HELP! Urgent! Alternative foods for Spotted Pythons?

[oddball]

I've had my spotted python since mid feb, and he is about 5 and a half months old. Recently I ran out of pinkies and where I normally buy them from in Brisbane has sold out too, the store kept telling me they had ordered them in and they would be in by Saturday.
This didn't worry me, because although I normally feed him every 7 days, when he's shedding he has gone 11 days without eating, and Sat would be the 10 day mark.

They didn't order them and now I have no idea where to get pinkies, the guy at the store said that all suppliers in Brisbane are sold out.


How long can a young Spotted Python go without food?

I was thinking if it gets desperate, I would try and feed him a pinkie-sized strip of raw beef or chicken. Does anyone know if he will take it, or if it is bad for them? This is only an emergency measure if I can't get pinkies soon, so he won't starve, but I don't want to make him sick either.

Does anyone know any other foods I could give him? Would snakes eat little eggs? Would they eat a peice of a bigger food mouse? Like if I cut one in half?
I was told to give him a gecko by someone, but they're wild and full of diseases, and I also really don't want to kill one, I love them.



other info- (in case it helps)
His last feed was on the 23rd. It's been 12 days since he has fed.
His last two feeds, I gave him two pinkies instead of one because he is getting bigger.


Shiva is my first snake, and I am really worried right now. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. I really don't want him to get sick.

 

[Miss B]

Have you tried Pet City or Pet Country (both on the southside)?

 

[Chris89]

If you're able to find some fuzzie mice, he should be able to eat them at 5 and a half months old.

 

[Magpie]

12 days? OMG your poor snake, how would you like to go 12 days without food?


















Serisously, get some fuzzies / velvets when you can, your snake can go months without food.
Pinkies are too small anyway.
Or get some pink rats.

 

[oddball]

Miss B
Pet City is where I get my pinkies from normally, and where I got him and all his stuff. I haven't heard of Pet Country, Looking it up now! Thankyou!
My google searching for reptile suppliers only gave me breeders and enclosure places. Thanks!

 

[Isis]

12 days i nothing to panic about.......

 

[oddball]

12 days? OMG your poor snake, how would you like to go 12 days without food?

Serisously, get some fuzzies / velvets when you can, your snake can go months without food.
Pinkies are too small anyway.
Or get some pink rats.

I've been trying to get the pinkies since last Monday, to feed him on Wednesday. I've been in about 4 times since then and each time they told me they were getting them in soon, and then on Sat, so I didn't think it would be so long. I'm posting because I don't know anyone else with snakes that I can ask.

So if he can eat two pinkies he can eat a fuzzy? Ok i'll try and find some of those, the store only had full sized mice and rats that were huge, but I've been pointed to another store which might have them.
Thanks!!

 

[Chris89]

He'll be able to manage a fuzzie mouse easily!.

My 3 month old womas managed to eat an adult mouse each lol. I didn't have any other food items and the shops had none either, but they managed and were still looking for more.

 

[Aslan]

Oddball - He will very easily take a fuzzy - and don't stress about not feeding him - as has been said, they will go months without eating with no negative effects...

...relax, wait til you find some mice and then feed him...

...even better try http://www.aussiepythons.com/forum/for-sale-food-accessories-and-services/frozen-rodents-55144 - a site sponsor, in Brisbane, that supplies rodents at a fraction of what pet stores cost...

 

[aww yeah]

he can go months without food i know snakes that have gone a year without food and are still fine. alot of people cool their snakes for like 4mths over winter. dont stress. i only feed mine once a mth.

 

[oddball]

Oddball - He will very easily take a fuzzy - and don't stress about not feeding him - as has been said, they will go months without eating with no negative effects...

...relax, wait til you find some mice and then feed him...

...even better try http://www.aussiepythons.com/forum/for-sale-food-accessories-and-services/frozen-rodents-55144 - a site sponsor, in Brisbane, that supplies rodents at a fraction of what pet stores cost...

Hey Thanks for that Aslan! I rang them up and got some tonight
So much for the store guy telling me every supplier in Brisbane is out!
They're really nice too, so I'm going to keep getting the mice from there.

Even though I know now he can go for ages without feeding, I can't help freaking out a bit if he doesn't get fed. So I'm really happy I got some tonight.

Thanks again!
Rhi

 

[dickyknee]

Now that you have a supplier , up the food size ....at 5 months it could eat bigger than pink mice .

 

[oddball]

No that you have a supplier , up the food size ....at 5 months it could eat bigger than pink mice .

Thanks Dickyknee, I got fuzzies when I went, instead of pinkies.
He was eating two pinkies at a time before because what I thought were fuzzies in the shop were something else that was massive. They must have been rats that someone labled mice.
So when Barry showed me the fuzzies he had, I got those instead and Shiva took it no problem.

Thanks every one for your help! I really was panicking about it.