Need help

[Nome]

Hi there,

I am needing help with two of my snakes:

1) 2 and a half year old female maccy which I purchased 3 weeks ago from only seeing a picture and want to use her for future breeding. However, when I picked her up from the airport I noticed she is very small, way smaller than my 2 year old male. :? She only weights 154 grams, in contrast to my male who weighs 350 grams. She is also a lot shorter than him. Is she undersized?

She also won't eat, and I've tried different things. she just sniffs it all over, I leave it in the enclosure (thawed), and the next morning, still there. I've also tried fresh killed, and I do not want to try live, as she is very timid. I've also tried rat pups.
Does anyone have any suggestions?

2) My scrub python (hatchie) will grab any food, strangulate it, bite it, I then cover his cage, and check 4 hours or so later, and he has dropped the mouse/rat pup. He just seems to want to 'kill' the prey, but not eat it. Hasn't eaten for 4 weeks now. He was very bitey in the other owner's care, and she didn't have any trouble with feeding him, though says he was a little fussy. But, he is not too bitey any more at all, but now just wants to kill his food and not eat. I'm worried now, as it has been so long. :cry:

I'd greatly appreciate any help anyone has??

~N

 

[Ricko]

i know you prob dont wanna use live but to get my hatchy scrubs feeding i used live hopper mice. who did you get ur scrubby off?

 

[Nome]

I have actually used live with the scrubby, he just grabs them, kills them and then won't actually swallow them. So wasted mouse usually :?

~N

 

[sxereturn]

PM me with who you got the spotted off, Nome.

Also, you're going to have a hell of a time with that Scrubby. They get really big, really quick, with a whole lot of attitude.

 

[Nome]

Anybody got any suggestions at all? Would love some help

 

[instar]

Hi Nome, have you tried peircing the dead mouses head? Its pretty yuck but sometimes the stronger scent of blood and brain will trigger feeding. its worked for others, might be worth a try. Also try putting the snake in a bag (pillow case with the deadmouse and leaving for a while in dark might help. best of luck. :wink:

 

[Nome]

HI Instar,

Thanks so much, I will do that. Do you think my female Maccy is undersized? I'm getting very worried about her, she is so thin and he head is tiny.
:?
~N

 

[instar]

Not sure about gram weight/size averages for that species, afraid someone else will have to help with that, but dont worry too much, I hear maculosa's are generally great little feeders when they get going, some snakes are fussier than others, but turn out great feeders in the end. might be due to shed very soon? did the seller give you a record of feeds/sheds etc?

 

[Nome]

Hi Instar,

I really appreciate your help. no the seller didn't provide this, and is uncontactable right now. She is just half the weight of my male (who is younger) and almost half his length. My male is either overweight, or she is underweight. My male is a real pig

Thanks so much for helping me :wink:

~N

 

[instar]

Your welcome Nome, hope it goes ok. For future refrence, its standard for sellers to give you a record of a snakes feeds/sheds etc ,especially hatchies and young snakes, bit of a worry the person didnt do that, bit rude too imo. Contact the seller a.s.a.p

 

[Nome]

Thanks so much Instar, I trusted this seller too much, it seems. I had no idea that that was standard, so thanks for letting me know. I record on my database all my snakes feeds, illnesses and moults, but I thought most people didn't do that. Out of 5 snakes I purchased, no feeding records or sheds came with any of them :shock: . Thanks for letting me know I'm not asking too much when I request this.

~N

 

[spottedpython]

nome don't worry to much i'm having the smae problem with my spotted python found out the sex he is actually a she named her hayley. hayley hasn't eatten in 2 and half months my neigbour said shes still preparing to shed shes just showing signs of preparing to shed. my neigbour said hayley could go to christmas without food heres a pic of her nome http://community.webshots.com/user/spottedpythons

 

[Hayley]

hi Spotted python!
your snake stole my name!!
if she is any thing like me just offer her some chocolate!!
she'll be eating in no time!!

 

[hugsta]

have you tried scenting the mice for the maccy with a skink (the common garden variety) get the tail of one, chop up in some warm water and dip the mouse in it. its like offering them chocolate. i have 5 maccies and had to do this with all of them. they all now eat like little troopers now.

 

[Magpie]

3 weeks is not long, don't despair yet. She is too small for breeding this year anyway. Try heating the mouse / rat in hot water until it is HOT. Try braining the mouse. Does she spend all her time in the hide? If so, try putting the mouse in there overnight. If you are getting desperate, try scenting with bird or try feeding a day old chicken. Above all, don't worry too much, I've had pythons take 6 months to feed after being shipped.

 

[Rina]

I am with hugsta with scenting with the skink particularly with Maccies.
Hope it all works out before it gets too much colder.
Regards Rina

 

[Fuscus]

possible ways to start feeding

1/ up the temp
2/ feed at night
3/ brain the prey
4/ scent the prey
5/ slap the snake in the face with the prey (has worked for me)