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One of the surviving litter from my Suri worries me. It got detached from the yolk sack it shared with its twin before absorbing much (and the yolk sack was large), so the little guy is very skinny and weak.

I'm just wondering if, since he has nothing in his belly, would it be advisable to try feeding him/her before the first shed? I'm really worried because this morning he was laying belly-up, though he righted himself after I touched his tail.

He's the smallest of the litter. His twin is fairly small too, but much more lively.

Thanks in advance.
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Lauren Madar - OphidiaGems.com | CageMakers | lauren at liquidleaf dot com |
2.2 BP, 1.0 Hog Is., 1.1 Hypo BCI, 1.1 Surinam BCC, 1.1 Saharan Sand Boas

It has been my prefrence not feed pre-shed unless the babies did not absorb much of there yolk. Just my humble opinion.
Joel Thomas

Ok. I wasn't planning on trying it on any of the babies who did absorb yolk, so I'll just try with that one.
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Lauren Madar - OphidiaGems.com | CageMakers | lauren at liquidleaf dot com |
2.2 BP, 1.0 Hog Is., 1.1 Hypo BCI, 1.1 Surinam BCC, 1.1 Saharan Sand Boas

Just keep it as small as possible like a pinky mouse, how old are they now? If not too far out from first shed you may just want to wait.
Joel

They were born Thursday July 3rd. So, they are 4 days old.

3 of them can definately wait to feed, as they still have bellies that are swollen with a bit of yolk, and the one twin is strong enough to be defensive and hissy.

I'm just worried about the runt.
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Lauren Madar - OphidiaGems.com | CageMakers | lauren at liquidleaf dot com |
2.2 BP, 1.0 Hog Is., 1.1 Hypo BCI, 1.1 Surinam BCC, 1.1 Saharan Sand Boas

I just read another post about the state of health that baby is in and that changes everything. In that condition I think you have no choice but to try to feed, like Jeff was saying in that state they normally dont pull through but we gotta try right? The youngster may be too weak to eat on his own if you have a pinky pump that would be great, but let him/her try on its own first. Best wishes keep us posted.
Joel Thomas

The novelist/fiction writer Charles Darwin did write about the "survival of the fittest" which in minimal ways makes sense. My experience is that babies like you described do not make it. I would be shocked if it would be willing to eat and surprised if it survives. I have tried to save many of them in the past. Many. That does not mean I would do everything in my power to try to get it going. Why not try to feed it? No reason I know of. An update either way would be good information for others to learn from. That's what forums are all about.

All that being said, I have fed pre-shed babies before that had absorbed all their yolk. These were only thin energy filled babies that were ready for the next step in life, eating their first meal. They did very well.
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I don't have high hopes for the little guy - I actually thought he/she was dead several different times (once, holding his head at such a sharp angle that his neck looked broken, other times belly up). Once prodded, he moves around sort of normally, but when he's relaxed, he kind of has that "dead snake" look to his body (can't explain exactly what I mean by that something about how his body flexes).

I *want* him to live, though, especially since it's a twin of some sort. Just want the survival rate to be more than 50%, ya know? Sigh, too bad nature doesn't honor feelings.

I'll buy a pink on the way home for him and see what happens. I am thankful, though, that I didn't have to euthanize any defects. Will let you all know how it goes, thanks!
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Lauren Madar - OphidiaGems.com | CageMakers | lauren at liquidleaf dot com |
2.2 BP, 1.0 Hog Is., 1.1 Hypo BCI, 1.1 Surinam BCC, 1.1 Saharan Sand Boas

... but not the smaller of the two. The pinkie is still crawling around in the little guy's container. I don't have a pinky pump, so is the next step to brain the pink and see if that interests the little guy?

I think I also read somewhere that some people have fed mouse/rat tails since they are easier to force feed.

At least the larger of the twins (who didn't absorb much yolk either before it was detached) has something in its belly.
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Lauren Madar - OphidiaGems.com | CageMakers | lauren at liquidleaf dot com |
2.2 BP, 1.0 Hog Is., 1.1 Hypo BCI, 1.1 Surinam BCC, 1.1 Saharan Sand Boas