babies not eating

[akaangela]

I am getting worried about my babies. They have not eaten since they hatched. I have tried rat pinkies and rat crawlers. Nada. They are separated in shoe boxes. How long can a baby go without eating?

[llovelace]

When did they hatch?
You may try mice hoppers to get them started

[bkelley02]

and have they shed already?

[dr del]

Hi,

How is their weight and body condition holding up?

Those are the main factors you need to keep an eye on rather than the calendar.


dr del

[Stewart_Reptiles]

I have posted this recently so here it is again

There are really a lot of factor involved rather than giving you a specific time frame

Depends on the weight out of the eggs, whether or not the yolk was entirely absorb, generally health and look.

I can't give you precise advice because those animal are not animals in my possession but I will give you an idea of what I do.

With an average hatchling hatchling out at 65/75 grams I offer food withing 48 hours of their first shed - That's about 12 to 14 days after they hatch give or take.

I start most of my animals on rats if they refuse the first week I offer again a week after that, if it is refused again a try again the following week.

If by the third offering it is still a no go I offer a live mouse if they refuse I do it again the following week and the week after.

Usually 6 to 8 weeks have passed since hatching before I consider assisting of course this is given the weight I originally mentioned, the fact that the animal completely absorb it's yolk, that the animal appear healthy and well hydrated.

It's really about being able to tell for yourself depending on your animal when it is time or not to intervene.

[adamjeffery]

my advice differs from those mentioned above. i start out with mice on every ball python i dont even attempt rats until the 5th meal or after.
with the mice i use i never use hoppers, they are like little crack heads that scare ball pythons easily. i use small fresh weaned mice to small adults for babies in the 65 gram range. it seems big but they usually eat without hesitation and handle the size quite well.
they grow very fast with this size as well. when they hit 100 grams i offer rats and havnt had one refuse rats yet. they usually hit 100 grams within 5 -7 meals. less than a month on average.
just my methods but choose your own.....they can go MONTHS AND MONTHS without eating before its an ACTUAL issue
adam jeffery

[adamjeffery]

btw...i only feed LIVE. they dont hesitate usually. once they are well started you can try f/t if you prefer. but i feed all my snakes live.
adam jeffery

[rabernet]

Have you reviewed this sticky from above?

http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...Hatchling-Care

[akaangela]

Thank you all. They hatched 6-17, shed 6-24. None of them have lost weight and all are still active and look lively. Only one is thin, but she was tiny out of the egg.

[akaangela]

Well good news. Two (of course the two male mojos) ate a mouse hopper. Guess they didn't like the crawlers, wonder why. Now if the little girls would eat and I could find the male BEL I would be sitting on top of the world.