Reptile & Amphibian Forums

We have been blessed with 13 healthy hatchlings and they have shed. I have started attemps at feeding but no luck yet. So far I have just been using pink mice and some tapping and have had many many strikes and a few times where they have held on for a minute or two but none have gone the distance yet. I have had luck by setting there for hours using the try and try agin method with little arboreals in the past but am hoping some of you will have some ideas to help get things moving a bit easier. Are there some good tips or should I just pull up a chair and have at it??

Thanks for any help!!

Here's a video I put together a while back of how I've been feeding a picky copperhead. I've only gotten him to eat once with simple tease feeding (though I haven't tried for hours), but this technique works almost every time...with THIS snake:
Eat Already!

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What goes up must come down...unless it exceeds escape velocity.

I start my vipers with small frogs and lizards and then offer pinkies. This gets them started easier.

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Tim Cole
www.Designeratrox.com/
www.AustinReptileService.net
www.AustinReptileExpo.com/
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Conservation through Education

Congratulations!! Great video on the copperhead feeding trials. I suggest that you use only pinky heads in your tease feeding. These have the right shape so that if they get it stuck in the right position....{may take 3-4 trials}, they will usually go a head and swallow it. Scenting with treefrogs might be good too.

The one in the video WAS scented with tree frog. I've been meaning to post an action packed video of all the moving things I found when I did a fecal on the tree frog I was using. Luckily he's now taking small fuzzies more easily and without the scenting...but I usually still have to pin him...
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What goes up must come down...unless it exceeds escape velocity.

I have my game plan together. Now to get these tiny terrors to play along (fingers crossed)!!

I used to feed my baby venustus by cutting the legs off of the pinkies leaving a chunk on the end so that they resembled a little chicken leg. The snake does not have to open its mouth as wide this way and they are more likely to swallow as a result. Also, make sure the little guys aren't perched, if they feel the weight of the food item they are more likely to drop it than if they were on the ground. I would feed each baby 1-2 legs at a time, then eventually progress to small pink heads, then whole small pinks. -Derek Moynihan

I am trying but no luck yet. I have had them hold nice small rodent parts for long periods but nothing down the hatch yet. Keep on keepin' on I guess?!?!?!?!?

Hi,

At the moment, I am raising baby venustus and they are not easy to get going. With the tips you have already been given i would like to stress the size and positioning theory. often if the piece is small and easy to swallow you will have more luck. If it is buigger and positioned like a horses bit then they will often spit.

Also feed in low light that is not behind you. These snakes will spit if they feel threatened.

You could also try a gentle warm mist first which would stimulate frogs in their natural enviroment and get them in the hunting mood. Then try tail tapping as this has also worked well with me.

Mine eat now no problem.