Starting Baby That Needs Help - ANY ADVICE IS SERIOUSLY NEEDED!

[hotelvoodoo]

Hey everyone,

We're on to a new problem now.

Tomorrow we are going to pick up two big females from a guy who had showed me around his setup last week. Part of that setup is a very tiny (80gram) pinstripe female hatchling with a pretty big overbite. He has not been able to get her to eat yet and says he has tried assist feeding and that it did not work. He offered her to us as a bonus for picking up the two females and said he had been planning to use her as food for his Cal King () and I just can't let that happen.

I've never started a baby before, much less one with an overbite.

What do I do? Any help, any at all is greatly, greatly appreciated. We just want to help this little girl live.

[el8ch]

Do you know what he was trying to feed her? When you say that he assist fed and it did not work, what did not work? Was he just unable to assist feed or did she regurge?

If I were you I would setup a small tub for her, something like a 6qt hatchling tub with proper heat, humidity and a small water bowl. Leave her and let her settle in for about 7 days and get a live hopper mouse for her. If the live hopper doesn't work try it again p/k and then just leave it in with her overnight.

[hotelvoodoo]

He didn't specify, but from what he said I think he just wasn't able to manage the assist feed. He had been trying fuzzies I think.

[el8ch]

He didn't specify, but from what he said I think he just wasn't able to manage the assist feed. He had been trying fuzzies I think.

Ah okay, try what I said in the first post. Hopper Mice are good for getting those early meals in a hatchling that won't eat or is smaller. Keep us updated and keep assist feeding as a last resort.

[Stewart_Reptiles]

He offered her to us as a bonus

Sadly putting the burden of a non established deformed animal on someone inexperienced in starting hatchlings is not much of a bonus

Getting an hatchling to get started can be hard enough with a perfectly healthy animal but when deformity is present it can be very different.

If he couldn't assist (and I assume he has experience) the only option will be to force feed which means pushing the F/T prey down the throat and then massaging it down.

hatchling with a pretty big overbite

Depending on the extent the animal's overbite it is possible that the animal will never feed on it's own meaning it will have to be put down if it is the case.