Not another MY snake won't eat thread!!

[95383z28]

Hi all, so i have a new clutch and am having trouble feeding like never before. It's almost like they are going out of their way to not eat. They are over 6 weeks old and all have shed. some twice. have tried live, freshly killed, frozen. Rat pups and mice. Tried feeding in paper bags, in each of their bins in the rack. Have even tried assist feeding several, holding the head of the rat pup/mouse in the mouth for 30+ minutes. they will spit it out. have never had this happen before. 4 are mojaves and 5 are high yellow normals. All from the same clutch. they all went 58 days at 89 degrees. every one of them absorbed every last drop of the yolk. could they really just not be hungry?

Thanks for the help!!

Pete

[M.P.C]

Temps and humidity?

[95383z28]

The bin that they are in is about 90F and 81% humidity.

Pete

[BCS]

What size of prey are you using?

[95383z28]

Have tried both rat pups and fuzzies. What i have always used before.

Pete

[BCS]

Rat pups are a bit big for hatchlings. Most people I have met start off with F/T or live mouse hoppers. Personally I haven't had a clutch yet, so maybe I am not the right person to give you advice, but I have learned from one of the best breeders around here and starts his hatchlings off with live and F/T mouse hoppers. We can't get live rats here. I suggest you try something smaller and different, like mice.

[AerialArtist]

Bear in mind, I'm no expert, but could it be that they're stressed out by that many feeding attempts in 6 weeks? I find leaving problem feeders alone for a few weeks works well, personally.

[Megg]

Bear in mind, I'm no expert, but could it be that they're stressed out by that many feeding attempts in 6 weeks? I find leaving problem feeders alone for a few weeks works well, personally.

I've also had success with this method. Usually after an extra week or two they'll eat without a problem for me.

[Stewart_Reptiles]

Bear in mind, I'm no expert, but could it be that they're stressed out by that many feeding attempts in 6 weeks? I find leaving problem feeders alone for a few weeks works well, personally.

While this might be true for a well established animal this is the wrong answer for un-started hatchlings or young hatchlings barely out of the egg that are now already 6 weeks and still have issue, thing can go south very fast.

To the OP, how big how your tubs?

What I would do is use some aspen bedding as subtrate and lower the temp on the warm side to 86, while keeping them warm is important 90 if kept in a 6 quart tub does not offer much room for temp gradient and if often a little too hot.

Few other things you might want to try, use plastic flower pot saucers as hides, while I rarely use hides with any animal some stubborn hatchling may require them. Add some loose crumble newspaper in the tubs also to provide added security.

Since they are stubborn to get started stay consistant with the prey and only offer live mouse hopper. Ideally when starting hatchling you want to offer either live rat crawler for 3 weeks and if it does not work on meal number 4th offer a live hopper mouse or vice versa. DO NOT offer more than once a week.

You are getting mm to the point where I would try one more time with the changes I mentioned (giving them a week to adjust) and after that if it's still fails depending on how they look you will have to consider assisting or force feed, obviously assisting should be first.

[ballpythonsrock2]

......To the OP, how big how your tubs?

What I would do is use some aspen bedding as subtrate and lower the temp on the warm side to 86, while keeping them warm is important 90 if kept in a 6 quart tub does not offer much room for temp gradient and if often a little too hot.

Few other things you might want to try, use plastic flower pot saucers as hides, while I rarely use hides with any animal some stubborn hatchling may require them. Add some loose crumble newspaper in the tubs also to provide added security...

I think this is very good advice (which Deborah gives lots of on here ) I found (with my limited snake experience) that hides can be important to some snakes, my snake stays in it's hides and eats out of it's hides. She is even in a plastic tub which is covered with tape and she still is not happy without her hides, I tried not using hides but she wasn't happy. She is most the time in one hide or the other. Her head likes to peek out the door way of the hide and slowly work her way out when food is introduced and often pulls the food back into her hide. So one hide on the warm side might be a must for some snakes, and IF not a hide on the cool side at least something to hide under or behind. The warm side is around 90 but the cool side should not be 90, it actually is suppose to be around 80 give or take. ( no higher than 86 ) So I believe in tubs or tanks large enough to make a gradient and also hold a hide or better 2, gradients and hides are highly recommended in all care sheets that I have ever read.