Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi,nice to meet everyone.
My problem is my 2 month old Florida King.
I have been presenting thawed pinkies to no avail,
Couple of days ago i tried a live pinkie,lots of interest
but wouldn't open that little mouth.
any info would be greatly appreciated Thanx

Leave it alone for a week, don't disturb it, give it lots of fresh water. After a week, present the live pinky to it, leave it in overnight. Should take it.

Mike
Michael's Place

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thank you,will do
To early to consider force feeding huh?

Florida kings (especially neonates) dehydrate real easily so:

1) make sure the snake is placed into the water to drink. A water bowl in tha cage is not always used by baby florida kings.
2) try a brained pinky:
Brained pinkys are a pinky with a slit cut on the head with some brain matter squeezed out. This can be first done with a frozen pink or try a live pink with the brian matter wiped on from a dead frozen pink.

3) If a brained pinky doesn't work the you will need a small snake.
In nature young Florida kings eat a small snake for their first meal so a lot of captive born babies refuse mice and want snake. Water snakes are good for scenting and so are many of the ground type snake found in their area. I have tried lizards and scentied with lizards but it only works about 10% of the time with the floridana group. They love their snakes for food

A fresh killed or frozen thawed garter or water snake kept in the freezer can be used several times to "scent" your pinky mouse. Just cut it open and dip the pinky into the snake.

I am sure their will be other ways people suggest getting their florida king started but the snake scent is the one of the ways that always works with the floridana .

Brained pinkys are a pinky with a slit cut on the head with some brain matter squeezed out. This can be first done with a frozen pink or try a live pink with the brian matter wiped on from a dead frozen pink
I once brained a live pinky out of desperation....and it really bothered me to hear the poor thing suffer. Your alternative is a MUCH better way to try the braining thing. And though a live garter is a great way to get one feeding,,,,,another thing I do is this. I breed Corns, and they always lay clutches of about 20 eggs. All those babies shed the same week. I keep all the skins in a baby food jar. I put a live pink in the jar for a while and then offer it....which sometimes does the trick.
Tom Stevens

The Snake Skin idea is a very interesting one... i like it... it's simple and i'm sure it'd work

Thanx

~ZF

You know I also had 2 hatchling garters that I put in with the Corn skins and that was even more effective. I found for some reason or other the skin trick worked better with hatchling corn skins as opposed to adults. To further that...it is not uncommon to have a baby Corn that just doesn't make it....keep that for scenting and it is SUPER effective....some of the liquid whatever ya call it from inside the snake wiped on a pink gets a killer response. Tom Stevens

Now i gotta "make good" with some Cornsnake Breeders...

Thanx Again

~ZF