| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Sta~ple |
Posted - 12/03/2010 : 17:14:03
I have 6 hatchings and they emerged on the 26th so they are about 2 weeks old now. Some shed in the first week so I tried to feed them after they shed and they didn't take the mouse. The rest shed this week so I tried to feed them all and only 1 out of 6 eat and he went straight for the pinky. I was going to try and feed them all again on Saturday. Now here's the thing, do I try braining the pinkies or not? I really don't want to do it unless its necessary but if it is, I guess doing it frozen is the best way. Last time I tried to fed them was Tuesday and none of them seemed interested. Also, how long can hatchlings go without their first feed? It's probably nothing to worry about I know but after reading lots of information about hatchlings just refusing to eat and die it worries me... I have tried to look for baby newts but can't find any and live mice isn't an option either. I have tried wiggling and tapping one of the babies noses with a mouse since I thought they might eat it that way since their mum seems to eat but it wasn't interested, it just wanted to escape. Do you also think a container that you can't see through would help? |
| 20 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Sta~ple |
Posted - 26/03/2010 : 21:26:08
Sory for double post, they still arn't eating. I'm starting to wonder if to force feed them and then maybe after that one force feed if they will eat by themselves. |
| Sta~ple |
Posted - 23/03/2010 : 16:44:13
Thanks guys! Shame no-where sells live pinkys.. then again day old pinkys wouldn't stay day old if they were alive... and I really cant find any lizard scented sprays to make the pinkys smell. I'm going to try again on Thursdays and this time I'll get a hair dyer on their heads and pop them again in a butter tub with water and leave them for 24 hours and see of they munch then.
I wonder what makes a batch of hatchlings not eat...
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| KITTYCAT |
Posted - 23/03/2010 : 10:27:26
Diesel hatched in september its a non feeder im still force feeding i just keep hopeing he will eat one day as he is still tiny ( i was at my wits end trying different things ) good luck. |
| elament |
Posted - 21/03/2010 : 19:11:47
Yep 7 Months. Dont get me wrong she has suffered for it and even now at nearly a year old she is still small for her age but since she started feeding she has now turned into a right scoffer. Dont loose hope!!
Incidently its not uncommon to get a batch like that. I know a breeder that recently had a clutch of eight hatch and out of them seven were problem feeders so if you take that into account you are not that badly off.
Good luck!
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| mozacchio |
Posted - 21/03/2010 : 17:17:12
Don't lose hope!
if they can last 7 months without eating, then you have stil plenty of time..!
Keep us updated..! |
| Sta~ple |
Posted - 21/03/2010 : 15:20:29
7 months?? That actually gives me hope... they still haven't eaten but the ones that have gobbled up the pinkies so fast! I'm just hoping it's a thing that they are scared are will eat once they get a bit more confidence. I think I will have to start cutting the heads off the mice and see if they will go for that. I'm going to go into my petshop soon and see if he knows how to force feed if need be. It just seems to weird to me that so many are being such pesky eaters!
If anything the worry is if one dies of starvation then it's going to feel like I'm waiting for the rest to die... |
| elament |
Posted - 21/03/2010 : 11:31:33
Sta~ple. I dont know if this may allay your fears a little but my Xena was born (hatched) in april/may last year and the first time she ate (force fed) was on the 4th of December.
Dont panic just yet.
Cheers
Steve
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| Sta~ple |
Posted - 19/03/2010 : 18:17:48
Going to feed them all tomorrow. If e rest of the 3 don't eat does anyone know if there's like a spray that you can get that scents stuff like baby lizards? They seemed less nervous today when I was changing their water so hopfully they will eat... they must be pretty hungry now since they are 3 weeks old. |
| Sta~ple |
Posted - 16/03/2010 : 13:08:19
That what I have done, twice. They just hide under the kitchen roll and I get a nice soggy mouse puddle and smell mouse to clean up in the morning. I also have no idea how long to leave a pinky out until it's un-eatable, I imagine it goes faster than a adult mouse. The only way I can make it dark for them is if I turn the light off since they are being heated with a bulb.
The 3 that haven't eaten seem to timid compared to the other 3 now though. I have tried braining the mouse today and they still aren't interested, they just go to sleep at the opposite end. I also teased them before I brained it and nothing.... I really hope they will eat when they get really hungry. The other 3 have already popped out their mices and it might seem a bit heartless but I rather not waste all these mice... I really don't know what to do now, I'd rather they die nicely then starve to death. One did go to the lo though and it still looks like they might be living off the egg as there was a tiny bit of poo in it, very tiny. I guess I've got to hope they will be less nervous and then they may eat. I think if I try again next week as maybe I'm scaring them trying to get them to eat every 3 or 4 days but thy look so weak now. |
| mikerichards |
Posted - 16/03/2010 : 06:30:10
Sounds like you are making headway which is good. If you put some kitchen roll down and leave the mouse overnight you don't have to touch it next morning!
I got all mine feeding with overnights, seems the natural dark and quiet does help. |
| mozacchio |
Posted - 15/03/2010 : 23:06:05
Hope they eat..!
Update it soon! |
| Sta~ple |
Posted - 15/03/2010 : 22:53:19
I'm committed as I really don't want another one to die... and that way they can be rehomed and settled in. I will miss them though when they do go, even the striker lol. Plus once they eat once I am sure they will eat again quite easily.
I'll try again tomorrow, I'm not sure if splitting heads will be necessary now since the last 3 eat with no problem and the 3 that haven't eaten look quite active at times and seem to be searching. They are still very nervous though unlike the other 3 and man, this might sound stupid but after one meal they sure have grown. I hope that when I come back from uni later on tomorrow there will be no mices left in the 3's boxes. |
| Kellog |
Posted - 14/03/2010 : 05:09:20
It does sound positive though and it sounds as though you are very committed, which is wonderful. Danny is right (I am saying that much too often at the moment) when he says that 3 is better than 1...and given time the others will hopefully do the same, become hungry and realise that food is on offer and this is how they eat. It just takes time, perseverance and patience....but I can certainly understand the worry, I dont think it is something I ever want to go through.
xxx |
| Sta~ple |
Posted - 13/03/2010 : 23:11:38
I hope so... I would leave them the mouses in over night but I have tried that and it's so disgusting in the morning. I think I will try the ones that haven't eaten again on Tuesday/Wednesday. I'm sure they will be pretty hungry then. |
| DannyBrown91 |
Posted - 13/03/2010 : 22:30:09
quote:
Originally posted by Sta~ple
Only two have eaten so far... one seems really scared even when in a tub which you can't see him and one just doesn't looked bothered...
Edit: 3 now... the rest just want to sleep it seems like.
Well 3 is better than 1 ayy. Im sure the others will come round eventually. |
| Sta~ple |
Posted - 13/03/2010 : 20:39:56
Only two have eaten so far... one seems really scared even when in a tub which you can't see him and one just doesn't looked bothered...
Edit: 3 now... the rest just want to sleep it seems like. |
| lee2308 |
Posted - 13/03/2010 : 20:33:27
thats good news,keep us updated |
| mozacchio |
Posted - 13/03/2010 : 18:56:28
That's good news..!
Let's hope for the other ones to follow the example!  |
| Sta~ple |
Posted - 13/03/2010 : 13:36:01
That gives me some hope knowing they can last at least 2 months without food, thanks.
I have tried feeding one today so far and it gobbled it down! I didn't even have to spit the mouse head open. I put it in an empty clean butter tub so it was dark and then put the butter tub in my bedsheets so it was more dark, warm and quite for him. I then went to check 10 minutes later and he latches his tail onto the side of the tub and balanced n the side whilst eating. I got some pictures of it too! I just hope the others eat now. |
| HannahB |
Posted - 13/03/2010 : 13:06:10
my smallest corn Aura is/was a non feeder.. we got her not long after she hatched (we were picking up several other snakes from the breeder so made sense to pick her up aswell but due to the short gap between hatching and picking her up she didnt get a feed), she hatched august 24th and it wasnt until mid october that she ate something and that was with assistance..before then she hadnt eated anything but was in good health and seemed happy
i know its scary when they look so small and dont want to eat but they are hardier than we think they are.. they will eat eventually
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