HELP !!!! olive hatchling wont feed un-assisted !!!! HELP

[LiasisKing]

Long story short i bought a pair of olive python hatchlings from a reliable source, and one of them is feeding fine and the other wouldnt feed.
after about 6 weeks of trying to get the trouble feeder to eat, i decided to assist (force) feed.
i have now done this twice (over the last week) and i am getting very worried that it is not going to feed Un-assisted !!!

i have tried:
# using skink tail in the mouses mouth
# rubbing mouse in mince meat
# leaving mouse in over night
# leaving viv covered

i spoke to the seller and they confirmed that i have the right size cage, and just to keep trying

any help is appreciated,

Thanks in advance,

Kel

 

[andyscott]

PM sent

 

[Jonno from ERD]

Liasis,

If the snake was reliably eating before you purchased it, it's probably got nothing to do with the food items you're feeding it and everything to do with the environment the snake is in. Some details on how you're keeping the snake, preferably with photographs of the enclosure would be hugely beneficial.

Cheers

 

[LiasisKing]

Sorry i almost forgot.

i am looking for ways to get her to feed un-assisted, any hints, tips and secrets are greatly appreciated !!

THANKS

 

[LiasisKing]

Liasis,

If the snake was reliably eating before you purchased it, it's probably got nothing to do with the food items you're feeding it and everything to do with the environment the snake is in. Some details on how you're keeping the snake, preferably with photographs of the enclosure would be hugely beneficial.

Cheers

thanks for your fast response !!!

she was definatley eating before i recieved her, and both are kept in the same conditions (32-25 C) and have breeders choice pet litter in the bottom of their plastic tub cages (same as the previous owners had) and both have good ventilation,
i was thinking for a while there may be something wrong internally, as both are in the same conditions and the other is feeding absolutly perfectly.
i would take pictures, but the only camera i have is a webcam (which is attached the this laptop)

 

[Cheyne_Jones]

Have you tried other foods as yet, I would get some quail and try them.

 

[GSXR_Boy]

As above try a Quail or a Finch. Little bit early to be assist feeding imo. What did the breeder feed them on? What did he suggest?

 

[LiasisKing]

Have you tried other foods as yet, I would get some quail and try them.

i have tried scenting and braining, i couldnt find quail in my area, i am going to get some finch on GSXR_Boy and andyscott s recomendation, thanks for the help

As above try a Quail or a Finch. Little bit early to be assist feeding imo. What did the breeder feed them on? What did he suggest?

hi there,
the breeder had them feeding on pinky rats, i have tried pinky mice, fuzzy mice and pinky rat, i have tried scenting with all of these (using mince and skink)

thanks for your advice

Kel

 

[dtulip10]

i feel you may have force fed to early, which worries me for the snakes sake.
have you tried raising the temp a few degrees for a few days before offering

 

[GSXR_Boy]

i have tried scenting and braining, i couldnt find quail in my area, i am going to get some finch on GSXR_Boy and andyscott s recomendation, thanks for the help



hi there,
the breeder had them feeding on pinky rats, i have tried pinky mice, fuzzy mice and pinky rat, i have tried scenting with all of these (using mince and skink)

thanks for your advice

Kel

Wait a bit longer before offering it a bird or assist feeding it again. If it was feeding on rats it should feed again on them. ( maybe even scented ones). It will save having to convert it back over to rats later imo. Good luck with it, but it is early days yet

 

[melgalea]

quail or finches are excellent for getting young olives to eat. alot of people seem to have a problem feeding young olives. i am very fortunate with my pair, they have never refused a feed since day one.
all the best.
cheers
mel

 

[LiasisKing]

Hi all,
thankyou to EVERYONE that helped me . i got some frozen quail from one of SOLAR17's stockits in ballina,
she just ignored it for the first few minutes, and then went up to it slowly and swalloed the whole thing, (no coiling up like my other snakes) which i thought was weird,
now comes the fun part. trying to wean her off the quail and onto the rats !!

thanks again to ALL OF YOU
Kel

 

[ogg666]

Good to hear.....a good way for getting it on to rats from quails is to "train" rats in behind the quail.Exactly how it sounds when your olive is just about to finish the quail put a rat directly behind the quail and after a few feeds only offer the rat instead....Hope this helps

 

[matt86]

Or make a quail smoothie and dip the rats in it...
Sounds horrible, but it works...
Just blend up a quail, and smother the rats in the pulp.