When to let go and how?

[Tekko]

It's been the 4th year breeding and for the most part been trouble free but I'm coming to a point where I need to ask a very difficult and sad question. I have 2 hatchling out for 16(2 clutches) I had this year that have not started eating on their own and everytime they get assist/forced fed have not been able to keep their food down. Both are down to about 50% their hatching weight and are getting on almost 4 months old. My main concern is that their health might be compromised too badly at this point even if they get started. I would like to know when is it time to stop trying and letting them go before putting them thru unnecessary pain/suffering due to malnutrition and degrading health? As well what would be the most humane way to go thru it if it become needed?


Before you all start asking about husbandry and parameters and such I've had plenty of advices and checkups for local breeder(25years in the trade and a 3000+ snake collection) and other enthusiast/forums. So everything is as close to optimal and every trick has been tried. But I need to "man up" and do the right thing by myself may it be continue the fight or to let go and yet I could still use some opinions and council.

[dr del]

Have you tried raising the temps slightly and going with a smaller than normal meal?

Did you wait between the regurged meals ( or were they just spit up at the time )?

I had one that only recently started taking from the floor but I was almost ready to give up on him.

[satomi325]

What have you been feeding?
Have you tried live asfs?


This is a hard decision. If you feel like they cannot thrive on their own, then it might be best to euthanize them or have some one else have a go at jump starting them.
If you do decide euthanasia, the most humane method would be instantaneous brain destruction (or smashing the head). It's quick and painless. Freezing and decapitation is inhumane, so I advise against that.

[Tekko]

I have tried live/dead/fresh kill, varied sizes down to 1 gram ASF, whole/split skull, warm prey/hotter prey/cooler prey, sented/rat/mice/ASF, zombie dance/left on the floor, morning/night/noon/midnight feeding, misting a few hours before actual feeding(that seems to get my fussy eaters going right away).

As for the regurged meals it always happened right after feeding or within a few hours of, sometimes as soon as I've stop pushing the meal down and I always gave plenty of time after each event before trying again (usually around 10 days in between)