Help!!

[sho220]

Post up a pic if possible...we'll be able to better determine if assist feeding is necessary...

If so, the basic process is like this:

1) Get a small fuzzy mouse or large pinky mouse, thawed or pre-killed, doesn’t matter.
2) Get a small pair of forceps or hemostats, or something to hold the rodent.
3) Find somewhere quiet, and put down a couple clean paper towels. Keep the snakes tub close by so when he finishes eating you can place him back in his tub and back into your rack.
4) Hold the snake behind the head with your thumb and forefinger, and try to control his body as much as possible.
5) Grasp the rodent behind its head with the hemo’s and use the rodents nose to press into the snakes mouth…using the pointy nose of the rodent, you’re basically opening the snakes mouth.
6) Push the rodent’s head into the snakes mouth to where the entire head is in its mouth and just slightly pull it back out trying to get the snakes teeth to catch on the rodent (makes it a little harder to spit out).
7) At this point, most will either coil around the rodent, just start eating it, or sit there doing nothing.
8) If it coils put it down immediately and keep very still and hope he starts eating.
9) If it just starts eating, again just put him down and let him do his thing.
10) If he just sits there doing nothing, slowly place him down and stay very still…sometimes they’ll sit there for a while (a couple minutes sometimes)…but just stay still. Hopefully he’ll start to eat…you’ll see him start to “walk” the prey item down.
11) If he spits it out, you can try again, but I haven’t had much luck when they’re determined to spit it out.

If you have no luck by now, continue on at your own discretion...

12) If he continues to spit it out, you may have to get a little more determined. This requires that you push the rodent further down the snakes throat. This is a bit more tricky and risky, so do this at your own discretion. If you have to resort to this, wet the rodent with a little warm water right before trying as this helps to get the rodent in far enough to where the snake decides it’s just easier to eat it than spit it out…

Once he takes a rodent, give him 4 or 5 days and try and see if he'll take one on his own. I would try live, but you can certainly try a f/t or pre-killed off tongs. If he takes it, great! If not, repeat the assist feeding process again. Sometimes it takes a couple assist fed meals to get them into the groove...

Check out some vids on youtube also. That may help you get a better idea on how this all plays out.

Good luck!