Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I picked up a neonate diamond jungle carpet python about seven months ago. He has eaten on his own 3 times. Every other meal has been force fed to him. Sometimes he trys unentusiastically to feed himself then gives up. He gets it in his mouth but he does not hold or constrict and gives up after only a minute or so. I am offering the smallest pinkys possible and he will not take pinky parts. So Ive been force feeding him, every week, for seven months. I guess my question is when do you give up? When do you say this guy just doesnt have the will to live and I am just prolonging the inevidable? Am I expected to force feed him for life? I just dont know what to do. Any advice would be appreciated.
Jason

I forgot to mention I do offer him the opportunity to eat on his own everytime I feed him and sometimes I wait two weeks in an attempt to get him hungry. Also, the three times he did eat were not in a row and were some time ago. I do not remember the last time he ate on his own.

first I would make sure your husbandry is set up correctly, if that is flawless, then its time to hit a vet, a good exam, maybe radiographs /- blood work
what is your intentions for the snake? if its just as a pet, then it will just depend on your level of commitment, if your intentions were to breed the snake, I would find it a new home, just in case this is a congenital defect, wouldn't want a whole clutch of non eaters!
best of luck!
keep us posted
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hanging out under heat lights burns up my brain cells!!

When you say neonate, how young was it? Was it eating from the previous owner? I think if you can rule out that it is not a mistake on your part, then you may have indeed bought an animal that probably shouldn't have been sold. You can pursue this any which way you would like; if you want to give it your all, then the perhaps a vet is the next option. I know a number of breeders euthanize offspring that never take to feeding on their own. I cannot fault them for this, as certainly there is always a percentage of offspring that don't have what it takes to flourish.

Ian

Hey thanks for the response guys. To answer your question Ian he was apparently brand new when I bought him from a distributor at a show. I thought that the size of the him and his litter mates was small so I knew I was taking a chance.

Im not opposed to a trip to the vet but at his size and condition even if they found anything wrong the treatment would kill him for sure. Im thinking he was either inbred or poorly incubated and there aint no cure for that kinda thing anyway. I figure its mid-winter so a lax in feeding is appropriate the force feeding has kept him in good weight and his activity level seems good too. So Ill play nurse maid to him for a few more months and see what happens.
thanks
Jason