Aspen Harmful if swallowed?

[KayleighBrown]

I had fed my babes today, and Sampson is about to shed. Well he struck and missed and got a mouth full of wet aspen. I tried to get as much of it out by using a Q-tip and holding him directly behind his head. He did not like that at all.

Ana after she ate, began to move her head around and flipped it upside down like she was struggling, couldn't breath, or something, so I watched her and she's ok now, she eventually straightened up and closed her mouth. I didn't see any Aspen in her mouth.

[JMinILM]

not a big deal. They will digest or pass pretty much anything that can be swallowed. At long as it gets swallowed and not stuck in their throat they are fine. It happens from time to time.

[NH93]

I think it's more of an issue for smaller-bodied snakes, like corns (although I'm not 100% on this. They might be just fine, too).
My BP goes all kinds of awkward when eating. Sometimes he sits straight up, letting gravity do the work. Sometimes he tosses the rat around first. Or uses hides to push it down his throat - I SWEAR that's what it looks like!

[KayleighBrown]

Alright, well thank you guys for getting back to me.

Now if only I can get my baby female pastel to eat

I've had to assist feed her since I brought her home before Christmas, and she never wants to eat on her own, I've got her in a box right now with a rat pinky, hoping she decides to eat it, if not I'm gonna have to assist feed yet again.

[NH93]

Hmm... I don't really know anything about assist feeding, except that it apparently should be used as a last resort.
Do you think she's in a place that she needs assist feedings? I personally wouldn't be doing that every week, unless she's losing drastic weight. Just my opinion though!

I hope she eats for you :/

[200xth]

I'm gonna have to assist feed yet again.

You've had her for about a month from what I understand. How many times have you assist fed her so far? How big is she?

[T&C Exotics]

Are you assist feeding every week? If so that is way to often and way to close together. Also the only reason to assist feed is if the animal has lost a considerable amount of weight. The reason for that is because it is extremely stressful for the animal to be assist fed. If it comes to the point of assist feeding it should only be done once and then the snake should be left alone for 2 weeks and then try normal feeding again. What methods are you using for feeding? Are you just dropping the live pinky in and leaving it alone over night or are you taking it out of its cage and moving it somewhere else and trying to feed there? If you are using a separate container to feed I would suggest leaving it in its own enclosure to feed. Also with the age of the snake it should really be on crawler rats and not pinkys.

[KayleighBrown]

Well I've tried putting her in a box in the dark, for hours, with a live rat pink, I've tried thawing a frozen rat pinky in some chicken broth, I've tried scenting it with blood, it's own blood. (Never again x.x) I've tried waiting about two or three weeks before trying to feed. She doesn't want to eat. She's still just a baby, the owner even kept her for like nearly 3 weeks before he let us buy her. It took 3 weeks for her to eat before she came home. I'm worried that she may be sick or something. But I have already chosen that this is the last time I assist feed her. I know it's stressful on her, and I feel like total tard each time I've done it. I'll just keep trying and waiting if she continues to reject it. Because it took so long for her to eat before she came home, she was skinny, and isn't so much any more, so yeah. I'm still trying to work with her.

[200xth]

Try a mouse hopper instead of a rat (live...no frozen stuff until she's eating regularly).

[KayleighBrown]

I don't think that will really help so much.

Persephone is not only not interested in food at the moment, but if I were to put something in there, even slightly bigger then her head, she'll curl up afraid of it.