Baby Coastal Carpets won't feed

[hazy7]

Hi everyone,

I'm very new to this reptile-keeping caper - my girlfriend has just headed overseas and left me in charge! Anyway, I am now the proud owner of 5 Coastal Carpets. The first hatched on 26 Dec and the last 7 Jan.

I'm keeping them in tupperware-style containers about 15X10X8cm, with newspaper on the bottom, drink-bottle lids for water dishes and cardboard hides. As far as I can tell this should be ok for them. The containers are in an enclosure with a UV tube and heat lamp, running around 30 degrees under the lamp. Humidity is ~60%.

Firstly, are these conditions right for hatchlings? Secondly - how do I get them to feed? I understand that it can take a few weeks so I'm not too worried about the youngest ones. But I'm guessing the oldest should start feeding soon. I've tried dangling small defrosted, warmed pinkies in front of them at night-time but they haven't shown much interest. I've also left them in overnight but still no joy. :?

Three of them have also shed recently which I'm guessing is a good sign.

Does anyone have any hints? As I said I'm new to this and any help would be appreciated. I'll feel a lot better when they start feeding!

Thanks, Chris.

 

[hornet]

wait till they have shed before you try to feed then try every 3rd night untill they feed

 

[Bonustokin]

yep, listen to hornet.

 

[dames1978]

try popping the guts out of the pinky and that usally will give off a good scent for your little snakey to go for.

 

[hornet]

but make sure you wait till they have shed

 

[hazy7]

Good hints guys...thanks! Do the living conditions sound about right?

 

[hornet]

ditch the uv tube but apart from that everything sounds fine

 

[hazy7]

Don't they need the UV tube??

 

[hornet]

nope, only diamonds need uv

 

[serpenttongue]

Firstly, when they hatch they have a belly full of yolk, so it will be a while until they are hungry enough to start thinking about food.

Secondly, it's rare that a hatchling will except food before it's first skin shed.

A healthy snake thats happy with it's surrounding wont starve itself. I think your set-up is fine but just make sure your container isn't too close to the heat source. Babies can perish quickly if they can't move to a cooler area. As hornet, lose the UV tube. I would offer food every 10-12 days. If you offer food too often you can turn them off the actual food item being offered. You need to give them a certain length of time without exposure to prey if you want quick results.

Perhaps scent the pinks with skinks. This always seems to work well for stubborn hatchlings, as does leaving the prey in the containers overnight (only do this if the snakes are housed individually) In any case they will eventually feed for you. Carpets are fairly easy to get feeding, so until then just be patient.

 

[Jason]

i had a hatchy go 8 weeks after hatching before it took its first feed, when you scent with a skink they will most likely take it! just keep trying, wait until all have had there first shed and then give it a few days. start by offering defrosted pinkies on tweezers, tease them a little if they dont take it straight away, if that doesnt bwork leave it in there for a few hours so they arent stressed. try live pinkies, keep trying for about 4-5 weeks, then i start scenting, you cant scent with anything1 even stake. if nothing works i scent with a skink as that has always worked for me! good luck and keep us updated.

 

[TrueBlue]

Id get some heat cord and lie one end of the click clacks on it so there is a cool end and a warm end, sitting in an enclosure at a constant temp all the time is not good.
Leave them for at least 2-4 weeks after they have shed, and most should feed, and as serp said only offer food every 1-2 weeks.

 

[kwaka_80]

yep i would run with the feeding every 1-2 weeks i had a 6 month old coastal that still wasnt a great feeder if fed regularly, i found that he took 4 - 5 pinkys every 3 weeks, now he is a year old he is eating fine every week and a bit
(i still try to stay off a set routine, they dont get fed every wednesday at 4 in the wild do they)

 

[hazy7]

Thanks for the help everyone, I feel more reassured knowing they could take quite a while to even begin to feed. Re the UV tubes, I also have the babys' parents under the same heat and light source. Is this ok? I must admit I had no idea certain species need or don't need UV light. I thought all snakes need it.

I'll try some of the tips and post again soon.

Cheers! Chris.

 

[hornet]

not doing them any harm they just dont need it and its a waste of money to buy it every 6months

 

[FAY]

Thanks for the help everyone, I feel more reassured knowing they could take quite a while to even begin to feed. Re the UV tubes, I also have the babys' parents under the same heat and light source. Is this ok? I must admit I had no idea certain species need or don't need UV light. I thought all snakes need it.

I'll try some of the tips and post again soon.

Cheers! Chris.

Take note of what true blue says about the heating of the click clacks...heat cord or heat mat.....don't heat over the top..the click clacks are too small and it heats the whole lot up...they need to get to a cool part.

 

[hazy7]

Well it's been about 6 weeks since the eldest one hatched, and as far as I can tell the little dudes are looking good. BUT...they still haven't fed. I've only been trying weekly or longer as suggested, and have tried cutting the pinkies in half to get the scent out. The living conditions are still the same - ie. I don't have heat cord or heat mat yet (I've had some comments elsewhere suggesting that the setup I have might be ok - heat lamps). I shift the containers around twice a day so the heat conditions are different.

Is heat cord/mat the answer??

 

[wichita]

Well it's been about 6 weeks since the eldest one hatched, and as far as I can tell the little dudes are looking good. BUT...they still haven't fed. I've only been trying weekly or longer as suggested, and have tried cutting the pinkies in half to get the scent out. The living conditions are still the same - ie. I don't have heat cord or heat mat yet (I've had some comments elsewhere suggesting that the setup I have might be ok - heat lamps). I shift the containers around twice a day so the heat conditions are different.

Is heat cord/mat the answer??

Hi hazy7, I'm a newbie at the whole snake thing too and have been pumping the old and wise of this site for all manner of information. If they are suggesting that your setup (change heat lamp to heat mat to achieve a heat gradient in a click clack) needs an adustment then they are probably right. I'm only saying this so you'll have confidence in their advice.