Reptile & Amphibian Forums

We currently hatched out 12 N. haje. It has been two weeks since they shed and we cant get any of them to feed. We have them all in a ten gallon w/a hide spot and a hot spot. Brained pinkies, frogs, toads, lizards, snakes,we have tried w/no prevail. This is our first baby experience w/Elapidae. Please help as they seem to be more difficult than vipers or colubrids. Thanx in advance.
Ben and Cayla Vanecek
Snake Bit Inkorporated

Most naja are not picky at all. If the snakes didn't work, try egg scenting the pinkies, (just a normal chicken egg out of your fridge) the yolk & white work the same. Try crickets too, you never know.

I wouldn't sweat it too much yet, they will probably eat within a couple more weeks.
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Chad Bachman

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Chad Bachman

I keep tons of Naja species, and I have found that with time and patients they usually take about a month to start feeding. Some will take right away, but most do not. The first thing to do is to keep them all seperate. Keep them in the smallest enclosure possible so they feel sucure. Too much space will make them feel insecure. Hide boxes and and hollow logs work ok, but I usually use small sections of PVC pipe with very small snakes. Take a 1" dia. piece of PVC and cut it into lenghts not much longer than a paper towel roll. You can also use paper toweling rolls, but you will dispose of them often due to an enormous amount of crap they take. Try live fuzzy mice that are about the size of large pinkies. The more movement the better. They get excited over live prey. Switching them is easy when they get a bit more regular. I would not worry too much yet. They are still probably absorbing their yolk. Assuming they have all shed then just wait a bit. You can try all the things below, but just try not to stress them out too much with constant attempts at feeding. Egyptians can be a pain in the butt to start sometimes. If all else fails, put them in a small deli cup with a live pink or fuzzy overnight. Its worked for me plenty of times. E-mail me if you have any problems. If you ever look to sell a few let me know. I am always looking for a few more cobras to work with. As if 45 Cobras and 15 Rattlesnakes isnt enough. Good luck !
Chris S.

I got some of the N. haje to feed on guppies, and as you all stated some have started feeding w/no problems. I just got a little excited being my first clutch of Elapidaes. Thank you all for your responses and time. I appreciate the knowledge shared. Thanx again.