Feeding python hatchling, lizards from the garden? Good or Bad?

[Pirateherpss]

Okay so I got a little spotted python hatchy and he doesn't eat. Ive done everything possible so I don't need suggestions on things I should be doing to get him to eat. Like Ive said, I have tried everything and I know what im doing.

I have resorted to assist feeding. I find that feeding him a common little garden skink is more successful than a pinky mouse. A skink is long and skinny, and all I have to do is put the head down the snakes throat (ever so genty), then he just does the rest and scoffs it down.

I know lizards can carry parasites and what not. But snakes do eat them in the wild...

Should I keep going with the skinks??? I feel that it is also safer for my spotted python also...

Please give me advice ))

Cheers folks!

 

[hulloosenator]

Okay so I got a little spotted python hatchy and he doesn't eat. Ive done everything possible so I don't need suggestions on things I should be doing to get him to eat. Like Ive said, I have tried everything and I know what im doing.

I have resorted to assist feeding. I find that feeding him a common little garden skink is more successful than a pinky mouse. A skink is long and skinny, and all I have to do is put the head down the snakes throat (ever so genty), then he just does the rest and scoffs it down.

I know lizards can carry parasites and what not. But snakes do eat them in the wild...

Should I keep going with the skinks??? I feel that it is also safer for my spotted python also...

Please give me advice ))

Cheers folks!

next time you catch a skink - hold it by the tail and let it snap it off and crawl away to grow another one and live another day . now you should have a good size tail - smear the exposed flesh all over a thawed pinkie , especially its face. Then shove the tail in the pinkies mouth so that only the broked fleshy bit is poking out . Put that in fron of your Hatchling at sunset - then go away and leave it for a few hours. Hopefully it will eat it ., and if so , you will only have to do this a few more times and it will eat pinkies by themselves. Well it works for me anyhow !

 

[The_Phantom]

Not a bad idea ^ and better than feeding a whole skink for various reasons!

 

[Tarah6789]

I had a similar problem with my Stimson when they first hatched. I found that after eating a few skinks they took pinkies fine, but one just wouldn't eat so I tried live pinkies and that worked straight away I didn't even have to scent mark them with skinks. This snake would only eat full skinks too if I tried to give it only the tail (while it was still moving) it wouldn't eat them. Will he eat skinks without you force feeding him?

 

[Ramsayi]

Didn't you have two that were not feeding?

 

[PythonLegs]

Well. At least none of you consider yourselves animal lovers, I guess. Yikes.

 

[Pythoninfinite]

Seems from your first post you aren't seeking advice and you "know what you're doing..." Why would anyone try and help you when you've told them you don't want help.

Jamie

 

[Gruni]

Just a thought (and sorry if it's off topic) but wouldn't it have been nice to say "Hey guys this is what I've tried xyz and this is where I am at now abc what else could I do?"

You say you've tried everything then ask how to proceed, so what have you tried other than the skinks?

 

[Tobe404]

Have you tried dipping the food item in Chicken Broth or Tuna from the Supermarket? Even Egg yolk might work.
Worked most of the time on my smaller (previously fussy) Murray Darling. Not so fussy these days though.

 

[Pirateherpss]

hah... didn't mean to sound cocky by saying"I know what im doing"... just tried to say I don't need advice like what temps should be, and steps to try get him eating. Just needed to know if little skinks for fine as a feed for the little guy. But thanks all for the advice!