Reptile & Amphibian Forums

when do you all usually worry about hatchlings getting into a good feeding routine?
how soon do you offer plant matter?
I dont want to power feed them but I dont want them to starve for months either, would it be fine to start them feeding evey other day once #3's yolk is gone?

Typically, starting to offer food after the yolk is gone and offering food every other day is just fine: I have found that most of the hatchlings I raise aren't really interested in eating every day anyway.

Trying to introduce finely chopped plant material (veggies, friuts etc.) at about 3 months works for me.

Don't despair if they don't eat the veggies, or eat very much at all in general at first: that yolk can last them a VERY long time.

Stephanie

Rouen-
I think if your live food creatures are well fed, your hatchlings will be getting enough vegetable matter indirectly. A favorite of my Eastern hatchlings were small "pond" snails (aquarium raised) placed in shallow water, They were slow enough, and of the right size, and the hatchlings would "crunch" them shell and all, so I think they were getting the extra calcium also!!

Hatchlings can be finicky. I have found that hatchlings will be slow at first; until their digestive systems become used to many types of food. Note.. they will not feed readily until their yolk sac is completely absorbed which is dependent on temperature. I keep my hatchlings temps around 84-86 degrees F. with 80% humidity for proper shell formation.

Another factor that will greatly swing your hatchlings mood to feeding is UVB and UVA light. The two combined act as a powerful stimulant; the shell becoming stronger being able to form D3 and the UVA causing them to be more active. Once biosynthesis of D3 starts; the hatchlings will crave food and need it every day.

Again after the yolk is absorbed ( 5-10 days at 84 degrees slower at lower temps) I give my hatchlings 1-2 hours of UVA & UVB light. I gradually increase the amount over a two week period until they are receiving 8-10 hours. I presently have four sets of hatchlings at different stages; but all will be put on a schedule. I have found that they will get used to certain times for feeding and will be out and waiting for their vittles! I start them on Calcium and D3 (with inside lighting) the second week of feeding.

They will not crave veggies as much as live or prepared dry meat based food; because at this stage they are more carnivorous. But I slip chopped DK. greens and mashed yellow squash in the food the third week and they feed on all greedily.

Regarding feeding scheduling; I believe hatchlings have a very fast metabolism compared to adult boxies. They desire and need food every day. At 4-6 months, you can kick back and feed them every other day, and at a year old every 3-4 days. ..etc.

Ric K.

P.S. Love your hatchling's photos....and thanks for the LINK info!

yesterday I took all 3 of them out on a "field trip" to get some real UV rays, supervised of course, they seemed to like it, #1 and 2 became really active, weather permitting they will go back out today.

My E.B.T yearling is still not eating greens and is very healthy.I read that this is normal up to a few yrs.I have been raising him/her on Reptomin floating food sticks which he only eats in the water when I soak him every day.He also gets the occasional worm or cricket I find in my backyard but the Reptomin is good because it has all the minerals and vitamins they need aside from cuttlebone as a form of calcium which they like to gnaw on.There are many websites that have all the info you need on raising hatchlings and they typically won't eat for a few weeks after hatching.The first food mine ate was small earthworms.

Last night, I tried feeding a clutch of six that hatched around
July 25th for a second time. This being a more serious attempt.

I was well armed with molted mealworms, rolipolis and very small earthworms.

They had just had a soak with reptimin in the water (which they didn't touch).

Only one seemed seriously interested. He ate a couple of mealworms, a couple of rolipolies and played around with the earthworm.

One other took a bite of a mealworm and that was it.

The other four refused to acknowledge the bounty I had placed before them.

This gets frustrating. My very first clutch in 2001 ate early and often.

Last year I had one baby that went three months. I was just about to resort to force feeding.