Reptile & Amphibian Forums

It's not common for Honduran's to be like this, but this little dude has been real stubborn since day one!....at first, it wouldn't eat pinkies at ALL, dead,alive,brained,whatever! So after a long while of not eating, I gave him egg yolk in a syringe to keep him going until he eventually decided to eat on his own.........well, after a while, I had enough, and went into my back yard and got a brown anole, I really didn't want to get him accustomed to eating anoles, but figured I'll eventually switch him over to pinkies in due time, and as long as he's eating something on his own, that's all good!....anyway, "Little Dude" took to the anole no problem!.....I was glad he took something voluntarily. So after a few more anole feedings, I began to rub the "tail juice" from an anole all over a pinkie(especially the face) and I'd stuff a little piece of lizard tail in the pinkies mouth......I put the pinkie at his hide box entrance in a little "shot-glass", head pointing out, so it wouldn't get substrate stuck all over it. Again!, this worked great for several more feedings...... I thought maybe today would be just about the right time to see if he'd finally take just a plain ol' pinkie, I waited two weeks on purpose so he'd be good and hungry, and would PROBABLY take one now that he got used to the scent of pinkie(I tried two previous times un-scented, but no dice) so after all the rest of the snakes were fed, I held a plain F/T pinkie in front of the hide box entrance, and BANG!! he finally did it!........I knew with enough patience, I would get this little dummy to eat pinkies on his own eventually. I don't like to sell snakes that aren't eating well on their own, unless it goes to a VERY "seasoned" keeper, otherwise, I might just as well step on it's head, and save it a long agonizing death by starvation in someone elses care........anyway he's happy,...I'm happy!!..worked out great!.....I figured I'd do this long "shpeel" in hopes someone else might read this, and be able to switch over any "problem-feeders" they might have as well with these tips....hope it helps someone!.............................................Doug

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Better to be silent and thought a fool, than to open mouth and remove any doubt!

I have never heard of a Honduran baby that didn’t eat pinks, I don’t think mine have ever refused a meal much less been picky - learn something new everyday.

Anyway, I do something similar for the Thayeri babies that are picky but, I usually wash a f/t pink and then get a lizard to bite the nose. I have tons of lizards in the yard and have boards lain out that they hide under to make catching them easier. Less traumatic for the lizards and it works great (I let the lizard go after it bites a pink or two).
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Rick
Never Enough
Reptiles

It can be very frustrating dealing with these guys but you kept your cool and your patience payed off! Its funny how some of them just don't have a taste for mice when they are born and others can't get enough.

Just curious to ask what is the longest you have ever had a hatchling go without feeding and then go on to be fine? I know they absorb the yoke and can survive a pretty long time well hydrated fresh from the egg, but what is the limit?

I can't give you an exact number of days, and of course as you know would depend on the idividual, species, size, etc...but I've had some neonates go for a couple months(just estimating) in the past that finally got the "message", and began a feeding response to prey items, that went on to be voracious eaters after they "learned" how to eat..........sorry I couldn't give you more detailed info!,....there certainly is alot of variables involved with this...........Oh!!,BTW, I got a real laugh out of your "nostalgia post", with the "goofy-grape"drink, and free gun in the cereal box!! I was laughin' my @#$$ off lookin' at those!!LOL....did you read my reply?......later dude!.............Doug
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Better to be silent and thought a fool, than to open mouth and remove any doubt!

I realize there is no easy answer to that question. I am aware that baby snakes are born with some reserve from the yoke sack and they can probably go a scary-long time without eating if they are not too active. I also thing that proper hydration is critical too.

I did read your response on the "nostalgia post". We are the same age so I know that stuff would be as familiar to you. I was making a joke about us being all hyped up on sugar and flipping every board within biking distance as kids! You know it’s true. I could have mentioned those Now & Laters, Koogle ( a little like chocolate, a little like peanut ...), Frito Bandito, nutter butter peanut butter sandwich cookies and “How ‘bout a nice Hawaiian punch?” and you’d say “Sure!” I bet you remember all that stuff! I do get a kick out of some of that stuff from the childhood and reminiscing how we did stuff as kids that most of today’s youth can’t ever experience because the world is such a crazy place.
I’m including a link to the other post in case somebody reads this and wants to know what the heck we’re talking about! I thought it was pretty good stuff too!

Link to original post

Have a great weekend.

n/p
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Better to be silent and thought a fool, than to open mouth and remove any doubt!