Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Bought my first pair at a show in March.Smallish 05s.Seller said he was feeding small fuzzies and not pushing them.Both refused live fuzzies for about 6 weeks.

I had not asked seller live or FT,so thinking I had improperly assumed live,I tried FT. Seems to work,but the bizzare thing is that they don't seem to eat them until they have sat there 24 hours and are pretty ripe!!

None of my other species do this,is it bizarre,or normal for TP's??
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Lloyd Heilbrunn

Palm Beach Gardens, Fl.

>>Bought my first pair at a show in March.Smallish 05s.Seller said he was feeding small fuzzies and not pushing them.Both refused live fuzzies for about 6 weeks.
>>
>>I had not asked seller live or FT,so thinking I had improperly assumed live,I tried FT. Seems to work,but the bizzare thing is that they don't seem to eat them until they have sat there 24 hours and are pretty ripe!!
>>
>>None of my other species do this,is it bizarre,or normal for TP's??

It's not bizarre.

Some of them can be really, really shy when it comes to feeding. Individuals (especially related animals) will sometimes do what you have described when brought to a new environment for several months, or if their cage is too big. All of my '05s (except for one)are good-sized but still live in Vision hatchling tubs. Most of them get really nervous and won't eat if put in a larger 32-quart sized cage.
Try offering smallish food items right before you turn the lights out at night and don't disturn until morning.

DR
Suboc.com

Yeah the pair I got from Dusty are very shy eaters at times. Part of it with mine may be the size of the enclosure since they are in larger then recomended enclosures(but with lots of cozy hides and burrow spots).

For my female puting her in a small opaque container(like a hatchling cup if they still fit in it) and leaving her in the container inside her enclosure for an hour or so normally works.

The male is more hit and miss as either he could care less and virually takes it from hand or he won't even look at it until after dark and quiet.

Either way I wouldn't worry but would suggest that if using F/T then to place it on the cold end of the tank. I've had a fuzzy virtually explode because it was a warm day and too close to the heat sources.

Another thing I have started doing is placing the food inside one of the hides (normally just inside the entrance) as my subocs seem much more comfortable eating them there.

Sean

Thanks.I have one in a 20 long and one in a 2ft Vision(tall model).I'll check to see if I need more hides.

Glad it not unusual.

How big are your '05s???

Guess I need to post some pics,too....
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Lloyd Heilbrunn

Palm Beach Gardens, Fl.

>>Thanks.I have one in a 20 long and one in a 2ft Vision(tall model).I'll check to see if I need more hides.

Those cages are really too big for that age group. They need smaller ones. Hides may or may not help. Subocs are very thigmotropic, meaning they like to be snug. I'm only speaking from experience here.

I don't know the exact size of my '05s, but I've raised small ones and these aren't small. I tried moving them to a Vision 32 qt. rack (model 1756, I believe), and most woudln't acclimate and settle down. Vision 32 qts. are roughly the same floor space of a 10 gallon aquarium (perhaps a little bigger) but no where near as tall.

DR

Keep mine in a 4 footer I built myself. Male kept separate when not breeding. Feed them in an empty shoe box with fresh killed or df mice, rat pups. If fresh killed the female will almost always take em' off the forceps if she's holed up in her rock cave. You can also use live fuzzies in the box with df adults to get them going.

Mike

My friend had two baby rubber boas that only took "ripe" dead pinks.

I think they are very individualistic, is that a word? My w.c. males feed sporadically, my w.c. female is a killer, prefering to ambush from the rock pile. The big boy was the pickiest, but has settled nicely, the other male never misses a meal and they are often inquisitive, the female is a hider.
Todd Hughes

Glad to see that monster stabilized, Todd.
What became his primary food?
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Regards, Bill McGighan

Haha, he eats mice...and gerbils...and young rats...and cliff swallow hatchlings....Sometimes I get a deal for gerbils at the local pet store, if they aren't selling at 6.95, they sell me a few for a buck fifty, mostly he is on adult mice but can do 6 in a sitting, but skips a week, sometimes he eats 2 young rats, when I don't have enough mice for a good meal, sometimes I come across dozens of baby swallows that have fallen out of the nest when I'm out herping, waste not want not, the Texas rats will get them if the fire ants don't! I vary it during spring/summer but the main diet is mice, he just eats too dang many!
Todd Hughes

That is great......
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Regards, Bill McGighan

Lloyd,

Ditto what has been said above about getting the suboc to feed.
The behavior you are experiencing is certainly not unusual especially in young animals. Another thing that I have found that seems to help a little is to deprive them of their water bowl for a couple of days before offering food to them. Good luck.
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Gerald Keown
Southwestern Center for Herpetological Research
www.southwesternherp.com

WHAT YOU SHOULD DO IS PLACE THE F/T IN AT DUSK THE SAME AS GETTING YOUNG DIFFICULT CORN TO EAT ALSO OR TRY USING A SMALL CONTAINER WITH THE F/T IN IT THIS SHOULD SOLVE YOU PROBLEM