help with hognose!!!

[fizox]

Hey guys I cant get my baby hognose to eat. Problem is the breeder i got him from fed him live and i feed my snakes frozen, i have tried braining and no luck. I have never had to force feed before with my snakes but now im ready to try...can someone walk me through it, thanks.

[Slithery]

Don't try force feeding yet. Their are still other ideas you can use. Thaw the mouse in chicken broth. Can you get a toad or frog? If so, scent the mouse with that. Prekilled might help. Force feeding should be the last resort.

[gonesnakee]

Never force feed unless it is a last resort. It is not your last resort if the snake will take live. Live prey is not desirable but it should be offered prior any consideration of FF. FF is very stressful & can kill your snake even if done properly. It should only be used as a last resort to save a snake from starving to death & snakes, especailly subadults & adults can go 4-6 months easy with no food if they are healthy & have good girth to begin with. Every year all my adults stop getting fed for a month before a 3 month brumation & the males don't always eat prior breeding so they sometimes go another month or so before they eat. Thats at least 4 months straight every year with no food. If it has been on live you will have to warm the prey right up & tease feed the snake & you may have to wait until it is good & hungry befor it does. Mark
P.s. also Hognoses are famous for "hunger strikes" in the fall & winter months BTW In reguards to "scenting" the snake was already on live unscented so don't start scenting things now it will only create more problems I suggest starting with tease feeding fesh killed prey & go from there. Braining is also a good idea.

[gonesnakee]

Also sometimes a short brumation will help also. They come up hungry & looking, Mark