Re: Ratsnake hatchling feeding q's?

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Posted by Steve on August 28, 2001 at 09:34:45:

In Reply to: Ratsnake hatchling feeding q's? posted by Nyx on August 27, 2001 at 13:51:01:

The one thing you didn't mention is something I have had good success with. Since I breed my own mice, I use live pinkies, but I don't think it would matter. I wash the pinkies when hatchlings won't feed on fresh ones. I don't know if it makes a difference, but for over 15 years, I have used the green Pomolive dishwashing liquid. I wash the pinkie rubbing it between my fingers with the soap, rinse well, then let it dry and drop it in the cage. ........ If that doesn't work, I would force feed whole small pinkies. Its not fun, but with a snake that size, it can be done. Wet the pinkie and get a small blunt object, open the snakes mouth and push the pinkie in as far as it will go. Surprisingly, they sometimes swallow it from there. When they don't, ( most of the time ) take the blunt point and push the pinkie past the snakes jaws a little at a time alternating from side to side, just as when they eat themselves. Once the pinkie is past the jaws, push is slightly down the snakes throat so he doesn't spit it right back out. You might even want to continue to hold it by the neck for a minute to make sure he downs it all the way. Good luck.

: I've posted about this before, but since there's a call out for more posts, I figured I'd post it again and see if it gets any response...

: My E.obsoleta hatchling hasn't voluntarily eaten since he was born. [as far as I know] I managed to force-feed him through the recommendations of someone on the Canadian forum; he's been eating mouse tails for a couple of weeks now.
: My question is this: how do I get him off mouse bits and pieces and onto the WHOLE mouse? He doesn't seem to be growing much at all [go figure...mouse tails aren't all that nutritious and delicious] and he's become extremely withdrawn in the past few weeks; he used to be a very active baby, climbing all over his enclosure, but now he hides in his hidelog all day - sometimes I pick it up and check, just to make sure he's still alive.
: It has been quite hot lately, sometimes hitting 85�F [ambient room temperature]; I can't keep his heating pad on because it just gets too hot.

: Before I tried mouse tails, I tried:
: - braining the pinky
: - scenting the pinky
: - leaving him overnight with the pinky in a:
: paper bag,
: deli cup,
: feeding tank
: - cutting the pinky into little pieces for him

: ...and just about every other technique I've ever heard of - except for a live pinky, as live pinkies are VERY hard to get in town. :( I'm going to put in a request to each of the pet stores to call me if any of their mice drop a litter, but I'm not standing my hopes on it.

: Anyway, any advice would be appreciated. His length is...well, no more than a foot, and his girth is about...oh...maybe pencil thick.

: Nyx
: [who's glad the bible debate didn't happen on a forum she was part of...big teeth come out when I talk about religion ;)]

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: The one thing you didn't mention is something I have had good success with. Since I breed my own mice, I use live pinkies, but I don't think it would matter. I wash the pinkies when hatchlings won't feed on fresh ones. I don't know if it makes a difference, but for over 15 years, I have used the green Pomolive dishwashing liquid. I wash the pinkie rubbing it between my fingers with the soap, rinse well, then let it dry and drop it in the cage. ........ If that doesn't work, I would force feed whole small pinkies. Its not fun, but with a snake that size, it can be done. Wet the pinkie and get a small blunt object, open the snakes mouth and push the pinkie in as far as it will go. Surprisingly, they sometimes swallow it from there. When they don't, ( most of the time ) take the blunt point and push the pinkie past the snakes jaws a little at a time alternating from side to side, just as when they eat themselves. Once the pinkie is past the jaws, push is slightly down the snakes throat so he doesn't spit it right back out. You might even want to continue to hold it by the neck for a minute to make sure he downs it all the way. Good luck. : : I've posted about this before, but since there's a call out for more posts, I figured I'd post it again and see if it gets any response... : : My E.obsoleta hatchling hasn't voluntarily eaten since he was born. [as far as I know] I managed to force-feed him through the recommendations of someone on the Canadian forum; he's been eating mouse tails for a couple of weeks now. : : My question is this: how do I get him off mouse bits and pieces and onto the WHOLE mouse? He doesn't seem to be growing much at all [go figure...mouse tails aren't all that nutritious and delicious] and he's become extremely withdrawn in the past few weeks; he used to be a very active baby, climbing all over his enclosure, but now he hides in his hidelog all day - sometimes I pick it up and check, just to make sure he's still alive. : : It has been quite hot lately, sometimes hitting 85�F [ambient room temperature]; I can't keep his heating pad on because it just gets too hot. : : Before I tried mouse tails, I tried: : : - braining the pinky : : - scenting the pinky : : - leaving him overnight with the pinky in a: : : paper bag, : : deli cup, : : feeding tank : : - cutting the pinky into little pieces for him : : ...and just about every other technique I've ever heard of - except for a live pinky, as live pinkies are VERY hard to get in town. :( I'm going to put in a request to each of the pet stores to call me if any of their mice drop a litter, but I'm not standing my hopes on it. : : Anyway, any advice would be appreciated. His length is...well, no more than a foot, and his girth is about...oh...<i>maybe</i> pencil thick. : : Nyx : : [who's glad the bible debate didn't happen on a forum she was part of...big teeth come out when I talk about religion ;)]

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