frustrated with 1st feed/shed of hatchlings

[monix]

ok.. i am getting so frustrated and concerned about these 4 hatchlings i have left.
to give the run down...

they are 8 weeks old.
#1 - no shed / not eating
#2 - no shed / got to eat once.. now wont eat
#3 - 1 shed / not eating
#5 - 1 shed / not eating

i have been doing the bathin in warm water for the ones that havent shed. still no luck.
the click clack is at 30/31 deg on the warm end, and keeping moist (there is condensation present)

2 of them are lookin might thin and really starting to freak me out
to get them to feed.. i have
- pinned.. smashed the pinkies head
- rubbed into chickens for scent (cant find skinks in the tiny garden we have :|)
- dipped into tuna oil (someone just suggested this too me)
- tried live pinkies.

but no interest at all. if anything they avoid them.

have i really run out of options?
i got on holidays this Saturday and i really didn't expect to have them this long.
will my next step be to force feed?
if so, who can do this?

:|:|:|:|:|:|

 

[euphorion]

they may be stressed about all the fuss; try doing it quietly as below

cover their clickclack with tea towel for half an hour, leave the room nice and quiet

place a pinkie in the tub as quickly and quietly as you can, do not disturb the snake.

leave the tub covered (tea towel, nice and dark) for a few hours and hopefully they will have eaten

 

[whiteyluvsrum]

what pinkies are you using? I had trouble getting mine to start eating, I was only using pinkie mice and they refused to have a bar of them. switched to pinkie rats and there smashed them straight away. I wouldn't worry too much about them sheding, as soon as they start to eat they will probably shed straight away.

 

[RELLIK81]

sorry may have missed it but what sort of hatchies are they??

 

[KaaTom]

If some are looking mighty thin I would be getting them to the vets, they should be able to help....

 

[monix]

ok. putting teatowels over them now.
its a bit impossible to open the click clack without disturbing them... see how i go...

but please keep all them alternative suggestions coming....

ps) they are coastals

 

[monix]

If some are looking mighty thin I would be getting them to the vets, they should be able to help....

I have put a limit on till wednesday.... i really wanted to beat this myself tho... but if not eaten by wednesday.. off to the vet they go

 

[blackthorn]

See if you can get your hands on some day old quails, a couple of my hatchies wouldn't touch rodents or anything scented but ate a quail with no coaxing.

Also one of mine went for a pinkie defrosted in chicken stock.

If they are losing condition, and nothing is working, force feeding sounds like it's your last option. I find tails are easiest to get them to eat as opposed to whole pinkies/rats/mice.

 

[monix]

the teatowel didnt work last night with the live pinkies.. they are just are just not interested.

had a lovely lady suggest gettin them out of the clickclack and into a small home with lots of hides.
i tend to think this is on the money as i cant help but disturb them when i go into the click clack... and i am starting to notice this is stressing them out. would stress me out if it were me in there!
so will hopefully find a bank today or tomorrow and see how that pans out.

will report how this goes.

 

[pythons73]

As blackthorn suggested,try day old chickens,qauils ive got a fussy Darwin at times,she ignores the rodents but i tryed a day old chick and she smashed into it,now ive gotta get a few more...

 

[monix]

yar.. i has already sent a pm to the guy i saw advertising day old quails.. i am trying everything and anything!

 

[CodeRed]

Is this your first clutch?

The more you stuff around with their enclosures the less likely they are to eat. Let them feel secure and leave them alone for a while before trying again.

Also if you are concerned that opening the click-clack disturbs them too much then all you need to do is open their click clacks an hour or so before feeding. Simple place the lid back on top (ensuring that they cannot escape of course) without locking it down. When you go to feed them you simply have to lift the lid off. Systema tubs are great for this.

Another thing is that make sure the pinkies are HOT not just luke warm. If you are trying to entice for a period of time make sure you keep re-warming those pinkies. Once they go cold (only a minute or two) you will struggle to get fussy feeders to take them.

Alternatively if you dont feel that you can get them feeding then sell them to someone who can. You wont get much for unfeeding coastals (maybe $80 each), but at least they wont die from starvation.

 

[monix]

yes it is my first time breeding... pretty obvious! LOL
infact.. i have never had hatchlings at all before.. all other snakes i have had were 2yo and up

i usually leave em alone heaps... up to a few days at times...
but will try the leaving them 'unhatch' preparing for next attempt.

 

[licky]

you gunna euthanise them??
im sure there would b ppl to take them?
pm me or sumthin
i MIGHT b able to take one off your hands
PICs??

 

[monix]

kill them!! god no!!
i have friends who have claimed them already.... so trying everything i can first.

 

[licky]

mate fair enough
you tried skinks?
quails and chick should make em feed

 

[herpkeeper]

Monix, do you have perches in the tubs ? carpets like to be elevated and looking down on there prey ! pinkies will NOT interest them at all. LIVE hopper mice they will smash 9 times out of 10, they are not too big for them either, they will smash em' you'll see.

 

[monix]

yup. put perches in before i moved them into it.. they do love them!! ^^

will try hoppers if the quails fail...

 

[JasonL]

Give them to someone who can get them going for half of the profit / snakes... I personally don't put up with picky snakes, I force feed them if they hesitate longer than .5 seconds.... they all come around sooner or later, either their way or mine.

 

[andyscott]

So let me get this right, You havnt tried assist feeding at all?
With Coastals, let them finshing adsorbing the yolk in the 1st week.
At the end of the 2nd week offer pinky mice (some will eat, some wont).
4 days later, offer the non feeders more food, just leave the pinkys next to them for an hour or so. If the dont touch it, then its time to start assist feeding.

8 weeks is a bit long to wait before assist feeding but Id start now.

Get a very small, soft plastic knitting neddle.
Slide it into the hatchlings mouth (while holding it head of course)
Once the neddle is in, gently turn it side ways, and the hatchling will open its mouth.
Put pinky into its mouth and slide out neddle from side. then slowly work pinky into mouth and down the hatchlings neck, poking the pinky gently down with the knitting needle.

Every 4 days put a pinky mouse in with each hatchling for 2 hours, If they dont eat, repeat assist feeding method.
Keep doing this and they will wake up and start feeding soon.
Cheers Andy.