Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Does anyone have any ideas for getting a hatchling to eat? This little one refuses pinkies. I have taken him to my vet (an exotics specialist) who has force fed him. Anyone have and additional ideas for convincing him to eat?

In general, the larger milks are more receptive to thawed pinks than Gentilis, Syspila, Pales, etc...
I believe that the hatchlings will instinctively avoid rodents but take lizards for a year or so until the hatchlings grow and the fear of being eaten by mice lessens.
There's 2 approaches to overcoming their avoidance of rodents.
1. Stick to rodents
Make the meal smaller-offer the heads of tiny pinks.
I force hopper tails into the hatchlings that refuse a pink head and still offer heads every week. That forcing may last 1-6 months until they start taking heads, then graduate to a whole tiny pink.
2. Lizard scenting
Wash the pink, sever the head, soak it in a mash of lizard pulp, and offer it to the hatchling. If this is accepted, you'll eventually use a whole unwashed pink then stop the scenting altogether.
If the snake still refuses the scented heads, I'm afraid you're stuck with forcing tails for a while. If it's any consolation, the Alterna boys do this almost year round and all have a personal horror story.......good luck, Jeff