I have 2 from the same clutch that would not eat. I have assist fed them both twice and each time they fought me; I'd put the food in their mouth and they would basically spit it out. But with persistance I finally got them to take them. They both ate twice that way. Very stressful!
Tonight I went to feed them again and as soon as I put the f/t fuzzy mouse up to their nose they opened, clamped down and wrapped my hand! I slid them off my hand, they both wrapped the mouse and I put them in their tubs so they could eat in peace. Weird that they both did the exact same thing - but I'll take it!! Hopefully next time they will take a live hopper!
Btw - the babies hatched the first week of June and I didn't assist feed till they were 7 weeks. One went from 60gms to 47gm and the other was 65gm down to 58gm (weighed them tonight before they ate).
Good luck!
Last edited by JenH; 08-17-2008 at 10:49 PM.
Reason: More detail
I start all my Ball hatchlings on hopper mice and have never had one not switch to rats...
To answer your question though...I assist feed at the 5 week mark...It's very important to make sure you use a small prey item. I like to use fuzzy mice.
Thats exactly how I do it. once in a while I get them to start on rat pinks because thats what I breed, but hopper mice for the most part and then rat fuzies or pinkies depending on size of snake.
Noob question here. What's the difference between assist feeding and force feeding? Force feeding involves actually shoving the prey down the snake's mouth right? So what then is assist feeding?
Don't mean to hijack the thread here but I think having this info will help the other noobs understand this thread more. : )
assist feeding is using the mouse head to open the snakes mouse and then setting the snakes teeth in the mouse forse feeding is pushing the mouse down the snakes throat and working the mouse down the snakes body i have thankfully never had that happen to me
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Originally Posted by coldbloodaddict
