Hatchling not eating...need advice...

[sho220]

I have a hatchling that is reeeeeaaaaally trying my patience. He hatched on 03 July and weighed 70 grams. He shed on 11 July. Began offering hopper mice to him along with my other nine hatchlings. He along with a female spider wanted nothing to do with it. I tried again every 3 or 4 days with no luck. I've tried pinky mice, hopper mice, rat pups, f/t, live, brained, with newspaper balls, with a covered tub, in a smaller tub, on a different shelf of my rack, off tongs, left overnight...nothing works. I've tried assist feeding 3 times now with no luck. I get the mouse head in his mouth and he just spits it out. I've tried holding him the whole time, I've tried putting him down and he still spits it out. I've tried getting the mouse hooked on his teeth and he has no problem shaking his head and dropping it. I'm certainly no expert, but I have assist fed baby balls before with no problems. Once the head is in their mouth they usually either start eating or coiling it up and then eat. Not this guy. Last attempt I sat there holding him with the mouse in his mouth for about 5 minutes and he just sat there. Still as can be. I very slowly put him down and he spit it out.

I've been keeping an eye on his weight: 07/22 he weighed 66 grams. 07/29 he was 62 grams. 07/31 he was 63 grams, and today, 08/04 once again weighed 63 grams. He seems to be drinking fine but just won't eat. Maybe he's vegetarian???

Just wanted to get an idea of how much time I have left and how soon I need to get a little more aggressive with the assist feeding. I'm a little hesitant about forcing anything down his throat, but if it comes to that, so be it.

Here's a pic from today right before my latest failed attempt at assist feeding...

How long do I have to get this guy going???

Thanks for any and all advice. I'm afraid I'm starting to lose a little hope...



p.s. the Spider female is feeding great...she was just a little slower to get started than the others...

[RichsBallPythons]

at this point its been a month and you need to assist feed him.

Pre kill a hopper mouse and slowly assist the mouses head into the snakes mouth till he opens up and then bites down. Be sure to push it in enough so he coils it. Once coiled set him back in the tub and hell do the rest.

[joepythons]

Have you tried putting him in a brown bag and staple it shut overnight?

[sho220]

at this point its been a month and you need to assist feed him.

Pre kill a hopper mouse and slowly assist the mouses head into the snakes mouth till he opens up and then bites down. Be sure to push it in enough so he coils it. Once coiled set him back in the tub and hell do the rest.

Did you read my rambling post? I've tried assisting 3 times now. He doesn't bite down and doesn't coil. Last time I tried, about an hour ago, he just sat there with the mouse in his mouth. For about 5 minutes. I've tried getting his teeth hooked but he still shakes it...

[RichsBallPythons]

Did you read my rambling post? I've tried assisting 3 times now. He doesn't bite down and doesn't coil. Last time I tried, about an hour ago, he just sat there with the mouse in his mouth. For about 5 minutes. I've tried getting his teeth hooked but he still shakes it...

Need to push the mouse further down towards the back of the throat. Some will latch on right away some need the mouse further down.

[sho220]

Have you tried putting him in a brown bag and staple it shut overnight?

That's one thing I haven't tried. I have tried leaving it in his tub and in his hide over night. I've tried the newspaper balls. I've tried covering his tub with a black towel...I'm not sure if a paper bag would be any different??? The scrawnier he gets the more limited I am with live options...the few places near me are out of live mice/rats small enough. I have plenty of frozen options but I'm not sure if that's going to get him going...

[sho220]

Need to push the mouse further down towards the back of the throat. Some will latch on right away some need the mouse further down.

That will be my next step but I wanted to get an idea on how soon I should attempt that. It's sooooooooooooo nerve racking, I hate to put him through it...I guess I should let him chill after tonights ordeal...maybe in a few days...? So aggravating....

[RichsBallPythons]

That's one thing I haven't tried. I have tried leaving it in his tub and in his hide over night. I've tried the newspaper balls. I've tried covering his tub with a black towel...I'm not sure if a paper bag would be any different??? The scrawnier he gets the more limited I am with live options...the few places near me are out of live mice/rats small enough. I have plenty of frozen options but I'm not sure if that's going to get him going...

If possible post a ad on craigslist wanting ASF fuzzies and see if hell take them to get started. He will switch back to mice or rats once eating steadily.

[sho220]

If possible post a ad on craigslist wanting ASF fuzzies and see if hell take them to get started. He will switch back to mice or rats once eating steadily.

Good idea. Thanks. I appreciate the help guys...

[sho220]

Good idea. Thanks. I appreciate the help guys...

Of course I forgot about how CL is around here. I can't even list balls for rehoming without getting flagged constantly. After all the trouble of trying to find homes for the few normals I hatched last year, I took the two I hatched this year to a local pet store and gave them up...much easier than dealing with the flag happy lunatics on CL....