How long with out feed?

[Slateman]

My hatchlings had first feed after shed and since that they did not eat.
This is 5 weeks now.
I have temperature on 30 C and natural light.
Can I leave them with out food till spring?
Looks like they are looking for cooler end of enclosure to get winter rest.
I would appriciate to know if anybody left hatchlings during the winter with out feeding after only one feed after first shed.

[Ricko]

im cooling my bigger stuff but im not going to cool any of the hatchlings i have as i think they would get too much underweight. wat hatchies are they?

[Slateman]

Coastals.
I am not cooling them. they just stay in cool end most of the time.

[NoOne]

I would keep trying to get them feeding, it's possible they could go to spring without food but by then they would be in pretty poor condition.

Have you tried scenting? If you have and it didn't work it would be worth assist feeding them.
I notice you are after a pinkie pump, i wouldn't use this method unless it was a last resort, they don't help much to get the snake feeding on it's own, where as assist feeding whole pinkies ( or even mouse tails) will, it normally only takes a few assist feeds to get them going.

They are probably getting to hot not looking for winter rest, try tapping the temp down a bit.

[maximus]

what actually is assist feeding..

[Slateman]

Yep. Please somebody instruct me exactly how to asist feed.

[zoe]

as i understand it, assist feeding is where u place the mouse head into the snakes mouth and leave it to do the job itself, where as force feeding is where you actually force the whole item down. correct me if im wrong guys! this is just what i've read.

[maximus]

yeah im familiar with force feeding and had to do that in the past...
i wouldnt imagine assist feeding to work very well...
theyd just spit it out

[dobermanmick]

Yep. Please somebody instruct me exactly how to asist feed.

Please tell how to do this
Thanks Mick

[NoOne]

Zoe is right, assist feeding is starting the snake off and letting them do the job, force feeding is forcing them to feed, like a pinkie pump.

This is how i assist feed small hatchlings(childrens, carpets etc) it's not hard.

I hold the snake just behind the head, not the head as you want it to open it's mouth, then take a small pinkie( the smaller the better) and push it's nose against the front of the snakes mouth, where the tongue comes out.

Slowly roll and push the pinkies head against the snakes mouth, be gentle, normally the snake will open it's mouth very quickly if you get the right spot and then it's just a matter of pushing the pinkie down until it looks like the head is in the snakes throat, just behind the head.

Then slowly let go and freeze, if you move they will spit it out, alot of the time they will move backwards trying to spit the pinkie out but if it's down far enough they will stop moving and swollow it.

Do this with the snake close to the cage floor so when you let it go it's sitting on the cage floor.

Some snakes will just keep spitting pinkies out if this happens try a 2-3cm peice of adult mouse tail, do it the same way as a pinkie but be sure the hairs on the mouse tail are facing away from the snake, this stops them spitting it out.

Normally it only takes one or two feeds to get them going, the most i've had was 8.
Don't try this day after day, leave it a week and then try again, you can try it several times in one session.

I've probably just confused you but i tried, it's hard to explain.

[Slateman]

Thank you No One. I tried before to put head of pinkie to the mouth, but they spit it out. I will try again as your instruction to put it further.

[NoOne]

It needs to get down so they get a swollowing reflex, the mouse tail is easier to do and only takes a few seconds but the pinkie is better for them.
It seems to do the same job.

[africancichlidau]

Yes indeed NoOne Slatey, this same advice from NoOne got 3 really bad feeders started for me

[jimmy_the_kid]

i just got my first python wats a good age to start feeding it whole mice its a central carpet

[jimmy_the_kid]

coastal carpet sorry