Reptile & Amphibian Forums

directions for assist feeding my w. hognose?

I've tried everything as you can see by my post last month. This snake has still not eaten since January (and only ate twice in january from another 4 month fast. 2 times in 8 months! My other hogs are eating fine. She's hasn't grown in 8 months.

Can someone please tell me how to assist feed?

Thanks.
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1.0.0 Common Snapping Turtle (Aggro)
1.1.0 Bearded Dragons
1.1.0 Western Hognose(hets for albino)

Are you sure it is a female? How much wieght has been lost?

When there's no other option, here's what I do. I have a pair of round tipped tweezers that I use. I thaw a small pinky mouse. Hold the mouse by the neck area. Then I rub the pinky up against the side of the hogs mouth and try and get it to bite down on the pinky on its own. Just lightly rub the pinky do not push hard. Try both sides of the hogs mouth. If after several minutes the hog has not taken the pink or not held onto it, it's time to force feed. I moisten the pink with water or you can use a small amount of egg white. I carefully pry open the hogs mouth with the round tipped tweezers. Once the tweezers are in place, leave them. Then insert the head of the pinky by hand. I then use the tweezers to push the pinky down. Once the butt of the pink is past the rear fangs and into the hogs throat, gently massage the pink down by pushing on the snakes underside and running your finger towards its stomach. Put the snake back in its cage/box and leave it alone for 24 hours.
Note that this is STRESSFUL. It is a LAST resort. Most of the time once they have that first meal, their digestive system kicks in and their appetite is back.

>>I've tried everything as you can see by my post last month.

You don't specifically state what you've done since the last post. You've gotten more than 2 responses saying to separate the snake into its own container. It should not be held between 2 other snakes. In addition, have you taken it to a veterinarian? Force feeding will NOT fix the problem, and only separating it and getting evaluated by a vet will.
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Virginia Herping
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/VaHS
Virginia Herpetological Society
http://fwie.fw.vt.edu/VHS

"The irrational fear of snakes is the only excuse a grown man has... to act like a complete sissy" - Colchicine

... nature has ceased to be what it always had been - what people needed protection from. Now nature - tamed, endangered, mortal - needs to be protected from people. When we are afraid, we shoot. But when we are nostalgic, we take pictures.
Susan Sontag

I have separated the snake, still no eating. I called 2 vets in my area, and both of them said "this isn't unusual, snakes can go a long time without eating".

I figured I would just try to force feed it to see if it keeps the food down, and if it re-sparks his eating habits.
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1.0.0 Common Snapping Turtle (Aggro)
1.1.0 Bearded Dragons
1.1.0 Western Hognose(hets for albino)

All of that would have been necessary info to include in your post.

Scrolling through this form would have given you this result

http://forums.kingsnake.com/view.php?id=1057516,1059163

That should give you something to work off of.
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Virginia Herping
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/VaHS
Virginia Herpetological Society
http://fwie.fw.vt.edu/VHS

"The irrational fear of snakes is the only excuse a grown man has... to act like a complete sissy" - Colchicine

... nature has ceased to be what it always had been - what people needed protection from. Now nature - tamed, endangered, mortal - needs to be protected from people. When we are afraid, we shoot. But when we are nostalgic, we take pictures.
Susan Sontag