Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have a non feeder that I have been feeding 1 1/2 cc of diluted A/D formula for the past couple of weeks. Ive tried all the methods with the pinkies and nothing has worked so far. So my question is, at what point do you give up on the snake and just let it die. I dont want to have to tube feed this thing forever.
Thanks

I had 4 non eaters earlier this year. They went 7 weeks without eating, I force fed them a small pink, and after that they have been eating on their own. I guess what Im getting at, is dont give up until the end. They may come around. Good Luck.
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I have come to the conclusion that there is no cure for snake addiction!

In that case would anyone have an info sheet for force feedins pinkies? I havent tried force feeding yet, just been using A/D vet formula.

This is what I do:

Grab the snake's head between the index and thumb. They will fight and try to wrap their bodry. Keep the body straight with your pinky finger and palm. Wet the pinky head, maybe with melted buttter or just water. Open the snakes mouth using an index card. slide the pinky in the now open mouth removing the card and get the pinky in as far as you can. Use a blunt object to push alternalely behind each front leg of the pinky until tle front legs ar in. Push at the base of the spine on the pinky until in completely. hold the snake's mouth shut and work the pinky down while trying to get the snake to move it down on it's own. This can get messy and will not be sucessful if you tear the pinky. Not the most pleasant activity, but with practice you will improve.

>>I have a non feeder that I have been feeding 1 1/2 cc of diluted A/D formula for the past couple of weeks. Ive tried all the methods with the pinkies and nothing has worked so far. So my question is, at what point do you give up on the snake and just let it die. I dont want to have to tube feed this thing forever.
>>Thanks

have you tried washing the pinkies?
Get some dial or ivory soap.
thaw out a pinkie, wash it with the dial or ivory soap and then rinse thoroughly.
Place the washed pinkie in a new deli dish, add the snake and place it in a dark quite place.
I had a couple of non feeders that I had been force feeding for a couple of months, they had never eaten on their own. One was born in June the other July.
I tried the washed pinkie method last Sunday night and it worked.
Simple as that, it worked.
If you decide to try force feeding, the intructions listed by "Pinky" are pretty much what it takes.
I always start with a pinkie head instead of the whole pinkie.
Once they go a few weeks taking the pinkie heads I will then move up to a whole pinkie.
These guys were growing and even shed a couple of times they just would not eat on their own.
Like I said....first try with washed pinkies and wham, they ate.
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Corn snakes and rat snakes..No one can have just one.
"Resistance is futile"
Jimmy Johnson
(Draybar)
Draybars Snakes

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Ive tried live pinkies, F/T, F/T cut, and even tried washing them with dial, ivory, and safeguard soap. So I think I am gonna have to resort to the forcing.

tuna fish water scented pinkies? How about putting the pinky and the snake into a small brown paper bag, folding over the top carefully and putting the whole thing back into the cage? How about a mini brumation period, if the snakes aren't too frail to last for a month or so?
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phflame
kingsnake.com host

Ill admit Im still a new person to Corns. My first one was a little bit of a problem because I handled it too much. For these youngins I have 2 that eat like maniacs. The other 3 are choosey except the one doesnt like mice (or so I think). Ive tried live, F/T, F/T cut, F/T washed, and the sort. Tonight I successfully forced 2 pinky heads (yeah!). The bodies left, I gave to the other choosey eaters, no results. So I put the other 2 maniacs in and nothing but fat snakes... So from what I know its hit or miss.

>>Ive tried live pinkies, F/T, F/T cut, and even tried washing them with dial, ivory, and safeguard soap. So I think I am gonna have to resort to the forcing.

Beheaded live (well, when you start) pinky in a cup....bloody but works with any I have had to do it for.
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Sonya

I'm not mean. You're just a sissy.
Happy Bunny

i tried that ivory thing and i guess none of my snakes got that memo... maybe it doesnt work with miamis??

~kin
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~SNAKIES~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Corns:
.1 Normal (Gertrude) [just a pet...she started it all]
1. unknown hypo? normal? (Romeo)
1.2 Miami Phase (Hector, Emily, Charlotte) thanks jeff!
2. Miami Phase part zigzag (Starkey, Mcvitty)[Emilys F2]
1. Amel het Blizzard (Dunesbury)
1. Classic het Hypo, poss het Amel, Anery (Cobra)
1.1 Classics (Henry VIII, Cassy) [Emilys F1 babies]
.1 Amel (Pepperoni)
1.1 Hypo zig zags poss HET Caramel (Bernard, Abegail)
.1 Hypo HET Stripe (Gracie Lou)
1.1 Anery HET Motley (Lleroy, Persia)
.1 Candy Cane (Peaches HoneyBlossom) [Just a pet]
1. Abbotts Okeetee (Albert) [Charlottes son]
1.1 Snow (NO NAME, Isis)

Others:
1.1 Black rats (Willard, Cecily)
1.1 Striped Cal Kings (Dweezil, Skunky)
1. High-white Reverse Spotted Cal King (Wishbone)
.1 Albino Stripe Cal King (Eve)
.1 Bananna spotted/stripe cal king (no name) Thanks Jeff!!!
1. MSP Thayeri (Guiseppe)
1.1 Creamsicle HET Motley(Orangejello, Genevieve)
1. Creamsicle motley (no name) Thanks Jimmy!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~LEOPARD GECKOS~~~~~~~~~~~~~
1. Normal het Midnight Blizzard (Mr. Spot)
.1 Blizzard (Blitz)
.1? unknown High yellow and brown spots...hypo? (no name)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~TURTLES~~~~~~~~~~~~
.1 white cheeked mud (Opel)
.1 snapping turtle (no name, ideas welcome)
~~~~~~~~~~~~OTHER~~~~~~~~~~~~
0.0.1 American toad