Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hello all. I just purchased two spotted python hatchlings that shed right before getting them two weeks ago at the Hamburg show. I am having trouble getting them to eat. Any suggestions?

I have tried live and frozen thawed.

Thanks!

Next time,

Buy established feeding hatchlings, rather than trying to save a few bucks buying animals "right out of the egg"

Pennywise, dollar foolish.

Probably not the response you were hoping for, but it needs to be said. Animals that are not established are for people that already know all the tricks to get them started, not for "beginners".

Did you try feeding live pinkies inside a deli cup, left overnight in the cage (snake and pinky inside a vented deli cup). Did you try feeding lizard scented pinkies yet? How about putting the live pinky and the snake inside a brown lunch bag, folding down the top, and leaving it in the secure cage overnight?
What are your temps in there? How about hide boxes, are they small and secure for the snake?
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phflame

I have tried a live pinkie for each in a brown paper bag but only for a few hours, not overnight. I have also tried feeding them out of their homes. I have tried feeding dead ones in containers that you can't see through also, but only for a few hours. Every time I found them afterwards on the opposite side of the container from the food. I will try a small paper bag overnight with each with a live pinkie.

>>Hello all. I just purchased two spotted python hatchlings that shed right before getting them two weeks ago at the Hamburg show. I am having trouble getting them to eat. Any suggestions?
>>
>>I have tried live and frozen thawed.
>>
>>Thanks!
>>

How old are they? My Childrens don't even start to eat for nearly a full month after hatching. Add the stress of you taking them home etc, you may have a heck of a time. I would recommend dwarf hamster newborns.
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Sonya

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

They had just shed for the first time when we purchased them. We have had them for about two weeks now...So they may not eat for another week or so? I will see if I can get some dwarf hamster newborns. Thanks for the tip

>>They had just shed for the first time when we purchased them. We have had them for about two weeks now...So they may not eat for another week or so? I will see if I can get some dwarf hamster newborns. Thanks for the tip

Couple other things to think of. One, don't be handling them til you have 3 or 4 meals in them, not at all.
Two, I did put mine in a burrowable substrate of Carefresh.(recycled paper rodent bedding) Then I fed them on a 5X7 card on top of the carefresh. The security seemed to help. If that isn't a go, then I would try a brained pinky overnight in a bag or deli cup.
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Sonya

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

In Sonya's last post she mentioned "brained pinks". This method worked great for me with my spotted python that refused food. Like yours she was fresh from the egg. After a few feedings offering her the brained pink she hasn't skipped a meal since and has turned into a lovely nearly two year old spotted. Since I keep mine on aspen shavings I always feed in a small plastic tub.
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Ken Roshak
BlackSwampSerpents@toast.net

>>In Sonya's last post she mentioned "brained pinks". This method worked great for me with my spotted python that refused food. Like yours she was fresh from the egg. After a few feedings offering her the brained pink she hasn't skipped a meal since and has turned into a lovely nearly two year old spotted. Since I keep mine on aspen shavings I always feed in a small plastic tub.
>>-----
>>Ken Roshak
>>BlackSwampSerpents@toast.net

What is 'weird' to me too is that often if they will take brained pinks then they will move to Frozen Thawed pretty simply after that. Go fig.
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Sonya

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