Reptile & Amphibian Forums

hey guys, i have 2 hatchling red pygmy rattlesnakes and i was wondering how the best way to feed them is...do they respond to tease feeding or should i leave food in a deli cup with the snake for a while. they strike a good amount but dont hold on to anything.they are about 5 days old. i also have the right food to try because i have a good source for little red backed salamanders. thanx for any info
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1.1.0 Atheris Cerataphora
1.1.0 Atheris Chlorechis
1.1.0 Southern Copperhead
0.1.0 W.A. Gaboon Viper
1.1.0 Red Pygmy Rattlesnakes
1.0.0 Borneo Blood Python
2.2.0 Irian Jaya Carpet Pythons
1.1.0 High Yellow Jungle carpet pythons
0.0.1 Ball Python
0.1.0 3 year old boxer

As a general rule, try less invasive feeding techniques first such as deli cupping them with the food item. Sometimes tease feeding works... sometimes it doesn't. Generally if you tease, the snake bites, releases, and goes into defensive mode it is best to call it quits for the night as anything further will probably just stress the snake. At 5 days old they should still have quite a bit of yolk and might not be interested in food items for quite sometime. I've personally never raised pigs from neonates so others might have more/better insight on this topic.

My neonate dusky pygmys took newborn pinks after their first sheds.

Brad Chambers

As bobby mentioned their bellies are probably still full of yolk. Have they had their first shed yet? I normally wait 7-10 days before attempting to feed my baby rattlers. I am assuming you are attempting to feed day old pinks? live or frozen/thawed?

if frozen thawed

If you are getting a good strike and not just a bunch of little half hearted strikes "hard to explain" Then just drop the food source and put the lid back on the deli and leave it for about 20 minutes.

If they have not taken it pick the food back up with hemos and try tease feeding "tapping the tail will work" and repeat above.

If live day old pink

just throw the pink in the cup put lid back on and leave it over night.

Start with that thenwe can go through other tips such as washed pinks, slitting pinks, braining pinks and scenting. However the cup feeding normally works pretty well
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Dan S.
Crotalus & Company
Venom-Center
Wisconsin Reptile Community