URGENT HELP! He aint eating!

[Belinda]

As you all know I finally have got my little guy, but I can't get him eating. He has only eaten once since he was born and that feeding was about 1 week before I Got him, and it's been about 3/4 weeks since I purchased him....I have opened his mouth and put the pinky in but he keeps spitting it out, and I can't get him to strike at the pinky.........HELP?!

 

[saikrett]

be patient!!!!
Don't put the snake under any unnessesary stress!!!

 

[Slateman]

Wait for shead first belinda.
If he is 4 weeks old and eaten one meal allready, no need to panic.
Read old forum posts on this subject.

 

[Belinda]

He was born in March

 

[python_guy44]

Well you should never force feed unless an experianced herp keeper is doing it. Like my little coastal/diamond will only eat every 2 weeks min. So i wouldnt be worried bellinda

 

[Belinda]

But he has only eaten once since he was born ( march 2003 ) And I'm not force feeding him, im just putting it in his mouth.

 

[sobrien]

Thats close enough to force feeding as far as stress goes if you ask me.

 

[NoOne]

Check your the temp in the cage(air temp not floor temp). If he won't take pinkies try something a bit bigger(with fur) sometimes that can set them off, if not try rubbing some skink smell on it and if all that fail just give him a whole skink.
Be patient it can take time.

 

[almaron]

Not to worry. He won't starve. First, you've only had him about a week. He probably needs to settle in a little more. Try leaving him alone for week and try again. DON'T open his mouth and try to feed him! That's just freaking him out more. Seriously, leave him be for awhile. As in don't handle him and stuff. Do like the highnoone said and check temps too.

 

[Belinda]

I've had him for 3/4 weeks actually, And I only handle him on the weekends as I dont have time after school.

 

[Alexahnder]

be patient and let it settle down. as you probably know snakes can go for ages without feeding. Putting the pinkie in his mouth is very stressful. Just put the pinkie in the cage turn the light off and leave the room for a while. I have found this works well for my childreni which is a pathetic feeder.don't try and feed him until the weekend and it would probably be best if you didn't disturb him either. I know how anxious you can get when it doesn't feed the first and possibly second time you try to feed it and it won't eat.

Good luck

 

[ad]

Hi Belinda,
they can go for a long long time without a feed so dont over stress. And they dont eat big this time of year anyway. He may not feed for 6-8 weeks yet.
Keep the snake as stress free as possible, zero handling, dont keep looking at him all the time apart to check his water. Quiet area of the house and good temps.
A live fuzzy left in his tank over night I find is a good method. Then ween him off the live back to thawed over subsequent feeds.
Some herps totally disagree with live feeding though! and it has its pitfalls with injuries from larger prey as they grow.
Find a nearby experienced herp to help out if it still doesnt feed, one of my jungles has a few slaps in the face from a pinky before he even starts showing any interest! He need provoking into feeding. Something I would never have contemplated or known with my first snake.
Cheers
Ad

 

[zoe]

have you tried both rats and mice? a baby diamond where i got my snake from had been force fed mice all her life cos she would never show any interest in the food so one day they tried a rat and she took it straight away.

 

[Artie]

Yeah, as ad said, a live fuzzie would be my next try.