Feeding Success

[Vasiliki]

Morning, all!

Had to post this somewhere where people would understand, haha

I picked up my gorgeous little Pied hatchling from my breeder on August 25th. Had him on hold since he was just out of the egg, so picking him up was so exciting.

My breeder held him a couple of weeks longer, since he was showing signs of being a picky eater, and even refused some F/T rats with a preference to mice. So I already had a heads up that he might be a tricky eater. But, it didn't stress me at all. A few of my animals have done the hunger strike thing for me, and I just wait them out. They're all little piggies now. I find the moment you stop stressing about it is the moment your animals will pig out. No pressure to eat.

So I left this guy in his enclosure for a week. He was still being extremely timid and motion-sensitive. I know a lot of people say not to handle them until after they've eaten their first few meals with you. But, this guy was flinching at everything. He just had no idea what was going on. So I made a judgment call. I took him out for a short time, literally just sitting in a dark, quiet room. He uncurled and finally started flicking his tongue (which he had not done since we brought him home. Just balled constantly).

Yep, I know. I sound like one of 'those' people. Giving emotions to my snake and all that good stuff. It was more the fact I recognized he was stressed, but not willing to explore his surroundings and get the information he needed about his surroundings to stop balling up constantly. Or flinching like crazy when I walked into his room.

Put him back in his enclosure, and he calmly went into his hide. I walked into the room the next day, and his head was outside of his hide for the first time. He was not stress cruising. And he wasn't flinching at every movement like he had before.

The following day at night he was cruising his tank, tongue flicking, showing obvious hunting behavior. It definitely wasn't 'stressed' cruising. Confirmed when he locked on me as I walked by.

So I went, warmed up a mousey for him (He does prefer mice but has taken rats. So we're doing the mice thing for his first few meals to make sure he gets on a routine).

Opened his tub, used my tongs, and did the tiniest little 'zombie dance' ever. He balled up, and I was about to leave it for him, when suddenly his coils relaxed, his head peeked out, tongue flicked like crazy.... And he hit it so hard it twisted out of the tongs. He then coiled it completely and held it there.

Loved it! Nothing cuter than a 90g hatchling in hunger mode. Too cute.

Left him alone with his meal, and came back later to find him happily curled up on his warm side. Head out. Not balled up.

It wasn't conventional by any means, but even my breeder was surprised to hear he struck and coiled. Apparently the entire time with her, she'd needed to leave his prey in his hide with him to eat. So the fact he came out, struck and ate without hesitation... I'll take that as a win.