Reptile & Amphibian Forums

For those of you with experience with hatchling Baird's, do they generally eat unscented pinks with no problem? I got a pair 9my first bairdi) at the Daytona show (they are very nice BTW) and they had both eaten prior to going to the show. So far the male has eaten twice--once a thawed pinkie that I had to wiggle for a while once a live pink. The female refuses to eat either a thawed pink, a brained pink or a live pink. I was thinking of trying lizard scenting. I know it's only been a little over a week. But you know how it goes, you get that feeling when they don't eat right away, because, let's face, most of them if they are good feeders, will eat the day you bring them home. Thanks for any advice. I'll post pictures of them soon.

A try with a rough lizard (Sceloporus, Uta, etc) is always worth a try with western babies, Mike.
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I've bever had a hatchling Baird's not respond to patient tease feeding, unless it was about to go into the blue.
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forums.kingsnake.com/viewarch.php?id=1401787,1402631&key=2007
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Regards, Bill McGighan

Thanks Bill. Unfortunately, living in Florida all I can find are anoles around my house. We do have fence lizards but I rarely see them.

I have tried tease feeding with other snakes and it was successful. I guess I just expected them to be very aggressive feeders so I was wondering if people had experienced any issues with them in particular. but I guess a baby of any species could be a potential problem feeder.

I think I'll give the tease feeding a try tonight. You've inspired me with your well put together thread

Thanks again Bill. That is a nice looking hatchling in those photos, btw. Black? Grey?

That's a Grey (White Oak) in the pic.
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Some others may want to comment, but I haven't seen any difference in the feeding response of a Baird's, compared to my other eastern and mid-western rats (old obsoletus complex).
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I forgot about where you are... If you go west and/or northwest about 15 miles of your general location, Eastern Fence lizards are pretty common. It only takes one and you can use the tails, letting the lizard go to hunt bugs another day!!
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Regards, Bill McGighan

>>For those of you with experience with hatchling Baird's, do they generally eat unscented pinks with no problem? I got a pair 9my first bairdi) at the Daytona show (they are very nice BTW) and they had both eaten prior to going to the show. So far the male has eaten twice--once a thawed pinkie that I had to wiggle for a while once a live pink. The female refuses to eat either a thawed pink, a brained pink or a live pink. I was thinking of trying lizard scenting. I know it's only been a little over a week. But you know how it goes, you get that feeling when they don't eat right away, because, let's face, most of them if they are good feeders, will eat the day you bring them home. Thanks for any advice. I'll post pictures of them soon.

I think Bill has given you great info..
try something though..Give the female a few days and try washing a pinkie with ivory soap. Put the pinkie and the female in a small deli dish and leave them in the dark for a few hours. If that doesn't work then try scenting with anole, unless you get lucky and catch a fence lizard.
Give her three or four days between each attempt.
My bairdi hatchlings all ate f/t fuzzies for their first meals.
little pigs...
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Corn snakes and rat snakes...No one can have just one.
"Resistance is futile"
Jimmy Johnson
(Draybar)
Draybars Snakes

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I'd give it some additional time before "tease feeding" it if it was eating for the breeder that produced it without any "tricks". I would also give it something larger than a standard-sized pinky. Like a fuzzy. They can eat larger food items than hatching Corn Snakes.

I hatched my first three Baird's this year and they all ate frozen/thawed fuzzy mice. I've occasionally had Honduran Milks not eat regular-sized pinkies, but accept large ones (or fuzzies).

Tim

Third Eye

Thanks. I don't know why I didn't think to try a fuzzy. I have an '08 suboc that I hatched that won't eat pinkies but will eat fuzzies. I guess I was just expecting Baird's to be really aggressive feeders compared to say, subcos. So I was surprised she wasn't interested. But I will give it a try with a fuzzy. Thanks for all the replies.

I second trying a fuzzy. You might also try giving it a tall hide spot so it can look down upon it's prey. Use a shoebox and a tall plastic deli cup with the lid on and a hole cut in the lid. Make it just tall enough so that the snake can sandwich between the lid of the deli and the top of the cage. I don't know if this will work but I had a clutch of Baird's set up this way and they fed great. On one occassion I had taken the deli-hide out of one of the cages and the snake refused food. When I put the deli-hide back in it ate. The only think I could theorize is that they like to attack better from above, who knows?
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I had my first clutch this year and none of them wanted to eat. I got an old bird egg w/ semi dried yolk inside, dripped some water on the yolk and rubbed the live pinkies face in it and almost all of them ate instantly. Good luck.