Force Feeding

[MDB]

I thought this would be an interesting topic to post to get everybodys feedback and knowledge of force feeding. I am no pro myself but I have successfully force feed 4-5 bps in the past as a last resort, the largest of them about 450grams. I was wondering though how everybdy goes about force feeding when they absolutely have to, obviously as a last resort. I had a heck of a time forcing my 450bp in the past I cannot imagine having to force feed a 1500gram animal. Anyways whats everybodys take on force feeding? How do you go about it? What do you use? What measures do you take to make sure there is no harm done to the animal?

[Adam_Wysocki]

I've been keeping ball pythons for over 28 years ... thousands of animals (mostly in the last decade) ... I've never had to force feed a single snake.

Hope this helps.

-adam

[Stewart_Reptiles]

I am curious to see what you call last resort?

How long did the animals fast for? How much body weight did they lose? What attempt were made before force feeding?

The animal you are considering force feeding already is not a good candidate for force feeding she can go months (and I don't mean just a couple) without eating and do just fine.

[MDB]

I am curious to see what you call last resort?

How long did the animals fast for? How much body weight did they lose? What attempt were made before force feeding?

The animal you are considering force feeding already is not a good candidate for force feeding she can go months (and I don't mean just a couple) without eating and do just fine.

lol I knew this would happen, Im sorry but if you think so or not I know when an animal is on its last leg. Last resort would be massive weight loss limited movement, and activity in general, anyways this was just for peoples opinions and input not for you to question my ball python knowledge thanks but no thanks

[Morphie]

I've had to do it, but only with a tiny baby who otherwise was likely to be in trouble - and that was only after i tried every trick in the book, and assist feeding stopped working. After about a year of this with only frequent enough forced meals to keep him healthy (not gaining weight at all), he took a mouse on his own and is a reliable eater today.

It was pretty much the most stressful thing I've ever had to do as a keeper, and I hope to god i never have to do it again. I've seen some larger snakes that look like they could stand to have a meal or two stuffed down their throats, but i wouldn't want to have to wrassle them for it, and i'd be very fearful of causing injuries.

[MDB]

same here it was very scary for me force feeding them, worried to stress them severly or cause injury, but I can proudly say that every snake I have ever force feed now eats great every week for me missing a meal very far between. I could not imagine having to force feed a large snake, I would defintely head to the vet for assistance

[Melicious]

I've never had to force feed any of my snakes. -Shrugs.- I don't know what I'd do if I had to.

[stangs13]

So how did a 450 gram ball go off feed and end up being so bad it needed force feeding?

[Smith285]

You've force fed ball pythons and you don't even know what kind of substrates work besides newspaper? ....How are your 75 ASFs doing?

[jknudson]

same here it was very scary for me force feeding them, worried to stress them severly or cause injury, but I can proudly say that every snake I have ever force feed now eats great every week for me missing a meal very far between. I could not imagine having to force feed a large snake, I would defintely head to the vet for assistance

If a 1500 gram snake is going off feed, and losing drastic body weight or tone then you need to take it to a vet, it likely has other issues than just not eating. BPs will go off feed occasionally...perfectly normal. However, they will not lose drastic amounts of weight unless there is another issue. Perhaps they're off feed because of a husbandry issue.

I agree with Deborah. No reason an animal that size has to be force fed if it's healthy otherwise.