Non-feeding albino DCP hatchy

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Luvbuz

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Took delivery of our newest addition a male Albino DCP hatchy in early January this year. He was bred in South Australia and now lives in Cairns. He had been feeding and shedding well according to the information sheet we got with him. Since then he has only taken food twice. So that's one fuzzie rat in January and another in late March. He shed once in late January. He is kept in a click clack tub, with a heat mat at 32' which warms one end of the tub, a cool end of 24', a perch, a snug hide and water bowl. He is kept in a quiet unused enclosure, away from noise, excessive light and because his house is opaque he can't see movement outside. He will strike his food but not take it. I have tried braining, wet and dry offerings, actually covered fuzzies with rat brain, gecko smear and he still refuses to eat. Starting to get a bit worried. He is still active, although we rarely handle him as we are trying to get him to feed. Positive suggestions welcomed, no-brainer stupid replies can keep your opinions to yourselves... (ie: don't tell me to increase the hot end by ONE degree or stupid advice like that, where we live the ambient temp in the house itself hovers around that anyway!). Just seeking advice on maybe having to force feed a few times to get him going???
 
What was he being fed by the the breeder??? As they can favour one type, have you tried quail, I've never had any fussy feeder or non feeder pass up a quail... Best of luck, hope you get it eating regularly soon...
 
you try mice instead of rats?? some snakes hate the switch.. maybe try wombaroo?
 
What was he being fed by the the breeder??? As they can favour one type, have you tried quail, I've never had any fussy feeder or non feeder pass up a quail... Best of luck, hope you get it eating regularly soon...

I can second this! My fussy feeder isn't so fussy now I defrost his mice with a day old quail snapped in half in the bag.
 
Don't think about forcefeeding or even assist feeding, the snake is eating by itself.

Just need to figure out why he isn't taking them, try different food items, maybe you have to annoy him with the food for awhile.

One of my jungles will only take small mice if I sit there and smack him with it, it also has to be really hot for him to coil it and start eating, as the mouse goes down and just the back legs are sticking out I stick a large rat in his mouth and he just continues to eat until both of them have gone down.

Some snakes just have to be fed a certain way.
 
I can second this! My fussy feeder isn't so fussy now I defrost his mice with a day old quail snapped in half in the bag.

I blend up a quail, and put a bit of the quail soup into a bag of frozen fuzzy's and when I pull a feed out, it thaws up and non nom!! Fastest cure for fussy feeders I've ever seen...
 
Thanks for your valued input, sincerely appreciate it! He was eating fuzzy rats when I got him and I haven't changed his diet. I defrost them and keep them blood warm and have tried teasing/annoying him by dangling and moving them in front of him and he does is head butt them without striking for a feed response. I'll try scenting with a quail next time I feed my big BHP, I'll try defrosting them in the same bag and smoosh some quail onto the fuzzy - see if that works. When I do handle him he strikes my arm and latches on so he can obviously do it! Just don't want to sacrifice my arm (or my hatchy) if he doesn't eat soon! I'll grab some day old quail and try that too! Just wondering how long a hatchy can go without feeding coz it's been over 6 weeks now...
 
they can go several months without a feed. a fuzzy rat is a farely large meal for a hatchy albino and would keep them going a fair while. mine are on fuzzy mice or pink rats and show a sizable bulge after eating. if he doesnt take the food at first leave it in overnight, some like to eat in peace. hope this helps
 
I wouldn't bother scenting with quail but go for a full quail straight up. Once he is taking them then you can start scenting. There's a fairly good chance that will work. I had a two year old water python go on a hunger strike when I moved her into a new enclosure. When I tried quail she took the first one eventually then just smashed the next two. I started scenting after that for a while and now she eats everything without a drama at all.
 
Think you probably mean fuzzy mice

No cockney red, I mean fuzzy rats! I've been reading for a long time now, and the package comes with a label that says "Fuzzy rats" which is also what I ordered :D:D:D:D And yes, I do leave the food in overnight. I feed at 9pm when the house is quiet and dark and if he doesn't take it I leave it in until morning then clean it out... I've ordered baby quail and will try them as soon as they get here.
 
you try mice instead of rats?? some snakes hate the switch.. maybe try wombaroo?

This wombaroo, could you explain more about it. I remember hearing things in the past but not certain how it is used. Thanks.
 
I have a male hatchy that was doing the exact same thing. He was eating before I got him but stopped when I got him home. He didn't eat for 6 weeks, ate, then it was another 4 weeks, now he eats 9/10 times..........What I did: Set the temp to 34 hot end. Feed him just after the sun goes down. Defrost the fuzzy in warm water and then place it next to an air vent, so the smell drifts through his enclosure. After 5 mins, reheat with HOT water (not so hot you cook the skin but enough to be unpleasant to swirl your finger in the water). After 1-2 mins take it out, dab it on some paper towel. Then using tongs, so your hand is nowhere near it, stick it in front of his face, even better if he's in his hide. He'll grab it, slowly cover his enclosure so it's dark and leave him for 20 mins. If he hasn't eaten it, get it hot again and try one more time.......... This works for me. My thoughts are that my albino like's his food warm and by the time he's done constricting it, it's cold. Yours maybe the same. Give this a shot and let us know how he goes.
 
No cockney red, I mean fuzzy rats! I've been reading for a long time now, and the package comes with a label that says "Fuzzy rats" which is also what I ordered :D:D:D:D And yes, I do leave the food in overnight. I feed at 9pm when the house is quiet and dark and if he doesn't take it I leave it in until morning then clean it out... I've ordered baby quail and will try them as soon as they get here.
Mate, If you were feeding a hatchie Darwin in January, on fuzzy rats......wake up, you are dreaming!
 
Try a smaller food item around half the size you are now offering.
 
Mate, If you were feeding a hatchie Darwin in January, on fuzzy rats......wake up, you are dreaming!
Nah cockney red you misunderstood me - I took delivery of him in January, he was already on fuzzy rats with the breeder when I got him so I was simply following the breeder's advice! I tried going down to fuzzy mice thinking smaller food would entice him but he didn't go near them, but he did eat another fuzzy rat in March but not one thing since then...
 
So tonight I combined lot of the advice from your replies. Defrosted a fuzzy rat with a quail in a bag of hot water, smooshed quail juice over the rat and offered it up. Had a positive feeding response and coiled it, then dragged it to the corner of the enclosure. Hopefully it will be gone in the morning! Best feed response he's shown since we got him. Fingers crossed he's over the non-feeding hill! Gave the baby quail to my blonde spotted as a snack and it was gone before I even shut the door on her enclosure!
 
All gone, nice bump in the belly, phew now I can relax until next feed, but hopefully he'll be back on track again!
 
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