Posted by:
aliceinwl
at Thu Nov 4 01:23:18 2004 [ Email Message ] [ Show All Posts by aliceinwl ]
Have you tried small frogs? I've never had a garter refuse one. I personally like the little froggies so I try to avoid feeding them to a snake, but if you're desparate this would be much better than force feeding.
If it takes frogs, consider keeping a frog as a pet and using it to scent prey items. I have a treefrog I keep for this purpose. I scent pinkies with for my T. sirtalis. Initially I had to wash a frozen/thawed pinki and then rub it all over the frog. Now, however, I can rub a live pinki on the frog and he'll take it.
Also, keep a bowl of fish in the tank. When I introduce fish for the first time I like to put them in one of the little glass condiment bowls they sell at Walmart. The movement usually attracts the snake's attention. Because of the bowls's small size, however, you get a lot of suicides. So, once they start eating fish, I use one of the ceramic bowls they sell for cats. I keep it full of water and put in about 6-10 mosquito fish. You can also try occaisionally dropping a live fish in the tank. Most snakes will eventually start eating fish.
Force feeding is extremely stressful and should be a last resort. Snakes can easily go a few weeks without feeding so be patient.
-Alice
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RE: Force Feeding A Garter? - aliceinwl, Thu Nov 4 01:23:18 2004