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Who knows about Feeding Anoles?

Marcel Poots Sep 17, 2003 04:27 AM

I pickup up a dropdead gorgeous Bloodred Baby yesterday. The person I got it from warned me that his Bloodred are notorious none feeders. She hatched about a week ago and I will start trying this week. First live pinkies, thawed, chick-scented, brained, refrozen etc. After all fails I want to do the Anole thing. I have never seen an Anole in my life so are they small enough to feed or do I need to chop one up in pieces? Or do you just scent the pink with anole?
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Marcel Poots (Holland)
'Where is your crown King Nothing?' James Hettfield

Replies (4)

h0mersimps0n Sep 17, 2003 06:19 AM

Hey Marcel.

Definitely try scenting first. It never worked for me but it's suppose to be reliable.

What DID work for me are one of two things.
1.) Live anole (long, skinny, green lizard of the smallest size you can find) in a small container with the snake and watch the two for a few minutes. If it seems like the anole might be too big despite your best efforts to find the smallest possible or it's just stressing the snake (because the anoles do seem to know "whats up" just remove it.

2.) Freeze the anole and try again a few days later ONLY this time, with it thawed, snip off a piece of the anole tail. Use the blood, if any, to juice up a thawed pinky face and then shove the thick part of the lopped off tail into the pinkies mouth and just set the pinky-anole tail combo in the feeding deli cup. I bet it works first try, I've had huge success with this method.

IF it does work, use the juice from the cut portion of the lizard to juice up a second pinky and offer it after he/she is done with the first. No tail, arm or leg in the mouth though. Utilize the "feeding instinct" and lessen the triggers gradually. I'm betting too he/she will eat that second pinky without a tail, arm or leg in the mouth.

Those are some of the methods I tried. There was one non eater that would only strike at a full thawed only anole meal, I had to give him away for free but it was good to know he had some instinct to eat.

It's amazing to see the little guys perk up for anoles but they really do.

Marcel Poots Sep 17, 2003 11:28 AM

>>Hey Marcel.
>>
>>Definitely try scenting first. It never worked for me but it's suppose to be reliable.
>>
>>What DID work for me are one of two things.
>>1.) Live anole (long, skinny, green lizard of the smallest size you can find) in a small container with the snake and watch the two for a few minutes. If it seems like the anole might be too big despite your best efforts to find the smallest possible or it's just stressing the snake (because the anoles do seem to know "whats up" just remove it.
>>
>>2.) Freeze the anole and try again a few days later ONLY this time, with it thawed, snip off a piece of the anole tail. Use the blood, if any, to juice up a thawed pinky face and then shove the thick part of the lopped off tail into the pinkies mouth and just set the pinky-anole tail combo in the feeding deli cup. I bet it works first try, I've had huge success with this method.
>>
>>IF it does work, use the juice from the cut portion of the lizard to juice up a second pinky and offer it after he/she is done with the first. No tail, arm or leg in the mouth though. Utilize the "feeding instinct" and lessen the triggers gradually. I'm betting too he/she will eat that second pinky without a tail, arm or leg in the mouth.
>>
>>Those are some of the methods I tried. There was one non eater that would only strike at a full thawed only anole meal, I had to give him away for free but it was good to know he had some instinct to eat.
>>
>>It's amazing to see the little guys perk up for anoles but they really do.
-----
Marcel Poots (Holland)
'Where is your crown King Nothing?' James Hettfield

carol Sep 17, 2003 10:48 AM

I have found this year, the best thing to do for my bloodred and bloodred outcross hatchlings was to make sure they were housed alone in a quiet, private spot, not to handle them at all in the beginning and to leave food in thier enclosure overnight with no peeking until morning. In my limited experience it seems they like privicy even more than anoles. Hatchling anoles are small enough to feed whole, but an adult will need to be chopped up. Legs, tail, and head all make a good meal. However, if you have a local non-poisonous lizard, it is a lot easier and cheaper to offer those. I got tired of paying the $7 per anole and started catching lizards at the creek down my street. The snakes seem to like them just the same.

Marcel Poots Sep 17, 2003 11:26 AM

Thanks Carol,

I have her housed very small and alone. I have good hopes but I am very affraid she will not eat. It's because she is so darn beautifull.. Or else I would not so be worried

Marcel

>>I have found this year, the best thing to do for my bloodred and bloodred outcross hatchlings was to make sure they were housed alone in a quiet, private spot, not to handle them at all in the beginning and to leave food in thier enclosure overnight with no peeking until morning. In my limited experience it seems they like privicy even more than anoles. Hatchling anoles are small enough to feed whole, but an adult will need to be chopped up. Legs, tail, and head all make a good meal. However, if you have a local non-poisonous lizard, it is a lot easier and cheaper to offer those. I got tired of paying the $7 per anole and started catching lizards at the creek down my street. The snakes seem to like them just the same.
-----
Marcel Poots (Holland)
'Where is your crown King Nothing?' James Hettfield

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