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Posted by Mark_and_Aimee on December 29, 2002 at 19:36:45:
In Reply to: Re: Hatchling wont eat? Newbie please help!!! posted by bassbuster on December 29, 2002 at 15:15:23:
First, read this article about picky feeders... It may save your snake, and may save me a LOAD of typing ;-)
http://www.kingsnake.com/alterna/hatchlin.html
Here's an excerpt from Gerold & Cindy Merker's Greyband care sheet on temperature requirements:
One of the most important considerations in cage design is creating a thermal gradient in the cage so that the snake has a range of temperatures from which to choose. This easiest way to accomplish this is by placing a heat tape in a routed groove under one side of the cage. To ensure that the heat tape maintains a constant temperature, a good pulse-proportional thermostat, such as those designed by Helix Magnetics® or Micro-climate®, is a vital necessity. These thermostats maintain a constant temperature (+/- 1 °F), thus preventing the cage bottoms from becoming overly warm. Our temperature regimen ranges from 65 °F at the cool end to 88 °F at the warm end of the cage. These temperatures are maintained during spring, summer, and fall.
And here is what they have to say on feeding:
To entice baby gray-banded kingsnakes to voluntarily feed on pink mice we have offered lizard-scented pink mice, pre-frozen then thawed pink mice, and split-brained pink mice. In general fewer than 10% of our hatchlings will accept an undoctored pink mouse as its initial meal. Another 10% or so will feed on lizard-scented pink mice. Most animals usually are offered a lizard as their first meal. After several lizard meals, many will feed on pink mice that are either frozen and thawed or are lizard-scented. By then winter is fairly close, and acquiring feeder lizards becomes more difficult. If the snake does not feed on a pink mouse, we usually force-feed the snake using a "pinkie press". This isdone several times to insure that the snake adds some body mass. If the snake still refuses to feed voluntarily on a pink mouse, it is kept warm for ten days and then is allowed to brumate for eight weeks. When the snake is warmed during the "spring", it often eats a pink mouse on its own.
I guess all I have to say after that... is there is no room to guess when it comes to baby greybands. I found this out myself, as I am raising one right now! They are pickier than any other colubrid I have dealt with... Honestly! Humidity is regularly not that big of a factor, but I asked because if it is TOTALLY out of whack, it could be hindering your feeding efforts. Do a little research to find out where your greyband is from... And you should be able to find out a little more about it's humidity requirements. With the lizard... I would try lizard scenting first - Wash a prekilled pinky, then break the tail off a live anole. Use the blood and juices from that tail to scent the pink, and then offer it to the snake. If that fails, then I would go ahead and offer a SMALL anole or house gecko - live.
Good luck and keep us posted.
Mark
::Thanks for responding .The temp is 75 Im not sure on the humidity I didnt know this was a factor.I have been trying to feed in the cage which is fairly small I thouhgt this would help to get him to eat.I have tried live pinky and a dead pinky that has been brained (washed and unwashed).I have had him for a week.My kids bought him for me and the seller through in this hatchling because he couldnt get him to eat.I dont know when he ate last or if he ever has.He is very small about 6inches or so.If a try a anole do I feed him live .Do I need to do anything to the anole before I feed him.Again thanks for the help!!!!!
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