Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have had to force feed my little Gopher babies a few times each now, and I am just wondering if there is any way that they can recover in the future to eat on their own.

I give them a good while to eat on their own each feeding, before I resort to force, and I am hoping that once they are old enough to kill smaller live mice that are available, that they will go ahead and eat it after they constrict and kill it.

I plan to wait a good while before I give them their next meal.....they have all just finished shedding, and If I wait a while, then maybe they will get hungry enough and their instinct to eat will kick in. I also will not handle them for a good while to let them settle in really well.

If there is anything else I can do, or somebody has any ideas.....please let me know as I am willing to try anything at this point.

>>I have had to force feed my little Gopher babies a few times each now, and I am just wondering if there is any way that they can recover in the future to eat on their own.
>>
>>I give them a good while to eat on their own each feeding, before I resort to force, and I am hoping that once they are old enough to kill smaller live mice that are available, that they will go ahead and eat it after they constrict and kill it.

What you might find is that after another feeding or two they will clamp down and swallow with less and less assistance. Depending on how you are 'force feeding' them you will find that they are going need less prodding to take prey. Though I had a BP that had to have food held for him in one hand while he was held in the other, THEN he would strike and eat. Go fig.
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Sonya

Haven't we warned you about tampering with the structure of a chaotic system?
Mrs. Neutron

What is the best(less stressfull) way to force feed??? It's odd, sometimes the snakes will take it on their own; after it's about a third or half way down. Other times, I have to get it all the way down the throat, and then they will take it to the stomach on their own.

How would one suggest the best technique to force feed???