ATB feeding problem

[chas*e]

My little ATBoa (2months old) has not eaten in the 3 weeks that I have had her. I have other Tree boas and I have never really had a problem with feeding. I tried "braining" the pinkie mice, I tried live pinkies and tried soft music and whispering(lol) but the darn thing won't eat...She is healthy looking and I am not worried too much but,"%$#&", I want too put my self at ease. Does anyone have tricks that I have not tried..charlie..

[Ed_r]

Ok a couple things come to mind. First try locking your Ammie in a deli cup(with air holes) with the pinkie and turn the lights out, and leave it for a few hours til actually overnight.
I had one that wouldnt eat after that and a friend told me to take the pinky on tongs and actually lightly slap it across the Ammies face. This will draw out the agressive nature of the Ammie. It will get good and pissed and just want to kill the prey. I did that twice and i neve had a problem feeding him again.

[chas*e]

That sounds like a good idea..I guess each snake has what you can only call "personality" My other ATBs are killers, always ripping the food from the branch..sometimes even just killing the mice and not eating the corpse for a day...I will try the lights out thing I turn on UV lights at night but not tonight..thanks

[Piers]

Years ago I bred some ATBs and could'nt get te babies to eat. I talked to Tom Masson of the Torono Zoo and he said to feed the young hopper mice. Now I know this seems imposible for them to eat but it worked great. they all ate the first or second time I tried. The meals are very large and care should be taken. If you try this make sure the branchs are removed or you give the snake some suport(I used crumpled newspaper). I would then try other methods again, ie slapping the fase with the pray or the deli tub with a fuzzy. Rember this a last resort thing. If the snake falls off its branch or pukes it will probably die.
Piers

[Boid_22]

Big C......This works every time, Buy an anole, Rub the pinkie on the the anole to get a ood scent from the anole and leave the pink in the enclosure over night. When you wake up the pink is almost garaunteed to be gone. You can even try rubbing it on your gecko! It sounds stupid but what do you have to loose!

Cheers......Ed

[Ed_r]

Boid that also makes sense. Ammies in the wild DO eat small lizards too. its amazing they can pass a pinkie yet alone a hopper. I know they can but that is an impressive site to watch them eat it.

[Boid_22]

It sure is, Especially neonates.
Let us know what happens C.
If you can't find any anole let me know, I know of someone breeding them if Wes doesn't have them.

P.S. IF you find one, DON'T discar it after one use. Keep it in the freezer for hunger strikes.

Ed