Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I've had my non-eating tx bairdi in isolation since last monday. his cage has been kept around 82 degrees..he's been buried in the substrate...i honestly dont even know if he's still alive because i havent seen him out in the past couple days (although its hard to see through all the foliage in there). I just got a live pink from the pet store and they gave me some of the chips out of their gecko cage so how long does it need to be in there with all the gecko substrate? I'm gonna leave it in the bag until around midnight when i go to bed then put him in the cage for the night. Should I disturb the bairdi so he knows to be on the lookout for the mouse (and make sure hes alive), or would that do nothing but stress him out more? This pet store I go to is run by an older couple and he asked if i ever tried feeding him crickets...thats what they feed all their baby snakes...has anyone heard of this?

Thanks,
Chris
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The reason mainstream thought is thought of as a stream is because it's so shallow. -George Carlin

Battling ignorance one stupid person at a time.

Current snakes:
0.1 Licorice Stick Black Rat (Lola)
1.0 Neonate Black Rat (het for Lic Stk's) (Frankie)
1.1 Texas Bairds (Jose and Rosa)

Have you tried using the paper bag method? You'd be suprised. My baby het ball python was being a stubborn feeder until I tried it. Just set your snake in a brown paper bag (like the ones from the grocery store)with the pinkie/mouse. Fold over the top, so thats its dark inside. Dont stick anything else in the bag w/ them.
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1.0 Albino ball python (high contrast)
0.1 100% het Albino ball (high contrast)
0.1 Normal ball
1.0 Candy cane cornsnake
1.0 Golden Retriever pup
1.0 Ferret

lol i've tried it all. read This Thread

its long. it tells you everything i've tried and whats been suggested lol
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The reason mainstream thought is thought of as a stream is because it's so shallow. -George Carlin

Battling ignorance one stupid person at a time.

Current snakes:
0.1 Licorice Stick Black Rat (Lola)
1.0 Neonate Black Rat (het for Lic Stk's) (Frankie)
1.1 Texas Bairds (Jose and Rosa)
0.1 Blue Beauty (Brunhilde)

Chris -
Rinse and dry the pinkie off before putting it in the gecko substrate. I usually leave the pinkie in the substrate overnight, but you can try up until midnight so your baird is being fed at night when it is dark. I would place the pinkie just in front of the baird's head or just outside the opening if he's in a hidebox. I wouldn't disturb him or at least as little as possible. The next thing would be to look into the cage in the morning. If you don't see the pinkie, see if the baird has a slight lump. People sometimes think a snake has eaten when they don't see the pinkie, but the pinkie may have disappeared into the substrate and you can't see it. Good luck.

Terry Parks

I really wasnt enjoying letting the pink sitting there in the bag hearing it squeaking...i figured it had enough scent on it so i went ahead and put him in the hide with the snake and it sparked immediate interest, 15 mins later i came up to see him b4 i went to class and the pink was nowhere to be seen...i read your post so im like well i wont touch yet and i just got home looked dug around in the substrae some and he ate him! the pink was so small it didnt make much of a lump but i thought i had noticed a slight one before. i immedately defrosted a pink but that took like 20 mins plus 15 the max time it could have been time since he ate i was trying to catch him in "feeding mode", but it didnt work left it in his cage just got it out im gonna toss it. should i go on and try and feed him a scented thawed one now followed right up with a regular one or wait until his next regular feeding day?
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The reason mainstream thought is thought of as a stream is because it's so shallow. -George Carlin

Battling ignorance one stupid person at a time.

Current snakes:
0.1 Licorice Stick Black Rat (Lola)
1.0 Neonate Black Rat (het for Lic Stk's) (Frankie)
1.1 Texas Bairds (Jose and Rosa)
0.1 Blue Beauty (Brunhilde)

>>I really wasnt enjoying letting the pink sitting there in the bag hearing it squeaking...i figured it had enough scent on it so i went ahead and put him in the hide with the snake and it sparked immediate interest, 15 mins later i came up to see him b4 i went to class and the pink was nowhere to be seen...i read your post so im like well i wont touch yet and i just got home looked dug around in the substrae some and he ate him! the pink was so small it didnt make much of a lump but i thought i had noticed a slight one before. i immedately defrosted a pink but that took like 20 mins plus 15 the max time it could have been time since he ate i was trying to catch him in "feeding mode", but it didnt work left it in his cage just got it out im gonna toss it. should i go on and try and feed him a scented thawed one now followed right up with a regular one or wait until his next regular feeding day?
>>-----

wait until his next feeding day.
Since this is his first meal you don't want to pressure him or over feed him.
Just wait until the next scheduled feeding time and do the same thing again. The next time maybe not quite as long in the gecko substrate. And each following feeding even less time in the substarte until you are feeding it unscented.
I think you are definitely on the right track.
congrats and good luck
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Corn snakes and rat snakes..No one can have just one.
"resistance is futile"
Jimmy (draybar)

thanks. it was only in the substrate for maybe an hour. should i keep with live or could i try thawed ones? He was eating f/t before so could i try him on that then if that doesnt work just get him off the scented then worry about getting to f/t?

Should I also still not handle him until he gets a couple meals down or what?

Thanks for all the help
-chris
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The reason mainstream thought is thought of as a stream is because it's so shallow. -George Carlin

Battling ignorance one stupid person at a time.

Current snakes:
0.1 Licorice Stick Black Rat (Lola)
1.0 Neonate Black Rat (het for Lic Stk's) (Frankie)
1.1 Texas Bairds (Jose and Rosa)
0.1 Blue Beauty (Brunhilde)

Chris, first of all CONGRATS!!! Now you just need to be patient and consistent for awhile longer. As Jimmy said, wait until the next feeding day -OR- after your little one takes a dump (may take just 3-4 days). Then do EXACTLY the same thing and NO HANDLING!!!! It's very important at this point to keep your baby in a good mental space so that he can get another 4-5 good meals in him. Once he's taken another 4-5 meals (which incidentally I bet will lead to a shed cycle), then it should be OK to start "experimenting" with f/t, unscented, bigger, more, etc. prey items, and of course only then would I start with very short handling sessions. Again, congrats and stick to the plan for awhile longer to ensure he continues to settle in - things should start to go smoother now for you and him. Billy

>>thanks. it was only in the substrate for maybe an hour. should i keep with live or could i try thawed ones? He was eating f/t before so could i try him on that then if that doesnt work just get him off the scented then worry about getting to f/t?
>>
>>Should I also still not handle him until he gets a couple meals down or what?
>>
>>Thanks for all the help
>>-chris
>>-----
>>The reason mainstream thought is thought of as a stream is because it's so shallow. -George Carlin
>>
>>Battling ignorance one stupid person at a time.
>>
>>Current snakes:
>>0.1 Licorice Stick Black Rat (Lola)
>>1.0 Neonate Black Rat (het for Lic Stk's) (Frankie)
>>1.1 Texas Bairds (Jose and Rosa)
>>0.1 Blue Beauty (Brunhilde)

Im so happy he ate for you.Ive been waiting to hear that.Keep up the good work...Paul.

Thanks everyone...i'll keep him off by himself and try and get him eating normally now...plus with my new blue beauty im geting tomorrow hopefully (if the storms let me) then i will have plenty to keep me busy lol.
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The reason mainstream thought is thought of as a stream is because it's so shallow. -George Carlin

Battling ignorance one stupid person at a time.

Current snakes:
0.1 Licorice Stick Black Rat (Lola)
1.0 Neonate Black Rat (het for Lic Stk's) (Frankie)
1.1 Texas Bairds (Jose and Rosa)
0.1 Blue Beauty (Brunhilde)

>> Just be patient and get it feeding regularily before experimenting.
There is plenty of time and you sure don't want to have to start over.
Good luck
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Corn snakes and rat snakes..No one can have just one.
"resistance is futile"
Jimmy (draybar)