Reptile & Amphibian Forums

To all, thanks in advance, I know I will get some awesome advice. I have 2.2 Het pieds that were runts of their clutches. 20grms, 25 grms, 35grms and 50grms. They have all just gone through their first shed this week. Their story is simple....lightbulb shaped eggs, no room for them to grow before hatching.

My question...what is the best procedure for inducing them to eat? Should I start now or wait for a week or so? Some info I have read suggests runts very rarely eat and thrive. I would love to prove that theory wrong, but I need some advice and or stories, good or bad. I really dont think I will force feed, that never seems to solve anything but I want them to live a well fed life. Any suggestions?

tom siegrist

I've had 4 runts so far and all have fed on live hopper mice (a little on the small side but with open eyes and long fur) right after shedding. The first two where twins brothers in the low to mid 30s gram range back in 2003. The last two where from a disastrous first clutch this year (3 slugs, 2 infertile, only 2 fertile). Of the two fertile eggs one was a "light bulb". However, I was very surprised that even the good looking egg had an extremely small baby (they where small eggs, they just didn't look that small). The babies where in the low to mid 20s grams - the smallest I've ever seen. Both ate last week right after their first shed and considerably increased their weights. In fact, the female ate both the hoppers this week so I need to go out and get another for the male. I'm sure a lot of it is gut load but she is already up to normal hatchling weight in just a couple weeks.

So, my LIMITED experience is that runts aren't a problem and it only puts them a few weeks behind non runts. I've occasionally had some slow starters but none of them where the runts. I did have a baby leave it's yolk behind once and it was a slow starter and had me worried but he eventually started eating and is doing fine now.

I’m even interested in selective breeding for clutches with more and smaller eggs from ball pythons based on my opinion that runts don’t make much difference in captivity but it’s starting to look like the tendency to lay larger numbers of smaller eggs isn’t as genetically predictable as I originally hoped. I’ve seen two cases where a first clutch might come out with a high ratio of eggs but then the next clutch goes to the other extreme.

I have had runts (usually from twin hatchings) over the years in different species (P. breitensteini, P. regius, L. getula) and they all have fed sooner and more vigorously on smaller prey. Just start offering them smaller prey they will eventually catchup.

My smallest ball python hatched last year. Twins from a hetxhet albino pairing that resulted in a pair of 12g hatchlings. Both were female and a year later, one weighs around 600g. The other was given to a friend and I am sure of the same size. I fed them pinkies for the first few feedings then rolled into bigger prey.

Good luck!

Hi there,

A year ago I picked out an import baby from a pile of a hundred in an aquarium at a reptile show. I liked her markings but mostly I just felt sorry for her because she was tiny - she looked like a worm compared to the other hatchlings. She weighed 37 grams.

I wondered how she would do, but after her first shed she ate like a champ and has not stopped since. I weighed my animals last week and she weighed, get this...883 grams!

Also, I have a friend who just hatched out a pied that weighed 36 grams (same problem as your eggs). He ate right after he shed and is doing great!

Just feed them small meals, but often!

Good luck,
Christy

I would not force feed. They are way too small and fragile, and they are going to be hungry anyway! Fuzzy or tiny hopper mice, in a small container with the snake, overnight.

...so far no one has commented on the runts that DIDN'T feed and died. There are plenty.

I hatched twin female 100% het ghosts this year, and 2 weeks post shed neither ate so I assist-fed a small fuzzy each. It's true you can easily injure a baby during assist-feeding, so the utmost care is required. Both required 2 assist-feedings. Now both are feeding on their own.

Scott J. Michaels DVM

Thanks to all for the info. I know some die, but I have my fingers crossed. At this point, the 50 gram ate a rat pinkie, which was awesome to see! The other three, not so lucky, but I am trying every 3 days or so with mouse pinks. Thanks again.