Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Assist feeding

I have been pretty fortunate with my hatchlings starting to eat, but occasionally there are a few stubborn ones.

Today I had a hatchling eat on his own after 6 weeks of assist feeding.

It got me starting to think, this was the most assist feedings it took for me to get a hatchling going.

I usually only have to assist a few times.

1) how often do others have hatchlings that need assist feeding to get going??

2) how many assist feedings does it usually take (on average) for yours to pick up on their own.

Just curious
Thanks for any replies
TomChambers

Hey Tom, let me add another question if I may. Do you prefer assist feeding or tube feeding? I had a female 04' hatchling that never ate. I tube fed her for the better part of a year. Food was still offered to her weekly, but she refused. After 10 tube feedings, she began eating and is now thriving and gaining weight quite well. So my question I guess is what method do people prefer?

Jason

I've never tube fed food, just meds.

I gotta say Bill Hasse makes it look so easy, but it's an aquired skill when doing it alone. LOL

For some reason they don't seem to like a tube down their throat???

TomChambers

to me I assist....I shove a little fuzzy mouse in their mouth and see if they swallow it......

it's hard to force feed a ball without it twisting al over the place too much.......they are the worst..well.one of them.....big head thin neck and the ability to twist 360 degrees in any directions........

...I do force.......when they are weak eough they allow it......
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.........never tube fed....I tried a pinky pump once then sold it cheaper than I bought it.....(cheap second hand also)..

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JYReptiles

Scales-N-Tails Reptiles ltd........Pa

I thought the AFrican soft furred mouse (rt) was going to end all our troubles?..........

LOL

..........now that I have them coming out my ears we'll see......

(tried one.....not eaten)...wow.......
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JYReptiles

Scales-N-Tails Reptiles ltd........Pa

I believe gentle assist feeding is less intrusive and better.
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Jay A. Martin
Jay Martin Reptiles

I have had a few hatchlings take as much as 12 weeks to get started most like you said get going after only a few assists.
I have one Female breeder who was hatched from an egg that was attacked by fungus. The egg had turned black and yellow over 75% of the egg . After the rest of the clutch started hatching I pipped this egg and found a living 20 gram baby. She was too small to even eat a pinky mouse! I fed her pinkies cut long ways in half every day for 20 feedings before she could take a mouse pinky.After she begain to feed on her own she became the best feeder in my collection and bred at 20 months of age!
So the point is one never knows how well a Ball Python will do unless you try.

Wes @ MKR
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ive had to assist one of my mine for 5 or 6 feedings before she ate on her own and still needs an assist every now and again. as far as tube feeding vs assist feeding i would think unless aassisting fails tube feeding would be a last result. as you would likely get a snake to start eating on its own if it is eating the same type of food as being offered.

thats a great story Wes, half pinky mice wow!!

I've never seen a ball close to that small, I guess you just never know how they will turn out.

TomChambers

About 4-6 for me as well. My only baby i have left is my back back. It took me 5 asst feedings before he took one on his own. Now I'm trying to switch him to rats so i just had to asst that. Im feedinf him tonight so hopefully he will take this one!
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Thank you,
Dave
www.DNReptiles.com

I had a pastel from last season that took about 3 assist feedings before she figured it out. It was interesting, because with each feeding, she seemed to learn more:

Feeding 1) Put the rat pink in her mouth. She just sat there and eventually started to eat.
Feeding 2) She partially coiled before eating.
Feeding 3 or 4 she fully coiled and ate.
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Jay A. Martin
Jay Martin Reptiles

Was this the only time you had to assist??

I'm a hobbyist breeder myself, I only produce about 6-10 clutches of balls per year.

But I get 1or 2 usually that need a jump start.

I figure the larger scale breeders must have to assist more frequently due to the number of baby’s they produce.

But I totally agree they do seem to learn.

The first time, I usually have to hit the back of their throat with a pink mouse to engage a feeding response, and then move towards just placing it in their mouth.

It seems in my occasions that it's the smaller babies that need the boost.

Thanks for the reply
TomChambers

I have only assist fed 2 that I can remember. I'm of the belief that if they don't feed on their own, they can die. May sound harsh but in the wild, that's exactly what would happen. Normally, I choose not to assist feed and I think it's taken as long as 2 months before the longest holdout decided to feed. So far, I have never lost one from not feeding.
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Jay A. Martin
Jay Martin Reptiles

I agree 100%, maybe I interfere too early.

I usually assist if they don't eat on their own about 4-6 weeks after first shed.

Depending on their body weight.

I have never lost one yet either (knocking on wood)

TomChambers