Fussy juvie

[bobthefish]

I've only had my MD juvie for 4 days, but he shows no interest in eating. He is actively hunting though. I'm not worried about it yet, but I have an interesting question- does anyone find their snakes don't like thawed out mice, and how long should you keep frozen mice before they go off? I've crushed a skull on the latest, and still no joy.

The ones I have bought (rats that is) have little white patches on them when thawed- I wouldn't want to eat one! But then pinkie rat doesn't usually go on our menu here.....

In the states I always fed live food to my snakes (yeah yeah flame away), so I'm new at the frozen food concept.

Cheers!

[triptych_angel]

I'd leave him for a week or so if you've only had him 4 days,he is still probably settling in to his new environment.

[Splitmore]

What was the snake eating before you bought it?
If you have any dramas or questions contact the breeder or supplier, to me they have a strong obligation to sort out any problems with one of their snakes. I drum that into anyone who buys an animal off me, if there's a problem call me.
Still well and truly settling in after only 4 days. Don't handle it, keep it nice and warm and it should settle in within a week or so. Then you can try feeding it.

[Beechy]

I'd go along with what the other have said. I have a juv MD and she lives on thawed pinky rats. My other snakes eat freshly killed rats as I like to give them fresh food.

[alumba]

4 days is a bit early to give him a feed I would wait a week or 2 he will be fine

The white spots on the pink is freezer burn it wont hurt your snake it just says they have been in the freezer for a while and that the bag they where in wasn’t sealed properly.

When you go to feed him next drop a live pink in there and leave it over night and don’t disturb it at all just leave him you will find alot of the times the pinkie is gone in the morning.

if the snake still wont eat you can try teasing it stir it up by pinching it lightly on the tail push it around a bit get a bit mad and I find if you just leave it alone for a couple of minutes and then go back and do the same they tend to be more crankier for some reason the second when you go back to stir him up have the pinkie with you tap it on the head a bit NOT TO HARD and stir him up that way in till he strikes, aim the pinkie so when he strikes the head is in the mouth of the snake and if it looks like not letting go shake the pinkie softly mimicking a live mouse so he will wrap around it. Once he has it stand very still the slightest movement could make him release the pinkie and then you have to do it all over again... Keep in mind while doing this you can’t stress the snake too much if the snake looks like he is very scared that’s the time to stop and try again in a few days.


once a mouse or rat is froze it starts to loose vitamin b very quickly so its a good practice to give ur snake a fresh killed rodent every couple of months depending how often you feed it...........kill the rodent freeze it for around 2 days then feed this will kill any worms or parasites the rodent may have or you can give fresh kill then worm you snake or inject it in the mouse you are feeding

I hope these helps you a bit if your snake still wont feed pm or re post and I will help you to force feed....I hope it never comes to that force/assist feeding is very stressful on the snake and they can die from it.

cheers Alumba

[alumba]

ps dont stress to much they can go a bit with out a feed

[bobthefish]

no worries all- thank you! I'm not worried- just wondering why the breeder didn't feed it for 3 months prior to buying it. I'll chill out on it and try some various tactics next weekend, and in the meanwhile, try to get on to the breeder tommorrow and ask him what the go is!

Ta!

[NinaPeas]

I would leave the snake completely alone for 1-2 weeks. It needs to get used to it's new environment and surroundings.

So this means I wouldn't hold it either. After say 2 weeks, your snake should be easy to feed, and it will be nice and relaxed.

[bobthefish]

actually, to be honest, I'm really p#%^ed that I was dumb enough to buy a snake that hadn't eaten in 3 months! 31 years of snake keeping, albeit not with juvies, and you thikn I'd know better! GROWL! LOL

[bobthefish]

Soumak ate just after my last post last night- I left a fuzzy mouse in there with him; it had thawed out and I wasn't going to re-freeze it. Anyhow, I was on my way to bed, realized I forgot to turn sometihng off, went back and sure enough he was in mid-meal! Good boy!

I reckon the pinkie rats I originally tried were freezer burnt- that's why they had the little white blothces on them, and they may not have smelt all that good.

Thanks for the hlep all!

[alumba]

good to here mate glad the little one is finely eating
good luck in the future
Cheers Alumba