This may get a bit emotional for some so please try avoid attacking others who have differing views
A pretty hot topic was recently discussed on another forum similar to this one
If you have a snake that will not eat without force feeding at what stage do you give up?
Why would you continue?
Why would you stop??
Some will say never... and thats cool
Some will say xxxxx....and thats cool
There will be some interesting replies I hope
That is a hard one longqi. I finally let my beautiful girl go earlier this year, after she went two years without eating. When I thought I finally broke through with her - she took two mice only to regurge them a couple days later.
I stopped trying when I realised she was defeated. She wasted away to skin and bone and had no energy left in her to right herself if she was turned over. I spent two years persevering because up until the the time she stopped she was a perfect eater, and in mint condition. I just couldn't give up on her, I knew she would start again, one day. But it turned out she was never going to get better. She had a swollen mass inside that had the appearance of freshly eaten feed. It was a nasty tumor.
I would never give up on any animal just because others think its not worth it. If there is just the slightest chance of turning them back, I will take that chance. But of course, if that means I am just prolonging their suffering, I have them put down, as I did with Bindy (my intergrade girl)
With a hatchy as a simple example you may never know whats wrong
Some just dont want to eat?
I had one of them. Eights old and still hadn't taken a feed I handed him over to Jamie, and even he couldn't get him feeding. The little snake ended up dying. Jamie discovered he had no tongue.
Question actually applies to all snakes but very applicable to breeders and hatchies and possible connections with genetic conditions.......?
I wonder how breeders go trying to feed siamese twins - where a snake is born with two heads. Do they fight over the food?
longqi even if someone could provide quality of life to such snakes like waterrat has mentioned, I don't know if it would be a good idea breeding from them. The trait could very well be genetic, then you end up with lots of troublesome feeders.