Help getting my baby to eat!

[dkspftw]

Got a new baby (105g when I got him, probably 100 now) hypo pastel enchi male about a month ago.

He ate a frozen pinkie rat the first week I got him but hasn't in my 3 attempts since.

I'm almost 100% sure the issue is my husbandry, as he is never hiding and always seems to be on the move trying to get out of his enclosure. I figure he didn't mind it so much at first and ate, but now is unhappy. I tried cluttering his enclosure with a few extra small plastic baskets with holes in them and added smaller hides, and it actually seemed to calm him, for like a day. Then he was back at it.

Anyway, he's in a 20g tall tank (which may be part of the issue). I had my herpstat set to 91 on the hot side but when I just checked with a heat gun it was at 89, so I bumped it up 1 degree for now. Cool side was 79.

I think what's making him uncomfortable may be the Monsoon mister hooked up to his enclosure. I live in a very dry apartment, and all of my enclosures require some kind of automated humidifying to keep the levels good. In his case, this ends up spraying a lot of water into the tank which I think upsets him. I have mist kings systems on my AP T8s but I'm still waiting for his to come in.

Questions:

Should I try changing his enclosure somehow? I've never set up a tub but I could always go buy a plastic one. Or maybe a longer tank (with less height) would be better? Maybe I should ditch the Monsoon and get one of those silly atomizer-based humidifiers that just produces steam?

I'm hesitant to try live food or mice, as I don't want to permanently spoil him. But at what point should I be really concerned enough to do this? He's pretty skinny, but I don't think he's about to expire. Again, he's about 100g and hasn't eaten in 3 weeks or so.

Thanks, sorry for the wall of text but I want to be thorough.

[Stewart_Reptiles]

Get a plastic tubs 6 or 12 quarts max, get 2 plastic flower post saucers (6 inches wide), get some aspen for bedding, your temps are good so keep those the way they are.

Once setup move your BP to his new tub, wait 5 to 7 days and offer a live small mouse if your BP was eating mice or a big rat fuzzy if he was eating rats with his previous breeder.

Pinkies are also part of the issue those are way to small for a BP that size or any BP for that matter, keep in mind that hatchlings straight out of the eggs are started on mice hoppers or rat crawlers.

Offering live is not about spoiling him it's about getting him to eat consistently for you right now and once he eats 3 to 5 meals consecutively you can switch to F/T.

[dkspftw]

Get a plastic tubs 6 or 12 quarts max, get 2 plastic flower post saucers (6 inches wide), get some aspen for bedding, your temps are good so keep those the way they are.

Once setup move your BP to his new tub, wait 5 to 7 days and offer a live small mouse if your BP was eating mice or a big rat fuzzy if he was eating rats with his previous breeder.

Pinkies are also part of the issue those are way to small for a BP that size or any BP for that matter, keep in mind that hatchlings straight out of the eggs are started on mice hoppers or rat crawlers.

Offering live is not about spoiling him it's about getting him to eat consistently for you right now and once he eats 3 to 5 meals consecutively you can switch to F/T.

All the tubs at the container store near me were flimsy-seeming and I was worried to put an UTH on them.

So unfortunately, the smallest tub I could get that seemed sturdy was this guy, in a 19 quart size:



Would that work?

And what size UTH would I need to use it?

The only UTH I currently have not hooked up to my T8s is a small one for a 10g-20g tank, and it's currently backup on the tank the snake is in. The main source of heat on that tank is a CHE in a dome on the top.

Lastly, I ended up buying 6'' terracotta pots and saucers, but I don't really see how he could hide under a saucer unless one end of it was lifted.


You mean just a flat one like these? Cause I got those and the actual pots they're meant for. I figured I'd drill a hole in the pot and use that maybe.

[Stewart_Reptiles]

Would that work?

The one on the top would work best due to it' low profile.

And what size UTH would I need to use it?

6 x 11 is more then enough

Lastly, I ended up buying 6'' terracotta pots and saucers, but I don't really see how he could hide under a saucer unless one end of it was lifted.


You mean just a flat one like these? Cause I got those and the actual pots they're meant for. I figured I'd drill a hole in the pot and use that maybe.

Like those but in plastic so you can easily cut a hole for your BP, the problem with terra cotta is that it will chip off and it could injure your BP.

[kylearmbar]

No tub should melt if you have as long as it doesn't get super hot, as long as you have a thermostat you are fine. I had a hatchling not eat for about 4-5 months and was assist feeding him, I eventually got him eating when I put him in a short 6 quart tub with all the sides covered and clutter in there and it had to be live, also the lid had to be on.

[dkspftw]

The one on the top would work best due to it' low profile.

6 x 11 is more then enough

Like those but in plastic so you can easily cut a hole for your BP, the problem with terra cotta is that it will chip off and it could injure your BP.

Thank you. You don't he'll feel less secure in those hides because they're so light and will move around as he enters and leaves? I had a smaller plastic dish type hide for him it seemed to almost freak him out that it'd move around when he pushed by or into it.

[Wapadi]

They are ok with portable hides! Most of them move them around till they are exactly where they want them. Not where us dumb humans put them.

And totally agree...pinkies are way too small! Rat crawler or a small mouse will probably work, but give him a week if you change everything around like Deborah recommended!

[dkspftw]

They are ok with portable hides! Most of them move them around till they are exactly where they want them. Not where us dumb humans put them.

And totally agree...pinkies are way too small! Rat crawler or a small mouse will probably work, but give him a week if you change everything around like Deborah recommended!

My plan is to attempt one more feeding today and if he doesn't take it to build the tub tonight.

Again, thanks guys. Infinitely helpful!

[dkspftw]

I SUCCESSFULLY VOODOO-ZOMBIE CHICKEN DANCED HIM INTO STRIKING!

Seems like all he needed was to be properly courted when he wasn't busy with something else. Man, am I relieved. I'm gonna up the prey size next feeding and try again similarly, but jeez am I happy. Can't wait to get a few feeds in him so I can start handling him, he's so gorgeous!

Thanks for the advice above all, even though I haven't had to use it for now he's clearly not the easiest feeder so I may have to use all the stuff I picked up, hehe.

[dkspftw]

Not that good news necessarily needs an update but I'm proud to say it seems like most of his moving around was hunger motivated.

He just seems to be a very visual eater and won't really go for f/t food unless it's dancing. So I've learned that all I have to do is make sure he sees it wiggle and he'll charge head on straight across his enclosure to strike at the prey!

I got him to eat a larger prey size last night and now he's curled up in his hide acting like a fat lazy little BP finally, haha.