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Q: when are baby snakes ready to eat?
Posted By:

Aimee

hey all! my first clutch hatched about 2 1/2 weeks ago. I have 11 beautiful baby IJ's (Morelia spilota harrisoni). at what point are they ready to eat? about 1/2 have shed and they all look great. they're 28-32g. I have offered f/t rat pinks, and newborn rat pinks (live). there has been no interest at all. at what point do I become concerned? for adult snakes with good body weight and condition, I wouldn't even think twice about refused food. however, with babies, I want to start them properly. should I be worried at this point? also, are there specific things that I should be trying? I don't want to get too complicated with this...I considered trying a brained rat pinkie, but I don't want to go overboard if it's not necessary. suggestions? I appreciate any help that anyone's willing to offer! thank you Aimee
Attached Photos:


Points: 100
Topics: General Health , Feeding , Neonate Rearing
Tags: Feeding, Neonates
Species: Pythons > Morelia > Morelia spilota harrisoni
Administrative: Show/Hide

Assisted Answer 4/29/2009 12:10:25 PM

FyreFocks
I believe they should be ready to eat once they shed, but you could probably try to feed all of them. I think tease feeding like pinks is probably going to be your best bet. Get your pinky in the tongs and then slap the snakes in the face a few times to get a strike out of them. If you get one or a few that dont eat, try again in a few days.
 
Member Comment 4/29/2009 1:24:59 PM

RB3067
I agree with FyreFocks. Generally food shouldn't be offered until after the animals first shed. For the stubborn IJ's you may want to try frozen thawed chicks. If this works you can gradually switch them to rodents by scenting. Good luck!
 
Assisted Answer 4/29/2009 1:25:21 PM

vonnick52
I'd try to just heat it upa f/t rat pink real well and set it in the cage over night...see if its gone in the morning.  Tease feeding as a second option but don't wave it above their head, rather drag it back and forth on the floor of the tub....if that doesn't work after a few weeks, try a live rat pink.  

http://www.acreptiles.com/carpet_python_breeding.htm check out the bottom, he's got a little section about starting babies.
 
Author Comment 4/29/2009 1:51:13 PM

Aimee
thank you all for the tips. I'm only trying with the ones that have shed. I'll check out Anthony's tips...his site was the best source of info that I could find through the whole ovulate-gravid-eggs part of the process. thanks again!
 
Member Comment 4/29/2009 2:08:51 PM

Sparkle
My 2008 IJ won't touch rat pups, he will only eat mice (he's up to fuzzies now).  If I hit him in the head with it, he'd freak out and not eat for weeks...
 
Author Comment 4/29/2009 2:14:57 PM

Aimee
that point was also brought up on the Morelia boards. it's worse to frighten them than it is to have them hungry....
 
Member Comment 4/29/2009 2:20:03 PM

Sparkle
I will email the IJ breeders I know and see if they have an answer for you.
 
Member Comment 4/29/2009 3:04:54 PM

RB3067
I hate to repeat myself, but after you've exhausted all your other options you should definitely try frozen thawed chicks. They may not be your food item of choice but I have yet to see a Morelia that won't take one. You may have to warm them a bit first. I place them in a zip lock bag and float the bag in a container of warm water. Use Tongs and LOOK OUT for the feeding response. Once again, Good luck!
 
Author Comment 4/29/2009 4:04:18 PM

Aimee
I have no problem feeding chicks. where do you get them small enough for neonates? quail chicks, maybe?
 
Member Comment 4/29/2009 4:14:50 PM

Sparkle
Got a Farm & Fleet near you?  They have lots of chicks.  Or any farm supply store, actually, 'tis the season.  In a couple years I'm going to creep out the store manager and ask him if I can have any dead ones....for the baby boas.  heh.  Let me know if you don't have a source, I could probably ship you some.....frozen of course.
 
Author Comment 4/29/2009 4:22:38 PM

Aimee
hmmm I never thought of that! thank you! Seattle's a big place, there are about a trillion feed stores. I'll try rat pinks once or twice more, but I'll probably pick up some chicks this weekend and stash in the freezer.
 
Member Comment 4/29/2009 4:24:37 PM

FyreFocks
Ive never seen a day old chick, but it is really small enough for a python the size of a pencil to eat?
 
Author Comment 4/29/2009 4:29:57 PM

Aimee
that's why I asked about quail chicks...a chicken chick would be WAY too big
 
Member Comment 4/29/2009 4:30:42 PM

Sparkle
If nothing else, you can scent with them...
 
Member Comment 4/29/2009 4:31:34 PM

Sparkle
You could also try a pet store, see if they have baby finches...those would be more expensive though.
 
Member Comment 4/30/2009 11:18:39 AM

mack1time
I had newborn boas go 1 month before the first meal with no reproductions. Give it time and be persistent. Some will only eat at night or in total privacy. After a month I would then try force feeding if nothing else worked and only as a last resort!
 
Accepted Answer 4/30/2009 1:24:25 PM

shellboa
All of the carpet types I have ever produced started well on f/t fuzzy mice. For me it is easier to start them on mice and then switch to rats. In my opinion, unless you have a steady supply of chicks I wouldn't get them hooked on them. Mice and rats are so much easier, you can keep a ten gallon with half a dozen mice and have your own supply...where you gonna raise chicks? I have only had one out of the clutches I have had that refused any sort of rodent and had to be offered scented prey. After the first dozen or so scented he switched off and took unscented mice. I scented with rabbit. I do not recommend force feeding babies as it is more stressful than helpful and you can cause more damage by forcing than by being patient. I  had baby ball python that came out of the egg, shed and then went two months before accepting its first meal. I tried every trick known to work and the stubborn bugger just wouldn't eat. I  was debating to have him put down as a fail to thrive (that does happen) when he finally ate a damn mouse.

I know its hard to be patient when you want them to do well and eat but unless they are hatched with a defect or you are having temp issues, they will eat when they are ready.

Last thing to consider, were they big eggs? were the eggs pretty dry once they emerged? Some times they absorb a massive amount of the albumen just before they hatch for the energy to hatch then they have to  digest it all of course. Takes time.
 
Assisted Answer 5/1/2009 2:36:56 PM

EricIvins
Set them up like hatchling Green Trees. Once they are perched, try a 110 degree thawed Fuzzy, or just go live. They won't recognize a Pinky, but will take a fuzzy. Something with more size and movement. I've never had to scent anything for any type of Carpet. Just give them a perch, and you shouldn't have any problems. If you have a few that don't perch, drop a live fuzzy right in the center of however they're coiled and that will get thier attention. All the problem feeders I've acquired always took food one of those two ways
 
Member Comment 5/3/2009 2:11:26 PM

snakebite
tease feed f/t apropriate sized rodent then try live then dip the rodent in chicken broth this sometimes works or if all else fails i would try house geckos , be sure to give them plenty of time though dont stress them out trying to feed them every day good luck and keep us posted  
travis johnson
 
Member Comment 5/3/2009 2:32:04 PM

Kaiyudsai
I'm with Eric on this... they are highly arboreal as neos..they are quite timid and probably wont eat until they feel secure... baby quail would be great for these guys..... Keep in mind they still have some yolk in their stomachs so they may just not be hungry yet...
 
Author Comment 5/5/2009 11:39:34 AM

Aimee
thank you everyone! one baby ate a small fuzzy mouse (live) last weekend. the others have had a break for several days, and I'll try again tonight or tomorrow. they all look great - I need to get good photos but I just haven't had time to do it properly yet.
 
Member Comment 1/17/2011 12:52:21 AM

abi21491

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