and they do the rest? That's actually assist feeding and I have done that in the past. If you mean you push the pinky in and massage it down until it reaches the stomach, that is forcefeeding and VERY traumatic to the hatchling and it could cause it's death.

[_BoidFinatic_]

My spotted python is about 45" long now (a pic of him in my gallery), but I bought him just a few months ago and he eats like a pig!! I have read that hatchlings will take feeder house geckos and anoles. A few drops of T-Rex Lizard Maker on a pinkie should get your spotted to eat.

after you enter the following link, click on Reptile Products, then T-Rex Supplements, then Lizard Maker http://www.t-rexproducts.com/Dynamic/default.htm

house geckos and anoles: http://lllreptile.com/store/catalog/...eeder-lizards/

[shadi11]

Thanks. i have tried the a/d cat food with pedialite as suggested by a breeder i know for a jumpstart. but it didnt work..
the feeding he actually cuts off the head. because he said thats the part they normally dont handle under stress.. and gets it in the mouth and she usually does the rest. so it would be like assisting then.
I havent tried the lizard maker stuff.. I will order some tonight(thanks for the link) i hadnt been able to find it anywhere. we will try that next.
someone suggested anoles. i dont think i could do that. only if i had no other choices. we have rubbed an anole all over a pinkie. but that didnt work well either. we actually held the anole near her to see if she would even strike but she wouldnt..
I really didnt want a non established eater but it wasnt my choice. we were told that they are hard to get started but once you do its great. i was just hoping she would be going good by now.

[_BoidFinatic_]

Thanks. i have tried the a/d cat food with pedialite as suggested by a breeder i know for a jumpstart. but it didnt work..
the feeding he actually cuts off the head. because he said thats the part they normally dont handle under stress.. and gets it in the mouth and she usually does the rest. so it would be like assisting then.
I havent tried the lizard maker stuff.. I will order some tonight(thanks for the link) i hadnt been able to find it anywhere. we will try that next. I really didnt want a non established eater but it wasnt my choice. we were told that they are hard to get started but once you do its great. i was just hoping she would be going good by now.

Let us know how the lizard-maker goes!

[iceman25]

Moving this down here.