Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Ok, i just bought a baby blair kingsnake, and have had it for4-5 days now. The last 2 days ive tried feeding it and it wont eat the frozen pinkie whne i dangle it in front of him. (The tmep is 85 one side 75 other). I then left the mouse in the tank overnite and he still hasnt eaten it. Im going to try leaving the snake in a closed container with the mouse overnight. But i need to know if the mouse has already gone bad from being out overnight. I also wonder if any of you have comments or suggestions about my feeding predicament. Thanks in advance,
-Elliot

What you have there is one of the most difficult baby snakes to get feeding. Blair's King Snakes (L.m.alterna) are generally lizard-eaters when they are babies. It is possible to get them feeding on pinkies, though. You may have a very difficult time getting it started on frozen/thawed. It may be best, if possible, to try live pinkies first. You may also want to scent the pinkies with something like Lizard-Maker, unless you can find a live Sceloporus lizard to scent with. It does help to put them in a deli cup with a scented live pinkie and just leave them alone for a day or two.

Some people have some luck with "braining" pinkies, but that has never worked for me with a Gray Banded Kingsnake that I can recall. I've successfully used that technique with Mountain Kings and such, but not Gray Bands.

Usually out of 100 baby Gray Bands, for me anyway, about 80 will eventually feed on unscented pinkies using just the deli-cup method, probably 20 of those on the first or second attempt. Another 15 or so will start on scented pinkies in a deli cup. The other 5 will have to be force-fed or assist-fed until they start. Once you have them feeding on live pinkies it's usually no problem to switch them to frozen/thawed.

I have made the mistake a time or two of giving in and feeding them lizards. They are darn near impossible to switch to mice once they eat a lizard, then you have the job of keeping a supply of lizards to feed them. Don't do it.

As far as the pinkie you are trying to use now, you will know if it is spoiled. They are relatively cheap anyway...don't try to refreeze and reuse it, just throw it away and get a fresh one if the snake doesn't eat it.

I'd give the snake more than a day between attempts, too. Don't want to stress the little guy out. I hope a live pinkie works for you!!!
-----
Peter: It's OK, I'll handle it. I read a book about something like this.
Brian: Are you sure it was a book? Are you sure it wasn't NOTHING?

I really appreciate your imput, im going to go get a new mouse and try the deli cup method.