problem feeder..

[snakers55]

Hey everyone, I have a little coastal carpet python that is approaching 1 year of age, and he will not eat. He has never had a meal in his life on his own, I have assist fed him a few pinky mice or pinky rat heads, sometimes he eats them,sometimes he doesn't.. He's interested in food when I offer it, but when he strikes, if he does, he doesn't constrict it.. I havn't tried live yet, but I will this week I think, but I've tried a few other things.. Can anyone tell me methods that worked for you to get your babies to start feeding?? Thanks!

[snakers55]

Also, he is setup in a 24" neodesha cage with a 25 watt bulb on a dimmer, the temp is right, he has a hidebox,and branches,plants to climb on, a water dish..

[Double J]

Originally posted by snakers55
the temp is right

What exactly does that mean?

[Ben Nickelson]

I would use a live rat pink or fuzzy mouse. If he doesn't eat that I would put it in a bit smaller of a cage, give him a week or two to settle in and try again.

[snakers55]

Sorry, the temperature is in the 80's.. So he's warm enough (correct me if I'm wrong)..

[Ben Nickelson]

Does he have a hot spot of about 90-92 and a cool in the mid to low 80's?

[Tim_Cranwill]

Originally posted by snakers55
the temp is right,

???? Can you be more specific? What temp? The warm side or the cool side? They need more than one temp. I would shoot for about 80F on the cool side and about 91F on the warm side (+/- 2F).

I would try (mind you, I still need more info about your setup from you) a live (preferably stunned or restrained) hopper mouse under CLOSE supervision. If/when the snake grabs the mouse, make sure the mouse does NOT have its mouth free to chew on the snake. If it does, have a set of pliers or something handy to hold the mouse's mouth away from the snake's body.

What you're doing with the assist feeding pinky mice and such, I would say is likely causing more stress than the benefit the snake is getting from the food. But we need more info before we can really give much useful advice...

:)

[snakers55]

Ok, I'll have to double check the exact temperatures at either end of the cage tomrrow. I havn't assist fed him too many times, I'd say 3 since I got him last spring, he looks fine though, hasn't lost weight that I can tell..