| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| shaun727 |
Posted - 24/03/2010 : 14:41:49
Been reading about feeding my new snake his 1st feed will be on Sunday as that's what he is used to from the pet shop i have seen plenty of people wiggle the pinky about in a attempt to make it look "alive" so it provoke
a feeding response and to get them to coil should i do this right from the start or leave his 1st feed on his feeding bowl
get to handle him on tuesday 5-6 Min's and just let him go where he wants but keep him central to me with my hands just keep nice and slow movements
is there anything more i should know or have missed ? |
| 9 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Kellog |
Posted - 25/03/2010 : 03:38:45
Think all the feeding side of it has been covered, but will repeat what Danny said about making sure you wait until the one week settling in period, so will just add a bit regarding when you start to handle him.
When I go to handle my snakes I go in slowly, and I fiddle with the substrate a bit because that way I am getting their scent on my hands, which I think must help in keeping them calm. It also warns them that you are in their viv so they are not surprised.
Neither of my corns come onto my hand...wanting to be picked up. It is a case of me choosing to pick them up from wherever they are in the viv. I know some of the forums' corns do this, but not all...so dont worry if he doesn't. When you do pick him up try not to come at him from above, but rather scoop him up from the sides....that will scare him less.
Very calmly and confidently scoop him up, using both hands and being careful to support him so he isnt dangling. Hold him firmly and gently as he WILL try to escape from your grip - but that is a natural reaction for him and you must not react to it but continue as you are. Hold him fairly firmly but gently to bring him out of the viv. Once you have him out sit with him (covering your lap with a towel is a good idea in case she decides to poo on you) and just let him run through your hands, moving one to the other to the other and so on. He will seem flighty and scared to begin with...but again, you have to realise it is natural and something both he and you have to get used to. You must just be very calm and steady with your movements. Dont have him out for more than 5 minutes, and return him gently and calmly to the viv if he is showing signs of stress. Repeat again and again and again....(except, as you know, for 48hrs after eating!)....and you will begin to notice a difference in his behaviour as he gets used to being handled and will begin to tolerate it. As he gets used to it so will you and your confidence will grow. You can then lengthen the amount of time you have him out and allow him to begin to explore your body and then around you...but that is a long way off. At the moment it is a case of quality not quantity.
He will be able to tell if you are not confident and that will make him more stressed. It is a case of you needing to 'fake it until you feel it'...behave calmly and gently, with no sudden movements, and he will respond positively to that. His reaction when you go to pick him up will be a fear response...but that will lessen with time.
It really is a case of time and patience and quality of handling rather than quantity. Take it slow and trust yourself...only when you do that will he trust you.
Hope that helps (and isnt too much of an info overload or a repeat of info you already know  ....if so then I am sorry  )
xxx
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| shaun727 |
Posted - 24/03/2010 : 20:56:25
thanks for all the info guys and gals  |
| DannyBrown91 |
Posted - 24/03/2010 : 20:21:13
quote:
Originally posted by shaun727
he was fed one pinky a week i have a bag in the freezer was sold to me buy 888 reps and the woman on the phone was very helpful and said these are the right size they look the right size
i need to get some scales to see how much he wights
When you get some scales may also be worth weighing his food.
DOn't forget pinkies come in all different sizes, you want one thats around the same girth as the widest part of your snake.
On the pic he looks fairly big so you may find once you weigh him and look at a rough feeding guide it may sy that he should be on 2 pinkies. |
| shaun727 |
Posted - 24/03/2010 : 19:57:29
he was fed one pinky a week i have a bag in the freezer was sold to me buy 888 reps and the woman on the phone was very helpful and said these are the right size they look the right size
i need to get some scales to see how much he wights |
| herriotfan |
Posted - 24/03/2010 : 18:21:23
P.S Re handling. I wouldn't let him go for the first few times, just let him weave in and out and round your fingers/hand. If you let him go completely he'll probably make a dash for it and they're very fast! Anyway it's good for him to be with you and get used to your touch, smell, voice (yes, talk to him) and let him just chill out with you for a few mins. I'm sure if I'm totally wrong one of our experts will tell me! |
| herriotfan |
Posted - 24/03/2010 : 18:14:59
How was he fed before you got him? May be a good idea to feed out of his normal 'home' in a RUB or similar. Did your breeder/reptile supplier tell you what to feed him (size of mouse) and how to thaw it etc? Dont forget to leave him for 48 hours after a feed to let him digest it, dont want a regurge!
Good luck and welcome to the new addition. |
| elament |
Posted - 24/03/2010 : 16:39:46
Good luck shaun and congrats on the new arrival. Welcome to the world of Corns lol I hope you are ready for the addiction.
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| DannyBrown91 |
Posted - 24/03/2010 : 15:00:03
Don't feed him till after the week is up. So that would be next Tuesday, don't worry about this being out of schedule they can go for ages without eating he will be perfectly fine.
Do you know how much he needs feeding?
You can handle him for a few minutes and then feed him. If you can it is best to weigh him aswell and keep it noted in a "Snake Diary".
As for wiggling the pinky it all depends on what your snake is like and how it feeds. Like Kehhlyr said you don't need to wiggle the pinky and try and get the natural response, i drop fed all of mine for the first 2-3 feeds.
Casper will strike at the fuzzy as soon as she sees it wether i just drop it in or wiggle it around. I tend to just give it a little wiggle so she sees it and then leave her too it.
Candy likes to stalk the pinky for a few seconds before she strikes so i give it a little wiggle move it around and then she strikes sometimes coils and eats it.
But Reggie being the big lazy sod that he is prefferes if the pinky is just left on the floor for him. I wiggle it around sometimes he will attempt a strike others he just waits for me to put it on the kitchen paper and then starts guzzling it up.
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| Kehhlyr |
Posted - 24/03/2010 : 14:56:01
I personally would recommend for you to ust leave the pinky in his feeding bowl for the first few times, to get him used to eating in a different place before trying to encourage more natural responses.
Strikes and constrictions are instinctive responses and a lot of captive snakes don't ever do it, so don't worry to much if it doesn't.
In some ways I think that snakes that don't have the natural strike and constriction can be better as there's no chance for it to get fingers etc.
I used to drop feed all my corns, it's only been in the past 18-24 months that I've gotten the natural responses back and it now means that I HAVE to use tongs to feed, otherwise fingers are at risk of becoming food. Whereas before that I used to be able to basically hand my snakes their dinner.
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