Assist feeding

[AaronR]

Hi All,

Just wondering if anyone near Lilydale Vic has experience in assist feeding pythons. I think I would be ok doing it but would feel better if someone who has experience with it was watching my first time to ensure I am.
Any assistance you can give would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance
Aaron

 

[montay]

Hi - in the previous edition of Scails and Tails - I think it is March 2009 - there is a brilliant pictorial about not only assist feeding, but force feeding also. It is still for sale in most pet shops that sell reptile supplies for $8.95 - I would strongly suggest purchasing this, as it really is a wealth of information.
cheers
Vicki

 

[Freeloader]

Also depends what you are trying to assist feed.

 

[andyscott]

As Frogboy said,
What are you trying to get feeding?
There are a few things I would try before assist feeding.
What course you should take, depends on the species.

 

[AaronR]

Hi everyone thanks for the replies, My Olive python has done some damage to his toungue and since lost it and after several attempts and normal feeding feel it is now time to look at assist feeding. Originally he was feed on medium mice or large rat pups. Now I would be 100% happy if I could get him to eat a pinkie mouse. I have tried doing this and on rat tails but he doesn't comprehend it is food.
Thanks Montay i will go and try get a copy of scails and tails

 

[coz666]

Thats a pretty severe problem , if your python has no tongue, its jacobsen organ will not be sending the python food signals. last time i heard of this the python was put to rest..
also can you tell us how it came to loosing its tongue?
and over how long it has been since he first damaged it/ till his last proper feed and his reaction to food since he was tried to be fed.

 

[AaronR]

He did the damage 3 weeks ago this comming Tuesday. it was 5 day after his last feed. Although he is comming into bumation i have choosen not to cool him due to this injury and want to eat to regain his strength. The cause o0f the injury is unknown but there where signs of trama being blood but he is kept in an enclosure by himself with no objects that could have caused this level of injury.
I have heard of cases where python have lived a good life without the toungues (most of which are friends of friends) I am trying to assist feed him as there is no way I will give up on this little guy unless he was in pain and there was nothing I could do to help him. I am also trying to document everything that happens so i can help in the future if this issue ever araises for someone else. Having said that when ever I have had stubborn feeders I have tried various methods scenting, temp, humidity etc and have always been succesful but I have never had to assist feed and this is where my enexperience in this field comes in I want to do and feel I can but having never done this style before would ideally like to have someone who has done there to ensure what I am doing is correct and I'm not hurting him anymore.