Reptile & Amphibian Forums

First the bad news. The sick little male died a couple days ago. The good news; the beautiful little female who was puking by choice ff mouse tail sections last autumn is finally eating on her own! After a 3 month brumation she still wouldn't eat. I ff her a tiny f/t yellow headed gecko twice. She then went blue and shed, her first shed since last October. The next day I offered her an extra small f/t newborn pinkie with a section of f/t Sceloperus tail in the mouth, skin from f/t Sceloperus on the pinkies' back and blood from a live Sceloperus tail all over the pink with special attention to the head. I was SO EXCITED when she ate, after all this time, I immediately phoned my girlfriend with the most excellent news! She took another f/t scented pinkie two days later (Thursday) and then took TWO late last night. She is my finest female agalma by a mile; an exceptional high triad count reduced black Bartlett baby. My best killer Bartlett male, also a high triad count animal with wide snow white bands is KICKING ASS inhaling 3 pinks live or f/t every two days and growing like the national debt.
Carl

THREE pinks every couple days? Is that animal part retic?? Congratulations on the success story man, but go easy on the feeding. If that animal starts regurging.......I'd slow down a bit. You could be setting that animal up for failure if the regurgitation begins. I would say that two pinks per week is enough for optimal growth -- from what you're describing it sounds like this snake is eating almost nine pinks weekly. Probably the equivalent of several hundred burgers for us. Honestly, I would slow down a bit. Nothing wrong with the snake getting a little hungry -- allowing for natural instincts to operate. As far as long-term consequences, I'm not sure, but behaviorally it kinda skews the animal as it will learn to expect food repeatedly (not to mention the potential development of fatty deposits, etc..) and if your lifestyle may change for whatever reason, the animal could derteriorate much more rapidly should food be offered in lesser increments and thus be subject to quicker deterioration. I believe there are also psychological implications here as well, considering classical conditioning. Interesting conversation -- I'm curious as to what others think on this. But no matter what, a huge congratulations to you. I just want to see your continued successes as you've worked so very hard. So sorry to hear about the loss as well.

Best ~

Jerry Kruse

Thanks for the input Jerry. It probably sounds like they are eating more than they actually are. The animals taking 3 pinks at a time are large enough to eat fuzzies. I am giving them newborn pinks which they seem to prefer. The little girl that just began feeding last week gets runt newborns only and will be fed again when her previous meal is passed. It's been 2 days since she ate two runts but she still has 1 lump in her body so I won't feed her again until that has passed too.
Carl