I've been going through this exact same thing...

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Posted by Nyx on September 25, 2001 at 02:02:43:

In Reply to: rat snake and hot dog posted by Schwan on September 24, 2001 at 06:46:14:

If yours is like mine [my black rat, that is], it won't eat ANYTHING - I, in a moment of desperation, offered mine a wee strip of cooked chicken - absolutely no response.

Try the methods other people have suggested. Try tails, braining the pinky, dipping it in chicken broth, leaving it overnight with the hatchling in a deli cup...

But if it doesn't work, get ready for the really fun part.

Take your pinky and chop it into three pieces [it helps if you hold your breath]. You should have a head, a torso, and hindquarters.
Now, take a small pointed object [tweezers are good - don't use a pen]. Take a bit of the chopped pinky and tease the snake until he opens his mouth. [If you can't get him to open his mouth, gently prod it open with the pointy thing.] Put the thing in his mouth and push - GENTLY - until it's all the way down his throat. All the way. Until he can close his mouth and you're not seeing any of it - mine can spit up a pinky when it's 9/10 of the way down. And then look at me: "What?"
Try to get the whole pinky down. This is extraordinarily stressful for BOTH of you - I always feel like I'm KILLING him...poor little bulging eyes...::guilt::...then again, his eyes are ALWAYS bulging...anyway.
If you can't manage it, a piece or two will do.

Don't keep doing this, though - one or two feedings is enough in his belly to try tease-feeding again. Hang him by the tail from your hand and tease him with the mouse - mine holds on longer and longer the more I use this technique [which someone advised me of just below =)]. I imagine he'll eventually get the idea and start swallowing it. [sometimes he starts to swallow and then spits it out. this is hard work.]

Fuzzies are way, way too big for my hatchling black rat snake, and a baby yellow rat would be about the same size, eh?

A live pinky might work better. I haven't been able to get ahold of one to try, myself.

Try everything else before you actually try forcefeeding. It's one of the hardest things I've ever had to do to an animal - especially a youngling.

Nyx

: So I have this baby yellow rat snake and it hasn't eaten since it was hatched, and that was over a month ago. It won't eat the pinkies I offer it, it strikes at them but just drops them once they are in it's mouth. Also, it hasn't yet shed.

: I was wondering if I could feed it small warm pieces of hotdog or hamburger or something? Anyone tried this? Any ideas?

: Thanks in advance,

: Amanda

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: If yours is like mine [my black rat, that is], it won't eat ANYTHING - I, in a moment of desperation, offered mine a wee strip of cooked chicken - absolutely no response. : Try the methods other people have suggested. Try tails, braining the pinky, dipping it in chicken broth, leaving it overnight with the hatchling in a deli cup... : But if it doesn't work, get ready for the really fun part. : Take your pinky and chop it into three pieces [it helps if you hold your breath]. You should have a head, a torso, and hindquarters. : Now, take a small pointed object [tweezers are good - don't use a pen]. Take a bit of the chopped pinky and tease the snake until he opens his mouth. [If you can't get him to open his mouth, gently prod it open with the pointy thing.] Put the thing in his mouth and push - GENTLY - until it's all the way down his throat. All the way. Until he can close his mouth and you're not seeing any of it - mine can spit up a pinky when it's 9/10 of the way down. And then look at me: "What?" : Try to get the whole pinky down. This is extraordinarily stressful for BOTH of you - I always feel like I'm KILLING him...poor little bulging eyes...::guilt::...then again, his eyes are ALWAYS bulging...anyway. : If you can't manage it, a piece or two will do. : Don't keep doing this, though - one or two feedings is enough in his belly to try tease-feeding again. Hang him by the tail from your hand and tease him with the mouse - mine holds on longer and longer the more I use this technique [which someone advised me of just below =)]. I imagine he'll eventually get the idea and start swallowing it. [sometimes he starts to swallow and then spits it out. this is hard work.] : Fuzzies are way, way too big for my hatchling black rat snake, and a baby yellow rat would be about the same size, eh? : A live pinky might work better. I haven't been able to get ahold of one to try, myself. : Try everything else before you actually try forcefeeding. It's one of the hardest things I've ever had to do to an animal - especially a youngling. : Nyx : : So I have this baby yellow rat snake and it hasn't eaten since it was hatched, and that was over a month ago. It won't eat the pinkies I offer it, it strikes at them but just drops them once they are in it's mouth. Also, it hasn't yet shed. : : I was wondering if I could feed it small warm pieces of hotdog or hamburger or something? Anyone tried this? Any ideas? : : Thanks in advance, : : Amanda

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