Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have a neonate hopi that is in bad shape (skinny slightly wrinkled skin tec.), I started tube feeding last night.... he's about the size that could take a day old /- pink mouse so I measured the volume of a pink mouse at 2mL... then decided to tube feed 2 ml or "Royal canin recovery" which is essentially hills A/D only better.... anyways... when I was done I at least expected a slight lump but nothing... no lump... so my question is:

What amount of food would you say is adequate for this guy for tube feeding

I also know that this food/feeding style should be short term... what would an appropriate tube feeding timeline be ( and food besides recovery), I don't wanna compromise health/organ function by feeding him the equivilant to snickers bars every week

Thanks
Sincerly
Patrick

Until it eats.What formula are you useing please elaborate.
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Archie Bottoms

Actually you won't see a lump, because you compressed the whole body of the pinkie by liquidfying it.
Leave the snake alone for a few days, give it a hide box and make sure your temps are at abt 80 degrees.

Another thing, make sure it's hydrated, place it in a container of water abt 1/2" deep for abt 15 min. Watch and see if it drinks.

Try a live pink with a little bit of fuzz on it, leave it overnight in it's container, and leave it alone.

Randal Berry

Sorry I had just got off work and did not read your post well,What Randal said is correct.
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Archie Bottoms

I have access to veterinary supplies, knowlege etc being a vet tech for a living so.....I put neonate in a restraint tube, then used a 3cc syringe and a 5 french (i think that was the size)red rubber catheter preloaded with royal canin recovery food (same as A/D) lubed red rubber and introduced via side of mouth to avoid the glottis inserted 20% down body and injected 2cc undiluted slurry (with recovery the more you mix it the more liquid it becomes) extubated snake. I didn't know about pedialyte and didn't think to add water to slurry with hydration ( I will do this next time probably sunday night) The hopi has plenty of hides and decent amount of water, When I put him back in the cage I put him directly into the water bowl and then let him crawl out.... as of this morning (12 hours post feeding) he was doing fine

Living in phoenix area, az I keep my hot room at relativly outside temps.... room is closed off to rest of house venting and window to outside is wide open allowing air exchange so temps arent a problem either

thanks for the replies, feel free to keep posting and let me know if there is anything else I need to know

I have been using these as a great tutorial for this process

Master page:
http://www.snakegetters.com/demo/vet/links.html

assist feeding 1
http://www.snakegetters.com/demo/assist-feed.html

assist feeding 2
http://www.snakegetters.com/demo/tubefeed.html

Thanks, I appreciate everything

This is an update of an old post I put together awhile ago, this mix is still a pretty good one, worth repeating every now and then...

This is a mix I have used to keep coral snakes alive for many months without feeding them any natural food items at all. This can be used for hard to maintain, acclimate or start snakes. It can also help correct some problems by replenishing the digestive trac with probiotic beneficial bacteria. Snakes maintained on this mix shed normally, grow and seem to thrive. All signs of a decent mix.

I use Gerber meat baby foods, alternating between Veal, Turkey and Lamb. I use to mix all three together, but my results improved by alternating them.

To one 2.5 oz jar I add one heaping baby-food spoon amount of buttermilk powder, one heaping baby food spoon of Rep Cal Ultra fine calcium, one dropper full squirt of baby vitamins, just a hefty dash of probiotic powder, and enough Pediatric electrolyte to make the mix easy to squirt though a catheter tube with a syringe. I mix it all with a really small whisk in a drill, using it like your mom’s mixer for cake mix. Try hard not to blow up your snake. It is very rich and you do not need to feel a lump, which when done correctly, you won't. Don't over feed a sick snake. It may get better with just a couple of tube feedings, then offer the normal item.

Here’s pictures of each product I robbed off the web-

Gerber 2nd Foods Beef & Beef Gravy Baby Food 2.5 oz.
Generic picture of the Beef, but I usually use Veal, Lamb or Turkey flavor.

Rep Cal Ultrafine Calcium with D3
100% natural Oyster Shell phosphorous-free calcium carbonate with added Vitamin D3 to aid in the absorption of calcium.

SACO Buttermilk Powder
A Cultured Blend of Sweet Cream Churned Buttermilk, Sweet Dairy Whey, and Lactic Acid.

Enfamil Poly-Vi-Sol Multivitamin Supplement Drops 1.69oz.
Has an eye dropper-like bottle cap for easy dispensing.

NutriBac reptile probiotic, these microorganisms are suppose to be in your reptiles system. Often illness is a result of this balance being off due to stress, diet, etc. This stuff can help the animal “fix itself”. Read up on this stuff if you don’t know about it. I just use about a quarter teaspoon or less in the mix. A little goes a long way in the system.

Walgreens Pediatric Electrolyte Oral Maintenance Solution, Unflavored
Probably ends up being about five tablespoons, I just wing it with this ingredient.

Gerber baby spoons
Soft bite infant spoons, silicone coating
Maybe too much information, but somebody would probably want to know…

If this works for you, please share your experience here or send me an email, I would appreciate it. I am always looking for tweaks, too!

Thanks alot, that will be useful indeed... I will make the recipe and use it this weekend.... what amount would you recommend... I have come across literature to feed the equal volume of double the normal amount....

ie find out how much volume a apropriate size food item takes up and doubles it...

if you put a pinkie mouse in a graduated cylender fill with water record and subtract difference..... double that amount in liquid died

Example a good food item for my snake would be a day old pinkie mouse.... a pinkie mouse takes up 2mL of volume so theoretically I should tube feed 4 mL

Any input on that philosphy?

Thanks

I actually believe in feeding less. All of the amount pooped is wasted and really didn’t need to go in, hair and fibers, etc. There may actually be something useful in the fiber going through too, but I haven’t thought about adding a hairball to the mix. Especially if this is just to bridge between getting the snake to eat normally, or just to get some electrolyte in there, I would be conservative and not use this to “fatten up” a snake. If you use too much the snake will let you know and regurge. I try not to make that happen.