tricks to get 'em feeding

[serpaint]

seeing it is the baby season for many people now and a lot seem to be doing the stressed learn for the first time, thought I would put up this thread for the more experienced to share their tips on effective ways to coax the little gems to start feeding.
first I have found is patience...lots and lots of it.....:shock: anyone else?

 

[mach]

How long after a snakes first shed can you wait before assist feeding?

 

[CarpetPythons.com.au]

I never quite understand why people want to assist feed or force feed. I have had hatchlings go 11 months without food, then suddenly started feeding. I have not lost one from starvation.

 

[wiz-fiz]

wow, that's truely amazing! do u get nervous when they go that long? its surprising how long there yold can last them.


Will

 

[CarpetPythons.com.au]

At first I did, these days we just have that many hatchlings that we can't waste time on some that do not want to feed. I have some that like frozen rat pinks as a first meal. Really strange.

 

[Sarah]

my other half recently purchased 2 womas over a month ago , the female eats fine but the male wont eat he has refused 3 meals so far, both are 12months old, in the time we have had him he has eaten one tiny baby mouse i guess reading one of the above replies, i shouldnt worry too much.

 

[pythons73]

IMO when it comes to getting hatchies to feed all you need is a little patience,once they have there first shed you can start offering them a feed,some will take it straight away while others may take some time..Those stubborn ones just keep offering a mouse [ rat ] every week or so,leave them alone except to change water etc..Some wont take rodents,but they may take quail etc.I have a Chondro that didnt eat for 11months,but it ate the first time i offered food to it,it has eating 8-9 times so far for me,it refused once but then i realised it was going into a shed...MARK

 

[serpaint]

I've heard of them taking ages before, was told to think of any animal which will starve to death by choice,
aside from nearly Victoria Beckham, I couldn't really name one....

 

[Danielle-S]

I've heard of them taking ages before, was told to think of any animal which will starve to death by choice,
aside from nearly Victoria Beckham, I couldn't really name one....

Thankyou....the first time Ive laughed all school holidays!

 

[Fuscus]

I've heard of them taking ages before, was told to think of any animal which will starve to death by choice,
aside from nearly Victoria Beckham, I couldn't really name one....

Most people have skeletons in thier closet..,

David Beckam takes his out to parties :shock:

 

[Waterrat]

I never quite understand why people want to assist feed or force feed. I have had hatchlings go 11 months without food, then suddenly started feeding. I have not lost one from starvation.

To some degree, it depends on what species we talking about. In case of GTPs, a hatchling starving for 11 months is a dead hatchling - no question about that. Larger species can survive without food longer than small ones. During starvation, there is a point in time when the digestive system shuts down and is unable to process food, not even when force-fed. ... a point of no return.
Assisted feeding, or sometimes just the taste of food in the snake's mouth provides enough stimuli for the snake to start feeding voluntarily soon after.