feeding help

[amy5189]

Hey everyone.

quick bit of background info before i dive into my need for help. i have a 2 1/2 year old coastal i've had for about 7 months, and in this time he has only been eating mice. the guy i got him from said thats all he would eat. now this has proven to be very true as i've tried with rats, scented rats, and tonight i tried a quail. He will eat nothing. It's not that he isn't hungry, as he is a 4.5 - 5 foot long snake eating only an adult mouse every few weeks, as its impossible to find them!!

Now my question is to all you experienced people out there is... Is it possible to force feed a snake of this size with a rat? I am pretty sure that once he got the idea that a rat is a food source, he would be a great feeder, as he is very enthusiastic at food time.
I am just wanting to get him onto rats as it will be better for him and cheaper.
So then my next question is, if it is possible is anyone willing to do it for me?

He's not the world's friendliest python, but he's a handsome boy and I really want to keep him to breed to my female in a year or two. But obviously i can't keep him if i can't find him food!!

Ta,
Amy

 

[SlothHead]

In answer to your first question, yes it is possible to force feed a snake that size. Would i recommend it? NO.

There are other far simpler methods to use. Trail feeding is straight forward and will get the result you are looking for.
Feed the snake the mouse, and as he is finishing and doing the last little open mouth and push routine to get the feet in, that is when you stick the head of a rat in. You will need to just hold it in there until it has started to assume that it is part of the food. If the snake is skittish around the feeding so that you can barely get near it without it wanting to move away, then this will be a problem, but if you persist it shouldnt be a problem.

Lastly with regards to the food issue - most pet shops should be stocking rats by now (frozen) from commercial breeders, so if it is an issue ask them to order them for you or get them direct from a breeder, just make sure the quality and hygene is good.

All the best with it
Dustin

 

[amy5189]

I have no problems with finding rats or quails, its just trying to get big enough mice to even satisfy his hunger. as you can imagine a nearly 5 foot coastal wouldn't get a bump from a teenie tiny adult mouse! he should be on 80-100 gram rats by now as thats what my bredli are on.
I will have to try trail feeding next. Damn I am so not that brave though!! lol. he isn't skittish around feeding, he is just skittish in general. but i'm sure if he thinks its part of the food he might be ok.... *gulp* lol

thanks for you reply sloth head!!

 

[Lewy]

Gday Amy
What Dustin said is spot on this is how I have gotten allot of my snakes to eat or change foods I even feed my green tree snake like that and the male Green tree python it works well. If you weren't so far away Id love to come help LOL
Cheers Lewy

 

[Bax155]

I 3rd what SlothHead and Lewy said try trail feeding and let us know how you go.

 

[Cheyne_Jones]

I would be leaving him until the end of winter to start with, then try when the weather warms up and you might have a bit more luck with feeding. He most probably has his mind on other things at the moment.

 

[amy5189]

yeah i was thinking of just leaving him til the end of winter now and wait for a really hot day.
are you suggesting that my coastal is a floozy? lol. his younger, sexy girlfriend is living next door so he probably has all eyes for her at the moment. lol.
since i will stop feeding him, should i take him off the heat? he is on heat 24/7 all year round, and as far as i know, never been cooled. but he is 2.5 years old and almost 5 feet long, so cooling him shouldn't be a problem....

 

[amy5189]

PS. if anyone is close to Morayfield that is willing to come and try and not get eaten by my coastal while trying trail feeding it would be greatly appreciated! lol. he has already bitten me a few times, and i'm not sure whether i'd be very good at trying to shove a rat in his mouth.... lol