force feeding bhp

[Trimeresurus]

I have to ask, what are it's temps?

 

[James_Scott]

Bhps are relatively easy to care for. However they will have issues with shedding if conditions aren't right. If you are using a glass tank then you will have some issues that will need to be rectified. Start by insulating the outside walls with polystyrene. This will keep the heat from escaping. Secondly you will need to make around 3/4 of the lid of wood so the heat and moisture doesnt escape. Place a large water bowl in the middle of the thank until your shedding issue is remedied and then it can go back to the cool end.
It is very important to know what your temps are. The infra red thermometer go for around $ 22 and are very accurate. Your hot end can be between 32-35c. I wouldnt have it much warmer in an enclosure that small.
As said before you need a good heat gradient. All heat should be up one end so the snake can thermoregulate its own temp.
Once you have your setup running correctly give it a week or two and commence feeding. It should take adult rats without an issue.
If you feel intimidated on the site and want more advice feel free to pm me. Good luck.

 

[slide]

You say it has been hot there, how hot has the cool end been? To be honest, as already mentioned there does not seem to be a cool end as you have heating at one end via overhead heat and belly heat at the other end which can not be a cool end as they are a ground dwelling snake. Personally at this warm time of the year I would opt for the heat mat if you can maintain it at an appropriate heat so that it doesnt heat the entire enclosure, then maybe switch back to the overhead heat when its cooler, it should be one or the other not both. Make sure you have a cool end and a warm end and check your temps at both ends, this could be the cause especially if the ambient temps are high. Just because they need warmth to digest and function doesnt mean that more is better.
Also is there aircon blowing near the enclosure?
You also mention repeditive striking at the food. This sounds like the defensive headbutting that a stressed bhp will do. If you are wiggling the food etc this can cause stress and the headbutting defensive reaction. Try feeding just before lights out place the food in there, close the enclosure, turn off the light and walk away. Dont come back till the morning. End result if your temps are appropriate should be a missing rat and a lump in your bhp.
Do not resort to force feeding at this point. The bhp knows more about when it can digest its food than you do so you need to figure out why it feels it cant eat/wont eat due to stress.

Good luck.

Aaron

 

[thomasssss]

If you idiots can read, I think you should read the post again. The heat mat and fan are up one end..... Do you understad that? On one side ( not one end and the other end !!!) .. on one side is the heat mat and on the other is the heat light. Temp is just under 33 above the heat mat, on the slate, the cool end is 25. With the heatfan, depending on height above it could be from 35-37. ( it did have a poo btw)
I can't upload pics on this fn forum. And I know its malnourished that's why I asked for a bit of help. And when it won't take fuzzy rats or quail, it is a worry for me. A force feed is better then starving to death. But when it does get to eating its going to be fed every 2 days..... Well, at least smashed with food.

ok mate , first of all calling people idiots is not going to help your case one bit , especially when your the one who is clearly having real trouble caring for an animal that most here find to be a rather simple task

ok second lets address their supposed misreading here , from what i can see they read what you wrote , you wrote and i have only copy and pasted this
" I cleaned up a 4ft tank and put a heatmat under one side one end and a rep one heat light the other side. Water dish, hides paper on bottom."
now that even leaves me thinking they where at either end/side and ive read it a few times now if you meant one at the front one at the back then sorry for the mis understanding , but it still doesn't warrant the reaction you gave

i wont bother offering advice on getting your snake eating as the advice id offer would only be an echo of what every one else has said , its sound advice take it on board

lastly though when you do get your snake eating please do not jam him full of food like youve said you plan to , these snakes are a bit like womas with their diet and although they can happily take larger food items to much of it will kill your snake at an early age , to be honest feeding any snake every 2 days is bad for their health

you dont need to know absolutely everything there is to know about these creatures to keep them but you do need a basic understanding and some species specific research doesn't hurt

god i wish their was a test in place before people where given reptile licences

 

[12-08-67]

Sadly force feeding can cause so much damage the animal may not be able to take food if it wanted to afterwards and it should never be done by an inexperienced person so hence the worry from other forum readers, may be a trip to the vet is more warranted to get the animal fully checked out correctly.

 

[hoppy]

albinowoma clearly you should be taut how to care for snakes properly, not that im an expert.
I haven't even got a snake, yet. and even I know you should only feed your snake every 2 days If you want it dead. also if your snake hasn't ate in two weeks, that's not starving it to death lol.
by the way people were trying to help, you act this way and no one will want to answer your questions.

 

[albinowoma]

Thanks to darlyn and james Scott mainly but also slide,12.08.67,andynic07 mainly for their advice and help.
Yet another point- is that there are a lot of other snakes that r having problems eating atm too.

All decent advice will be taken notice of.
For those that can't figure it out, I feel that the health of the snake has hit a point and I was asking for advice b4 takeing it to the vet...

 

[RedFox]

How to attach pictures to your posts - Aussie Pythons & Snakes

That should help with posting pictures failing that maybe, length and weight would help.

It takes a long time for a snake to become malnourished. Before the fuzzy, how long ago was his last feed and did he brumate this year?

He sounds alright since you said he was active, shedding and defecating ok. So can't be too starved.

is there a herp society in your area or some experienced owners that could offer some advice?

Have you tried slides' feeding advice? One of my womas will very rarely strike at his food but always eats if I leave the rat, quail, etc on the heat mat and leave him alone.

 

[albinowoma]

He kinda had a little rest period, he's only 3 foot long. And I'll take him to woolies tomoro to weigh him. I've left food in there for hours and overnight but its been left.
No one, with all their...... advice, has said anything about the egg method. I'll wait a few days then try that. He has drunk a bit of water easily enough. He's just been under the heat light where its 37-38 deg.