damn bp wont eat

[armbarvictim]

trying to feed him for the first time, but he just wont eat, it is a f/t hopper and he just looks at it and slithers away , I put him in a bucket at first and dangled it in his area and he kind of struck at it but missed and then after that he couldnt be bothered. I put him back in his viv and tried leaving it in there with him for like 30 minutes but it is still sitting there untouched.

Should I take it out and forget about it?
I was really hoping his first feeding would go well damn it!

[rabernet]

How long have you had him? What are you housing him in (size of enclosure)? How old is he? What was his previous owner feeding him? Live or f/t? If he's a baby, he probably still needs the stimulation of live feedings. How often have you been handling him? Is he settled in his enclosure or does he constantly roam?

It's either a husbandry issue that needs to be fixed, or he's never been presented with f/t before.

[armbarvictim]

I have had him since monday.
He is in a 10 g viv with aspen bedding, a uth, hide and waterdish.
I believe he was born june or july.
the breeder fed them live
I have held him once everyday
he roamed a ton when i got him on monday, I put him in a nice quiet room where noone is around and it is quiet( i moved him yesterday) and since then he has been moving around his cage still but not as frantically.

[armbarvictim]

aslo it should be noted that he was due to feed the day after I got him but the breeder said to wait a week and then feed him. so I am trying a little earlier than she suggested but i figured he must be hungry and I dont want the little guy to starve....

[rabernet]

OK - how are you measuring your temps? With a digital device or the stick on analog dials? What exactly are your temps on the warm and cool sides? Are his hides snug hides that he can feel touching him on all sides?

STOP handling him until after he's eaten for you. He needs at least a week, maybe even two to acclimate to his new home - with no handling.

Offer food in his enclosure, not in a separate feeding enclosure.

Offer live, not f/t, since he's never had f/t yet. You can do the switch later.

Constant roaming, even if not frantic, but not ever settling into a hide for most of the daylight hours is a stressed out animal.

You can try filling his enclosure with loosely crumpled newspaper filled to the brim to help settle him - so that he feels something touching him on all sides.

After a week, drop in a live hopper mouse and walk away. Check back in 30 mins and it should be gone.

Start weaning him off the paper, one or two pieces every few days.

Newspaper isn't pretty, I know - but your goal here is to acclimate your animal and getting him feeding with you. Pretty AND handling can come later.

[armbarvictim]

hey I really appreciate your help, just a couple questions to make sure I understand what your saying here.

1- I heard that it makes a snake more aggresive towards humans when you feed in its enclosure and when I got my first corn snake a while back the people on the corn snake forums were freaking out about it. I will take your advise though.

2-you want me to fill the viv itself with crumpled newspaper????? sounds interesting, what about around the water dish??

3- after another week from now or on tuesday when I was supposed to feed him?

4- I wont handle him anymore for 2 weeks, I just dont want 2 weeks to come and I go to grab him and he strikes at me and stuff.


Thanks for your help.

[armbarvictim]

on a side note, he does sleep in his hide all day during the daylight hours

[armbarvictim]

?????????? so about that newspaper...... what do i do around the water dish?

[Elise.m]

I'd try to make a mini fort around the waterbowl. Not sure how Robin has done it though, she seems to be the expert on this newspaper stuff!

[Patricia]

I had the same problem, and so my newspaper doesn't go all the way to the top, just one layer on the bottom. Those immediately around the water bowl are more firmly bunched up so that nothing loose is flapping into the water. Works great!