Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Does it matter what kind of lizard I use? Are there any especially successful strategies when it comes to getting grey bands on mice?

Also is it a bad idea to handle the hatchling snakes?

Thanks
James

Can I practice popping hatchlings with snakes that drowned in the egg? What is the technique and procedure to popping hatchlings? I figured I would try it in a scenario in which i can not hurt the snake, like an already dead one is this plausible?

James

I know that in dead road cruised snakes, the trauma was such(usually) for the hemipenes to already be out on males, and it is very easy to do with a dead snake, there are no muscles alive to contract. I would probe the dead ones to get better at it and a more accurate response. If it doesn't pop male, it doesn't always mean it is female.
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Todd Hughes

My experience, although short in duration with alterna yet long-term with zonata, has been that using a lizard indigenous to the area where they are from. The closest, and in actuality IS, for alterna are fence lizards (sceloporus ssp). Sceloporus are easily found in large quantities (or can be shipped) throughout their ranges and are taken readily by the few alternas that I have had since out-of-the-egg hatchlings just the same as the countless zonatas I have bred over the course of many years. Many have been successful at freezing the lizards, and then thawing and scenting on a pinky. I have had limited success in this. What I've found to work better is dry-scenting the pinky on a live captive sceloporus. If that fails, what has worked each and every time for me is feeding a baby sceloporus to a resistant hatchling. Do this a few times, and then dry-scent with a quick offering on forceps to the hatchling. Let the hatchling smell it without overwhelming it, and maybe even give the pink a little wiggle and pull it away to see if there's some interest. You should have success with this recipe. Others will say anoles or house geckos, and i've had limited success with this as well. But I've taken a hatchling alterna that i used anoles/house geckos with, and after many months with little to no success, the aformentioned suggestion worked faster and the results were solid in a fraction of the time.
So after several dry scents it is likely that, with less and less scenting, the stubborn hatchling will switch over to unscented pinks. Patience, patience, patience and a steady hand. No need to force feed or pinky pump -- way too traumatic and unnecessary. Best of luck!

First live lizard offered

After 2 live lizard meals and several scented pinks. This pic was taken after a couple of unscented meals. The process took about 6 weeks. This was an '07 hatchling, and I did everything else with little success. I offered the first baby lizard in April '08 and by end of May he was good to go and eating strong on unscented pinks. Note the improved muscle tone and weight gain. Again, patience and a better recipe.

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Jerry Kruse

"When the character of a man is not clear to you, look to his friends." -- Japanese Proverb

Wow Jerry, that actually helped me out also. How the heck did you get your alterna to constrict the food? I can never get mine to do that.

It might be because I am only feeding f/t mice.
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You can never have only one snake!

Tony,

didn't you know that if you allow your snakes to go outside for a while, you can get them pretty much to do anything you want them to? Shucks, just last month I got one of my kingsnakes to go grocery shopping for me.

Okay, funnies aside. Tony, I didn't "get them" to do anything really. This prey item triggered a feeding response, and like Emeril would say....."BAM"!!!! The rest is just a form of operant conditioning, that's all. Over time, the scent becomes less and less rubbed onto the thawed pinky. Glad the posting helped though, and don't be shy in asking in the future again. It does take some practice.
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Jerry Kruse

"When the character of a man is not clear to you, look to his friends." -- Japanese Proverb

Actually that was pretty funny!

Thanks for the 'behavior modification' Jerry! I really appreciate it! =)

Tony
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You can never have only one snake!