First Time Eaters Hatchling Help

[PitOnTheProwl]

You only assist when ALL options have been used up.

Work on finding some hopper mice, post on your local Craigslist if you have to.
I hate breeding mice but I breed my snakes so its kind of a must plus I have a couple that will only go mouse.

[Alicia]

So on top of the aspen on their hot spot reads at around 85 degrees usually. We have the heat set to 90. It only reaches 85 on the top of the aspen, and can get up to 95 way down underneath the aspen! The probe is in a cage with aspen, just like the hatchlings. Isn't this an issue? What would you recommend to do? Obviously I want the top to be a good 89 degrees, but if they burrow I'm concerned.

The thermostat probe is in a tub, not on the heat tape? As long as it's a vacant tub, sometimes that can fly, sometimes it can't. My first thought is to move the probe onto the heat tape and adjust from there -- give the set up at least an hour or so before checking and making any necessary changes. *But* that really depends on your setup. Either way, you want to regulate the highest temperature your babies can reach.

Something that can help with hides falling is to scoop out is to add some aspen, maybe a quarter inch, to an empty tub. Add the hide. Add the rest of the bedding. I like to pack aspen around and behind hides, as the feeling still provides security, but makes it a lot harder for babies to move the hides too much. I second the suggestion to add cypress to the mix, the different texture might help and more humidity almost certainly will. If it seems like two inches is too much, and it may be, pull back to ~1 inch.

Try not to give in to the temptation of offering food immediately after making changes -- give them a few days, even a week. Posting on Craigslist for mice is a fantastic idea.

[Galaxygirl]

The probe for the thermostat is taped to the bottom of an empty tub underneath some aspen. Thank you everyone for the advice. I packed the hides in so hopefully they wont be moved around. I'll monitor the temps until they're perfect and post some craigslist ads for mice.

[Galaxygirl]

Well, it was live mouse hoppers that did it. Everyone gobbled them up.

[Alicia]

Yay!! Awesome, congrats!

[Galaxygirl]

Yay!! Awesome, congrats!

Thanks for all the advice! What a relief. (: I fix their hides maybe once every three days. I pack in the aspen around the hide to try to support it better like you suggested. It works for a while. We set up an exact replica of their tubs with the thermostat in it to try to get it as close as possible to the temperature in their tubs. I think they just really didn't want rat pinks? Hard to say I guess. They all have fat bellies and we are happy.