Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I read somewhere to feed a baby every 10 days. Well then I checked out a web page someone had given me to read here and it says every 12-24 days? What one is correct. I tried feeding my guy at 10 days and he was not hungry. He came up to the food and put his nose in it and then backed away. Stupid me, I know I tried again day 11 and 12. I know I will stress him out, so thats why I checked my resources. So know I ask you guys what you all do. He just shed must have been last night because I did not see it yesterday during my spot check and man do these things look awsome.

Again 80 degrees in a little rubbermaid and sprayed each morning if you wonder condidtions. He did eat 10 days ago and peed and pooped the white stuff a couple days ago, right after I cleaned him. Thanks buddy.
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0.2 Rotts
1.0 Super Tiger
0.1 Green Burm
0.1 Ball Python
0.1 Red Tail
0.1 Blood Python
1.0 Green Ananconda
1.0 Emerald Tree Boa

If I'm getting this right, your little guy refused a meal, but in retrospect, you realize he must have been in pre-shed condition when you offered the meal.
If that is approximately right, try him now. And now you know too, that emmies' "blue" period is not as evident as with other snakes generally. It can kinda sneak up on you. Shedding should become more predictably regular when he reaches adulthood.
The other significant observation is the bowel movement...that behavior is often more noteworthy than feedig.

After he shed he refused a meal as well as before. But that was at 12 days after eating last meal that he refused after. So how many days should there be inbetween meals. Ya I did not even know he was shedding but man he is looking really good. The black around some of his white is going away.
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0.2 Rotts
1.0 Super Tiger
0.1 Green Burm
0.1 Ball Python
0.1 Red Tail
0.1 Blood Python
1.0 Green Ananconda
1.0 Emerald Tree Boa

10 to 14 days with appropriate-sized prey. He should show signs of interest at those intervals; head-down ambush stance and acute interest when the food is introduced. The ETB rule of no more than 3 feeds w/o a bowel movement is sound also. Your animal may be a shy feeder however, so you'll want to get too locked into rules. If he continues to be a "lazy feeder" you may want to up your temps to 82-84 and see if that does not result in increased interest on his part.

check out www.thecarnivorousorchid.com. Very complete and well written care information here.

So he is wanting to eat but will not strike. I turned off the lights and left the food on the bottom and he is hanging and looking down. I will check it in an hour and see if it is gone. It is now day 14. So I guess my next step is to increase the heat to 82 degrees?

Thanks again for your help Bill. I appreciate it. I heard these guys where picky eaters. I had one with my burm for awhile and now she is a machine but I do not know if it will be the same.
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0.2 Rotts
1.0 Super Tiger
0.1 Green Burm
0.1 Ball Python
0.1 Red Tail
0.1 Blood Python
1.0 Green Ananconda
1.0 Emerald Tree Boa

Yes, that seems a good plan. How are you presenting the prey when interest was shown? Forceps? Sometimes you'll have to very patient...and they will slowly take the prey w/o stike and constriction. Another thought is to heat up the prey item (dead of course) with a heat lamp or 100 watt bulb before presentation. The infrared sensors are much more dominant than other sensors (sight, smell,"taste" apparently, cause often heating the prey will get a rocket-like response. Use care and a long tool.

I went back and he did not eat the food. But that is good to know that sometimes they just take it nice. He has come up to it a few times and went around it and then backed off. I tried heating it in a plastic bag in warm water tonight, no go. I raised the temp up to 82. Do you think I should try tommorow or wait another day. I do not want to stress him out. He seems hungry and I thought he would just as you say rocket out for it. I use long forcepts and hang the mouse by the tail. Of course always dead mice.

I read how they have a hole in the box and feed it that way so they would not disturb it. He nailed the last one by me just hanging the food down.

Let me know what you think my next step should be. This thing is stressing me out. I do not want it to die.
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0.2 Rotts
1.0 Super Tiger
0.1 Green Burm
0.1 Ball Python
0.1 Red Tail
0.1 Blood Python
1.0 Green Ananconda
1.0 Emerald Tree Boa

I had the same problem trying to switch my basin
over to frozen. He would slowly investigate the food,
but not take it ever. The problem was the mouse getting
cold by the time I offered it to the snake (a mouse going from
the kitchen to the snake room gets cold fast)
Try taking a cup of hot tap water over to the cage with you, and dip the food in the water right before offering it to the snake. (holding up to a lightbulb also works)
Slowly move the prey in front of the snake, if he's hugry
you should get a quick strike. Be patient, it may take
a few attempts of re-heating, dangling, re-heating.