I'm very glad he ate for you! What sort of pinks did you feed? Mice or rats?


If he ate successfully in his own cage, there's really no reason at all to feed him anywhere else. Moving him into a new environment just to eat can often backfire, causing stress and fear and make him uninterested in eating at all.

As for handling...best to wait 48 hours after he ate. So if he fed yesterday, then Tuesday would be ok. Just gently scoop him up and be sure to support his body. Don't "dangle" him any more than you have to. Keep the ambient atmosphere quiet and calm while you do so...no running kids or jumping dogs or blaring music, etc. And just hold him for a few minutes. If he feels bold, let him explore your hands and arms and shoulders or whatever, but don't try to force it. Keep the handling sessions to around 5-10 minutes, and not every day, until he's eating consistently week to week for you.

Hope that helps some!