Reptile & Amphibian Forums

how does everyone feed their newly hatched?

right out of the egg?
after first shed?
live?
f/t?

I ask because i just got 3 new alterna right out of the egg
and want to know what you all have the best luck with

I just picked them up. I will have pics of them by tonight.
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Chris - TX

2.2 Splendida
1.1 Nigrita
1.1 Ruthveni

the first one

second one

and the last one

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Chris - TX

2.2 Splendida
1.1 Nigrita
1.1 Ruthveni

I am new to alternas myself, having gotten my trio of 08s last year already feeding on mice. I know from reading these posts, and talking to others, that some have to be started on lizards, or at least lizard scented pinky mice. Others lines seem to be easier to start on mice. Some breeders brumate their hatchlings and find it is easier to get them feeding the following spring.

With my cornsnake hatchlings, I waited until after they shed, and then most fed right away on pinky mice, live or F/T (except this one, who couldn't wait!)

I am hoping to have baby alternas in the next year or two, so I will be figuring it out too.

Maybe some that are more experienced will have better answers for you. You might also post this question on the king snake forum.

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Kent

0.1 Hypomelanistic striped cornsnake
0.0.3 Hypo (het lavender, striped) cornsnake hatchlings
0.0.5 Normal (het hypo, lavender, striped) cornsnake hatchlings
1.2 Gray-banded kingsnakes, blairs phase
1.1 Oregon rubber boas

I think the usual process if fairly well known. Lizard parts, lizard scented pinkies, actual lizards if all else fails. Then braining can be used etc. My personal experience has been to provide them with a hide spot and a small but comfortable enlosure. Make sure they get some quiet dark time.If that doesnt work a deli cup, ventilated with a brained small pinkie has always done the trick. I place it in a quiet closet as well.

Hope this helps

Scott

I have always waited until after the first shed to offer food. That gives them time to absorb the yolk and develop an appetite. Most of the alterna I produced I sold prior to their first sheds at show or wholesaled. Mainly because they were the last clutches to hatch in late summer before the annual show I would do. However, the ones I did hold back only took small lizards (actually baby geckos)for their first meals and refused pink mice. Once they fed a couple of times on the baby geckos, they would take tails from adult geckos, then on to scented pinks, then unscented pinks. It was usually a pretty quick process once the snake took its first meal and developed the "need to feed" so to speak. IMO, I seemed to have better luck breaking down and offering lizards than trying to force feed mouse tail, etc. When baby alterna start to feed on their own, it seems to just get that mechanism to feed started in their brains and they develop the appetites young snakes should have.

as a coincidence, I always find baby geckos in my house around this time of the year when I would have baby alterna to feed. Pretty much daily from mid-August to mid/late September, I find a baby gecko or two in the house. Mainly in the bathrooms for some reason (moisture???). Talk about opportune timing and it makes me miss not breeding alterna LOL!! I would have to assume the same is going on in nature with timing of baby lizards and baby alterna.

Funny you post that, I too always find baby geckos around the hose this time of year (and all other sizes which may find their way to my freezer just in case). I actually put a couple baby geckos in all the cages and all the snakes finally ate.

Thanks for your reply

2 of the snakes had shed already
1 had not
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Chris - TX

2.2 Splendida
1.1 Nigrita
1.1 Ruthveni

Nice. I appeared to me that two or three feedings with the geckos ingrained the feed response in the babies, and I could then get them to even take just adult sized gecko tails. If they took the tails of the adult geckos pretty quickly I knew it was on and they would probaby take ANYTHING that smelled like gecko LOL!! Usually it worked and they took to scented pinks pretty quickly. Good luck. Man I miss alternas!!!