I only force feed those that will not eat what I am willing and able to offer, so they are going to die without intervention. I have found that if you are able to keep them healthy long enough through force feeding, most will start feeding on their own within a month or less. However, I have heard of people force feeding for many months before the babies started on their own (if ever), although those are the extreme examples.

I have sold many non-feeders (cheaply!!) to those (even inexperienced keepers, but with time on their hands) who wanted to put in the time and effort, and they were often quite successful, although not 100% successful, in getting non-feeders to feed after a few force feedings.

I do believe that the feeding response is inherited like other personaltiy components though. Not a simple recessive trait like amel, but a group of traits that make up the personality of an animal or human. So I generally do not keep problem feeders back for future breeders, unless the baby is something really special that is needed in my project. Otherwise, why take a chance? But a "reformed" problem feeder can certainly make a fine pet.

[ Hide Replies ]

• force feeding? - WEEBEASTIES, Wed Jul 19 15:42:00 2006
• RE: force feeding? - MikeRusso, Wed Jul 19 16:13:18 2006
• RE: force feeding? - WEEBEASTIES, Wed Jul 19 16:35:52 2006
• RE: force feeding? - duffy, Wed Jul 19 16:53:17 2006
• RE: force feeding? - WEEBEASTIES, Wed Jul 19 18:08:48 2006
• Pnkie heads are fairly easy... - kathylove, Wed Jul 19 20:50:03 2006
• Kathy..... - xblackheart, Wed Jul 19 21:40:24 2006
• RE: Force Feeding Dependance? - Rivets55, Wed Jul 19 23:49:36 2006
• RE: Force Feeding Dependance? - draybar, Thu Jul 20 18:10:56 2006
• RE: Force Feeding Dependance? - xblackheart, Thu Jul 20 20:48:43 2006
• RE: Force Feeding Dependance? - draybar, Fri Jul 21 05:45:11 2006
• RE: Force Feeding Dependance? - xblackheart, Fri Jul 21 16:36:04 2006
• In my experience... - kathylove, Thu Jul 20 09:10:49 2006
• RE: In my experience... - Pastorpat, Thu Jul 20 14:30:08 2006
• RE: In my experience... - Rivets55, Thu Jul 20 18:52:59 2006
• Species survival value of non-feeders... - kathylove, Thu Jul 20 22:06:45 2006
• RE: Species survival value of non-feeders... - xblackheart, Fri Jul 21 00:33:22 2006
• RE: Species survival value of non-feeders... - Rivets55, Fri Jul 21 00:35:40 2006
• Thank you for the response........n/p - xblackheart, Thu Jul 20 20:50:31 2006
• RE: force feeding? - chunkie_fuzz, Tue Jul 25 21:25:30 2006