Blonde Mac Feeding Problems - Last resort

[PythonN00b]

Ok so i've tried pretty much everything i can to feed my little female mac and shes not taking. I've been using dolittle pinky mice, defrosted properly, kept heated, brained, wriggled them around, left overnight (3 times) outside the hide she likes to use most, i've tried scenting using raw chicken, scenting with live mice, and today took the measure of trying a live pinky as a last resort, she hardly even smelt it. I've left a week between tries and kept her click clack covered with a tea towel and not handled her more than once a fortnight.

I'm at my wits end and its been almost 6 weeks since i've got her and she hasn't eaten once for me. The breeder i recieved her from said she was a troubled feeder and only took brained pinkys so i knew what i was in for but nothing seems to be working. Her male counterpart eats every time the foods put infront of him. And i'm not confident enough to assist/force feed her.

Checked multiple times with different people about my setup, temps, ventilation, humidity, enough hides, enough water, 100%
She's very curious... and runs around her cage alot at night, but she is the jumpiest thing ive seen, i use a hook to pick her up but the second she feels a hand on her body she freaks out and tries to slither away.

I've checked for signs of mites or respitory problems but no signs.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated. I've contemplated asking the breeder for a trade or selling to someone for cheap who has enough experience to care for her but I really would like to try all i can to keep her and make her happy and not pass on the problem to someone else.

Thanks for your help in advance

- Dan

 

[tenacres1100]

the best thing you can do is to STOP touching her at all. Don't handle it again until it's eating, if it's already stressed you won't help by hooking it and picking it up. You may be better taking it back to the breeder to see if they can get it to eat again and check with them how they are kept, so that you can copy it as close as possible. I see you have 2 are they housed on their own?

 

[amy5189]

yeah if the breeder is a good person they will be willing to give you some help hopefully. If you can see them do it maybe it will give you some help. What time do you try feeding her also? Night time? Afternoon?

I had trouble with my first one and ended up needing someone to assist feed her for me. We just ended up putting the pinky's head in her mouth and she ate it the rest of the way down. But yours maybe needs to be pushed in all the way if all else fails??

 

[PythonN00b]

They are housed seperately in 5L click clacks, i would like to assist or force feed her but not sure if i trust the vets around my area to do it?

Does anyone know of any vets around eastern suberbs that specialise in snakes? I live in Maroubra.

The breeder does live a fair bit away and last time i checked his sales thread on here he had sold all remaining hatchies so none to trade. I have the original containers they were housed in aswell, and saw how they were kept and i don't think the environment is much different for her now than with the breeder, would you suggest putting her back in her old container?

 

[big_head]

Its a long shot, but why not try a pinky rat? i find with my snakes, i get a stronger feeding response when it comes to pinky rats over mice. They certainly do smell alot more than mice! I defrost mine in a freezer bag in warm water. Its a long shot, but i'd give it a go!

 

[MrBredli]

Whereabouts in Sydney are you?

 

[cris]

I would try scenting with a thawed lizard tail, offering them something that resembles natural food can often help to get them feeding. Other than that assist feeding would be the other option, although its not something someone new to keeping should be trying without an experienced person helping. I personally think lizard scenting is preferable to assist feeding and far easier, although learning to assist feed would be worthwhile if you plan to breed them the future. If it is still a small hatchy moving it into back into a smaller tub may help too. Also draging they food along the side of the snakes neck towards its head will often trigger a responce too.

Also if it was made clear that it was a tricky feeder before purchase IMO its a bit unreasonable to exepct the breeder to go out of their way to help, unless they offered to when you bought it.

 

[Jdsixtyone]

Just offer food once a week and they will start eating other wise put shredded paper in the cage and put her under it leave a defrosted pinkie in there and she will get it dont stress i have been down this road not long ago it took 18 weeks 4 mine to start eating

 

[Tsubakai]

I know you've used raw chicken but try a small feather in the pinkies mouth. The lizard scenting cris suggested is more likely to get a response though.

 

[PythonN00b]

"MrBredli - Whereabouts in Sydney are you?"
I live in Maroubra (near bondi/coogee)

"crisI - would try scenting with a thawed lizard tail"
I wouldnt know where to begin to find this in my area.

"jbthompsonIts - a long shot, but why not try a pinky rat?"
I tried a live rat pinky which was born on the same day i tried to feed and it came straight from it's nest with its smelly parents and she didn't respond much differently to that :|

"cris - Also if it was made clear that it was a tricky feeder before purchase IMO its a bit unreasonable to exepct the breeder to go out of their way to help, unless they offered to when you bought it."
I'm not really expecting that, i just wanted to mention that he had told me it was a troubled breeder so that noone suggests that he was being misleading or anything. He did offer help with any problems, but as far as advice i don't think he could beat the combined experience of the people in this forum and i don't believe he is experienced enough to force feed.

 

[pythons73]

I dont understand this,your pretty new to the reptile seen by the sounds of it,WHY would you get a fussy feeder in the first place,didnt the seller have any that were eaten well,patience is a virtue when it comes to fussy feeders,Maybe the seller could exchange it for one that feeds well,according he has more.Hopefully it will start eating for you soon,remember when you offer food and it doesnt eat,LEAVE alone for atleast a week.Best of luck...

 

[pyrodarknessanny]

if all else fails id suggest gecko or sink tail after he has a taste for it
try a scented pinkie mouse at the next feed