Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi
I wanted to ask how long do you use the deli cup method for ? I bought my thayer in Aug 06 baby.
She eats about 1 pinkie every 10 days sometimes only 1 every 2 weeks has grown and shed but not the best eater there is but does eat.
I use the deli cup method but it seems to "stress" her out as hates it . Takes around 4 hous for her to eat (thawed warm pinkie) . I am used to ca king which ate from day 1 with gusto and still does .

Would not using the deli cup be okay at this point ? I had planned to try leaving the pinkie in her hide area few hours at night.
If not eating will give it to my Ca .

Do you plan on continuing to feed in a seperate container? Ive found variables to be so laid back that I stopped feeding in a container. I just use forceps and hold it right in front of 'em... and give it a wiggle. With the Knobbies, I still put into their tupperware for meals, since mine will snap onto anything if they smell mice in the air. I mainly do it so they wont ingest any substrate.
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1 Eastern Blue Tongue Skink
2 Tarahumara Mountain Kingsnakes - Knoblochi
1 Thayer's Kingsnake - Thayeri
2 Golden Greek Tortoises
1 Pyxie Frog - 14 years old

As long as you have one or two good hides for her and the right temps, she should be fine to eat in her cage...just make sure the cage is undisturbed and in the dark all night, and I'll bet the pinkie will be gone in the morning...good luck and let us know how it goes...

Max
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Snakes to the Max

1.2 Variable Kingsnakes
1.1 Grayband x Ruthveni
0.1 Western Massasauga (WC)
1.1 Jungle Carpet Pythons
1.1 Pastel Red-tail Boas
1.0 Lavender Motley Cornsnake
4.3 Hatchling Variable Kingsnakes
0.2 Hatchling Grayband x Ruthveni Kingsnakes
0.0.2 Baby Western Massasaugas (big surprise!)
1.1 Black Milksnakes
2.4 Honduran Milksnakes
1.3 Cornsnakes

Thank you both for the info. I actually tried the moving of the pinkie last night infront of her hide area after reading the reply (I can tell she was hungry as very active searching at night) .
She wont touch the pinkie if infront of her and in deli cup can take hours if she even touches it even though I can tell hungry .

Well after reading the first post I did shake/move pinkie infront of her hide area using a long plastic "tong" holding pinkie by tip of tail . She struck it RIGHT AWAY .

I got startled went "flying" but she took it and ate it .
Amazing how moving pinkie made such difference . I bought her from kingsnake classified and breeder did say eats pinkies but not a great eater .

I am glad this worked . Her head is tiny but I must say the strike is so fast so hard that it is startling lol I never expected it .

Thank you both

If she's small enough be eating pinkies, you should be feeding her more frequently than every 10-14 days. I feed my newborns every 3-4 days. I think you've solved the feeding problem. Most small kings stress easily and wiil not eat unless they feel secure. I'd be willing to bet that your Thayeri's appetite will pick up if you continue with the method you used in your previous post. Good luck!
-Phil

I totally agree with Phil. I feed my hatchlings every 3 to 4 days. When they can take large pinks or fuzzies, I back off to every 5 days, adults I feed once a week.

I know hatchlings can be difficult. I get some that will eat regularly, then stop eating entirely for a few weeks, then start again. It's enough to drive you crazy. I try not to stress because they all end up OK in the long run. I have had only one hatchling die of starvation on me over the years. It did not eat from birth and died when it was about 8 months old (I don't force feed). If your snake is eating at all, Ritas, you have nothing to worry about. It may be spring until it's eating regularly but the fact that it's eating at all means you will have no problem in the long run.

>>I know hatchlings can be difficult. I get some that will eat regularly, then stop eating entirely for a few weeks, then start again. It's enough to drive you crazy. I try not to stress because they all end up OK in the long run.

What is enough to drive you crazy is a crazy parthenogenic eastern king hatchling that decides about every two weeks to switch her feeding methods and food choices. She started out normal enough, Hatched late July, post hatch shed, ate day old pinks no problem. Then 2 weeks later, refused food. After that it's been nothing but a game of figuring out what she wanted. I'd find something she would like and she'd stick with it for 2 weeks, then switch again. One such fad was to insist that the day old pinkies ripen for 24 hours in the cage before eating. ick gross. she seemed to enjoy having the pink stomachs rupture while eating so she could drag the pink around the cage leaving a bloody mess. glad she got over that one quickly. She's finally come back around to eating pinkies normally for a change so I've been stuffing her (1-3 sm. pinks every other day) as the two week time frame is about up and I'm afraid she might decide to switch again to something else. lol.
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PHWyvern

Im glad that worked for ya. Mine was the same way. it wouldnt accept anything in a seperate container. It was like the snake wanted to find the 'moving' prey.
Now, mine is so used to its routine, all I need to do is drop a thawed on top of him... bamm!
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1 Eastern Blue Tongue Skink
2 Tarahumara Mountain Kingsnakes - Knoblochi
1 Thayer's Kingsnake - Thayeri
2 Golden Greek Tortoises
1 Pyxie Frog - 14 years old