While it was not hatched by us we did have an issue with a hatchling we purchased at a reptile show. Should have known better than to buy hatchlings before they took their first meal, but two lesser sibling females from a lesser that came straight from the original platty daddy at $40.00 for both was too tempting considering each has 50% chance of having the hidden gene!

Well one ate just fine for us, but the other had not eaten since birth 3 months ago and was starting to drop weight (a couple of grams a week.) We had started attempting assist feed about a week ago every two or three days and was not having any luck. Today we figured we had to go more drastic as she had dropped below 35 grams. We did our first force feed with a pinky mouse. It was a little hairy trying to make sure we got it down far enough that she would not be able to readily spit it up! We got it to the point that the tail tip was just able to stick out of the corner of the mouth and then let the snake do the rest. So far we are 8 hours later and the little lump of the pinky seems to be gone which we figure means the pinky is down to the center of the snake. Checked her enclosure and no signs of regurgitation. I just hope we don't have to do this again, but from what I have heard you have to do it a couple of times normally.