The Usual Newbie Feeding Problems

[SpartaDog]

I know this is a common thing so I should probably do a thread search, but I figure since everyone's setups are different it might be better to start my own.

I've got a female bumblebee about a foot and a half, maybe 2 ft long. I've had her for a month and a half and she hasn't eaten yet. She's in a....15x12 tub, I think it is, 2 hides, water, all the amenities. Her warm side is in the low 90s, cool end in the high 70s, humidity around 50 - 60% depending on the day. She just WILL NOT eat. I have her on f/t weanling rats. I've tried just thawing with no heat, heating with water, and heating with the blowdryer so the scent got pushed into her tub. All the other snakes got excited but not her. She actually looks like she's afraid of the rat while it's in there. I tried assist feeding her yesterday, and I got the head in her mouth, but then she just let go.

My male lesser, who is slightly smaller, has the exact same setup and takes the same size food every week like a champ.

Unfortunately, at the show, in my excitement to finally have a bumblebee, I was stupid and didn't ask the breeder what she was eating or even get the name of the breeder so I'm on my own with this one. I'm gonna try a live fuzzy sometime soon but other than that I have no idea.

Help! She's gorgeous and I don't wanna lose her :C

[el8ch]

Hey There - How frequently are you trying to feed her? Personally I wouldn't be assist feeding after only a month and half off food. This may just be stressing your little girl out more. Other then her not feeding does she seem healthy?

I would suggest waiting 7 days between feedings at this point. If you are feeding F/T you can always leave the rat in the enclosure with her over night, sometimes this helps. I feed my young ones live rat pups or weanlings depending on their size, you could try this is you are okay with live feeding.

Give her time and try not to stress out too much. She will feed for you!

[DooLittle]

I don't think I would have tried assist feed yet, that probably stressed her out. Are you feeding her in her enclosure? Or moving her? Are you handling her? If so, stop until she starts eating regular. I would leave her completely alone for a week. Then put a live rat pup (with its eyes closed so it can't hurt your snake) into her enclosure, and leave her be with it. Cover tub if its in high traffic area. Or leave room with lights out. Also, your cool end is a bit too cool.

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[sho220]

Give her a few days and try a live hopper mouse...unless she's lost a lot of weight you're jumping the gun on assist feeding..

[SpartaDog]

She seems otherwise healthy for the most part, except she is losing weight. Not alarmingly so, but it's noticeable. She comes out to explore every night, very alert, no sluggishness or anything. I feed her every 7 days, since that's feeding day for everybody. I've left the rat in with her overnight on 3 occasions now and always find it untouched the next morning. All the snakes are fed in their cages/tubs, and I haven't been handling her for about 2 weeks.

I had her for a month and she wasn't fed the weekend before the expo so I figured it was probably a good time to try an assist feed. But I'm not going to be trying it again for a little while.

Oh, I should also mention that I offered her a brained rat and it had no effect, either.

[jschwe]

I have a female who I picked up a couple months ago without thinking to ask what she was being fed. After two months of no luck at all getting her to eat, I finally thought to try her with a mouse and she took it right away. Is your bumblebee girl showing any interest at all when you put the food in there? It might just be that she's used to mice.

IMO if you're really worried and want her to eat, try her with a live mouse. She's more likely to take that than anything else, and you can worry about switching her to rats once she's eating regularly.

[DooLittle]

Offer her a LIVE rat pup. Sometimes that makes all the difference. Just make sure its eyes are closed, and leave it overnight with her.

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[HerpIsAhobby]

I'd be willing to bet a live mouse would get the mojo working. If she is young a lot of breeders give hopper mice to get hatchlings eating then try to switch over after several successful feedings. After you get a few successful feedings with live mice then you can work on making the switch over to F/T. Also another suggestion would be to buy a cheap digital scale so you can be sure of the weigh loss. Eyeballing a baby can be difficult because a few grams here and there are not possible to spot.

[Robyn@SYR]

Yep, gotta exhaust the basic choices first. Def try a mouse before any drastic measures.

Best of luck.

[SpartaDog]

I'd be willing to bet a live mouse would get the mojo working. If she is young a lot of breeders give hopper mice to get hatchlings eating then try to switch over after several successful feedings. After you get a few successful feedings with live mice then you can work on making the switch over to F/T. Also another suggestion would be to buy a cheap digital scale so you can be sure of the weigh loss. Eyeballing a baby can be difficult because a few grams here and there are not possible to spot.

I have a scale for her. That's how I noticed the weight loss. She lost about 20 - 30 grams over the course of...I think it was 2 weeks? I'd have to check the records again.

But okay. I will try a live mouse and/or rat and let you guys know how that goes.