first feed

[frankadank]

i received my beautiful female bee on wednesday. the previous breeder fed her every friday. i wanted to get her on a sunday schedule cuz it's my only off days. should i feed her sunday? or wait until next sunday? i don't want her to go that long without a meal as being a baby. but sunday will be only my 5th day ive had her. i assume that's too early to try n feed?

[GyGbeetle]

If she seems too stressed out on Sunday (still pacing her enclosure, searching around, etc), you can withhold until the following Sunday. BP's can go a very long time (months) without feeding in the wild. Another week won't make your baby sick.

I've always fed all of my snakes within the first week of bringing them home. Have only had an issue with 2 snakes, and I know why I had the issues (one was stressed because one of the cats kept teasing it through the tank; the other had a congenital disorder that eventually took her). So you can offer feed Sunday (tomorrow), and make sure she's in a quiet area, and stay with her to see how she feeds.

[frankadank]

If she seems too stressed out on Sunday (still pacing her enclosure, searching around, etc), you can withhold until the following Sunday. BP's can go a very long time (months) without feeding in the wild. Another week won't make your baby sick.

I've always fed all of my snakes within the first week of bringing them home. Have only had an issue with 2 snakes, and I know why I had the issues (one was stressed because one of the cats kept teasing it through the tank; the other had a congenital disorder that eventually took her). So you can offer feed Sunday (tomorrow), and make sure she's in a quiet area, and stay with her to see how she feeds.

the first day she was pacing and checking the enclosure out but now she is either in the hot hide or cold hide. mainly hot hide these pass few days. i was thinking i can try tomorrow to see but unaware if that could stress her out. but i'd be hungry if i was her after what she's been thru. thanks for the info!

[regi375]

Have only had an issue with 2 snakes, and I know why I had the issues (one was stressed because one of the cats kept teasing it through the tank; the other had a congenital disorder that eventually took her).
I have to put my cat in the bathroom when I feed the snakes. Otherwise she'll either bother them in the feeding tub, or eat their pinky mouse. Which she has done before... (I live in my parent's basement, and she's confined to here because she doesn't get along with the other cats. Bathroom is the only room with a door.)

[GyGbeetle]

I have to put my cat in the bathroom when I feed the snakes. Otherwise she'll either bother them in the feeding tub, or eat their pinky mouse. Which she has done before... (I live in my parent's basement, and she's confined to here because she doesn't get along with the other cats. Bathroom is the only room with a door.)

Hah! Cats are evil. The cat in question would sit down on the side of the tank and just stare. The snake we have came from a breeder that only had snakes, no other animals. So she wasn't used to seeing cats. She's fine now, and I've been lucky the cats don't steal their food

[Andy_G]

Some general info: A good rule to follow is wait 1 week before feeding any new additions. Everything they were once familiar with is now gone and they need time to settle before facing sources of stress such as handling or being offered food. Doing these things before this time period you run the risk of refusal or regurgitation. Using a separate feeding container is stressful for the snake as well and can complicate the feeding process. I would only offer food every 5 day intervals at the most to something refusing food, baby snakes can go a month or 2 without issue. As long as husbandry is correct just keep offering. You may want to recheck your temps because the warm end is typically only used when they are digesting unless the ambients are too cool...but your new baby may still just be figuring things out.

[frankadank]

the cold hide was 82° but she did just successfully ate. although she killed it first than waited 30 minutes to swallow. probably cuz i was watching so i left it alone after she killed it. what kind of behavior should i expect now? especially since there was a chip sticking out of her mouth so i had to remove it and she wasn't happy. but just a little tug with feeding tongs. i put her hide back in cuz i had to remove it to feed her. that scared her a little. but now she is on her cool side outside the hide perched up on a cup of moss i have for humidity. how should i expect a snake to act after feeding?

[Andy_G]

Expect it to hide on the warm side until it has digested. Be sure not to bother it at all for the next two days and I'd get it to feed again before you begin handling it. Keep in mind that these snakes are ambush predators...not sure why you needed to remove the hide in order to feed but it may be wort leaving it in next time.

[frankadank]

i removed the hide cuz she was under there and there isn't enough room to kill in the tank with 3 hides. she now went into her cool hide which is around 82-84 i assume cuz i just put her hot hide back in cuz that was the one she was under. i'm sure she'll move back over but she is resting now. i think i shall remove the opposite hide next time just wasn't sure on how to go about it all. she ate successfully though.

[EL Ziggy]

Glad she ate for you Frank.

[frankadank]

Glad she ate for you Frank.

thanks ziggy, i was so happy! if the cool hide is around 84 do you think that's odd she's under the cool hide? or just being a snake? first snake is a lot of worrying and many questions, just want to get all the knowledge and a happy snake!

[EL Ziggy]

84 is probably a very comfortable place for her. My cool sides are closer to 80 and my warm sides are 88-92.

[Andy_G]

The snake will do the snakeing, all you have to do is let it by offering correct temps. Sounds like he's settling in. :)

[frankadank]

right right. well thanks guys! just a nervous parent (:

[GyGbeetle]

right right. well thanks guys! just a nervous parent (:

Better to be a nervous parent than an uninformed one.