View Full Version : Sigh.. new retic not eating.
Squirtle
03-05-12, 09:52 PM
Got a Tiger Reticulated Python on Saturday night at 7 pm from a friend that picked him up for me at the hamburg expo two weeks ago. He ate for him after he let him settle down for about 4 days, I tried to feed him today and he looked very interested in it... but when the mouse touched him he looked away every time. I pre-killed the mouse and it's been in his cage for about 8 hours now and he's not eating it.. should I leave it in there over night? He tends to be REAL active overnight. I'm not going to lie, I've been handling him a few times so maybe he just needs to chill for a few days on his own?
BarelyBreathing
03-05-12, 09:56 PM
Let him acclimate (including not handling him) for two weeks. In the mean time, how do you have him set up?
also yes you can leave it in there over night but throw it out in the morning if he hasnt eaten it.
usually you should let a snake acclimate for a week or two once they change where theyre living, it stressed them out and they need to feel safe
alessia55
03-05-12, 10:05 PM
I'd recommend giving him 2 weeks to settle in with no handling, no stress. Only open the enclosure to spot clean if necessary. After 2 weeks, offer food at night time. You can leave the dead prey overnight, but remove it in the morning if it's still there. If he doesn't eat, continue to offer food every 10 or so days.
How old is the retic?
Squirtle
03-05-12, 10:07 PM
I'd recommend giving him 2 weeks to settle in with no handling, no stress. Only open the enclosure to spot clean if necessary. After 2 weeks, offer food at night time. You can leave the dead prey overnight, but remove it in the morning if it's still there. If he doesn't eat, continue to offer food every 10 or so days.
How old is the retic?
He's only about 3 weeks old.. That's what the person I got him from told me. He's real tiny. I don't think he can go long without food so I'll just let him chill and try again Saturday or Sunday.
He's only about 3 weeks old.. That's what the person I got him from told me. He's real tiny. I don't think he can go long without food so I'll just let him chill and try again Saturday or Sunday.
i got a milk that went 5 months without eating (and swapped him with the breeder for one that was a proven feeder) that snakes now healthy and fine on liquid food to get him going, but he lived 5 months and was ok on just yolk
i wouldnt worry too mucha bout leaving him a week to acclimate
alessia55
03-05-12, 11:12 PM
You'd be surprised to learn how long baby snakes can go without eating. I'd give him a full week at least before you attempt feeding again. So I'd say wait until next Monday night to offer food. One week of waiting won't do him any harm, and will increase your chances of him eating for you.
Squirtle
03-06-12, 04:16 AM
I stood up all night to check if he'll eat the mouse, so far hasn't. I guess I'll give it to my burm. Would it be alright if I handled him just to clean out his tub tomorrow? Smells real bad in there.. After that I won't handle him at all until next week Wednesday.. I seriously dont want to lose him :( he's so sweet. He even has a smiley face in his pattern lol I'll try to get a picture of it soon.
I stood up all night to check if he'll eat the mouse, so far hasn't. I guess I'll give it to my burm. Would it be alright if I handled him just to clean out his tub tomorrow? Smells real bad in there.. After that I won't handle him at all until next week Wednesday.. I seriously dont want to lose him :( he's so sweet. He even has a smiley face in his pattern lol I'll try to get a picture of it soon.
clean out his cage now if anything!
Dont handle him just clean it and annoy him as little as possible!
Do you have a gram scale of any kind? A snake wont even be close to "starving" until it starts losing a significant amount of weight (which youd notice visually anyway)
You're not even close to "losing" him. You could not feed him for a few months and he'd still be alive. Give him a bit to calm down, keep his cage clean, etc etc.
Jenn_06
03-06-12, 05:48 AM
3 weeks old wow that breeder is all about the money. He should of waited until that retic ate about 4 time before selling it. Like everyone else said give him time, my super tiger will not eat his rat if I just leave it in the cage but all snakes are different. Wait a week or 2 and try again if he still done not eat make sure it's really warm use a hair dryer if you have to.
Lankyrob
03-06-12, 09:02 AM
If you were standing over the snake all night waiting for it to eat that could be why he didnt.
Leave him 7 days and then put the mouse into the enclosure (tho a rat may be better) and cover it so that the snake has TOTAL privacy, leave it a good 6 hours or overnight before removing the towel! :)
Squirtle
03-06-12, 09:14 AM
If you were standing over the snake all night waiting for it to eat that could be why he didnt.
Leave him 7 days and then put the mouse into the enclosure (tho a rat may be better) and cover it so that the snake has TOTAL privacy, leave it a good 6 hours or overnight before removing the towel! :)
I kept waking up every few hours to check on the mouse and the retic. The mouse was live at first and he seemed very interested but I guess he's just afraid of me or something.. I kept looking from above and he'll hide his head. I'll let him be until Tuesday and try again.
Lankyrob
03-06-12, 09:57 AM
You really shouldnt leave a live mouse with any snake at all - they should be supervised constantly. Worth trying the total privacy with a DEAD rat tho!
takagari
03-06-12, 09:59 AM
Leave him alone. You've now been told by many people
Clean out the food. Turn down the light and top checking on the poor guy every ten minutes.
I would honestly bring him back to the breeder. 3 weeks is ridiculous.
Jenn_06
03-06-12, 09:59 AM
it was a live at first then the person killed it and left it in the cage.
Lankyrob
03-06-12, 10:16 AM
it was a live at first then the person killed it and left it in the cage.
I read it differently, that the mouse was live whilst being left for a while and then killed and left for longer? Can the OP clarify?
Squirtle
03-06-12, 03:39 PM
I read it differently, that the mouse was live whilst being left for a while and then killed and left for longer? Can the OP clarify?
No I was watching him while the live mouse was in there, and like I said he really seemed interested but maybe because I was there he wouldn't strike and kept hiding his head. I'll just leave him be and try again in a week. I'll update you guys!
Squirtle
03-06-12, 03:40 PM
Leave him alone. You've now been told by many people
Clean out the food. Turn down the light and top checking on the poor guy every ten minutes.
I would honestly bring him back to the breeder. 3 weeks is ridiculous.
Thanks for telling me.. it's not like I've already done that after reading the first few posts..
alessia55
03-06-12, 03:54 PM
The best would've been if the breeder had kept him for a few weeks to get him eating regularly before handing him off to a new owner. I hope he eats for you next week though... Hopefully the week alone will give him time to settle in more
Thanks for telling me.. it's not like I've already done that after reading the first few posts..
a lot of people just read the OP and reply as quick as possible so you dont hurt the snake any further
that said, I didnt notice it was 3 weeks thats REALLY young to sell a snake...
Most snakes will live off of the nutrients in their eggs (yolk) for a few weeks at least after hatching. before their first feed. in general you wait until the first shed then offer food for newborns
Squirtle
03-06-12, 04:07 PM
a lot of people just read the OP and reply as quick as possible so you dont hurt the snake any further
that said, I didnt notice it was 3 weeks thats REALLY young to sell a snake...
Most snakes will live off of the nutrients in their eggs (yolk) for a few weeks at least after hatching. before their first feed. in general you wait until the first shed then offer food for newborns
He was actually only a week old when my friend got him for me.. but he's already ate for him so is that fine?
Lankyrob
03-06-12, 04:34 PM
Personally, i would contact the breeder and let them know now that you are having issues and arent happy. See what they say about it.
If worst comes to worst (and i really hope it doesnt) then at least the breeder is aware of the issue and can be involved in the process of getting the snake to eat - and hopefully will take some responsibility for selling the snake too young.
exwizard
03-06-12, 04:54 PM
...selling the snake too young.This was my thought all along and yeah, the breeder should take responsibility for that
Squirtle
03-06-12, 04:59 PM
Just made him a nice and dark hidebox from the box my iPhone 4 came in. As soon as I put it down inside his tub he went straight into it lol I'll let him come out of it when he's ready. He's not even skinny to the point where he's emaciated so I think he'll be fine :)
exwizard
03-06-12, 05:12 PM
Yeah I think so. That hide will do him a lot of good as well.
millertime89
03-07-12, 01:16 AM
he's a retic, he's got the "big snake" mentalitiy, Even my superdwarf, which are known to be flighty and secretive, has it. Wait until the little guy sheds and THEN try and feed him. Not until then. If you know FOR CERTAIN he's already shed, wait a week and try feeding him. He's really young and should not have been sold.
Lankyrob
03-07-12, 06:05 AM
Just made him a nice and dark hidebox from the box my iPhone 4 came in. As soon as I put it down inside his tub he went straight into it lol I'll let him come out of it when he's ready. He's not even skinny to the point where he's emaciated so I think he'll be fine :)
Did he have any hides previously? There should be one at the hot end and one at the cold end so that he can hide AND thermoregulate
millertime89
03-07-12, 11:30 AM
normal retics typically don't need, want, or use hides. Typically. I would still give the little ones hides, just in case. Sometimes even the big ones want them, quite the pain to find a hide for something that's 20ft long and 200 lbs. I've seen pictures of people using dog/cat beds and the snake just sticks its head in despite having room for most of its body, kinda funny.
Squirtle
03-07-12, 05:35 PM
He defecated last night, is that a good or bad thing? and he only has one hide for now.. When I upgrade him (when he eats 2-3 times just to make sure he won't freak out in a bigger cage) I'll give him 2-3 hides. Had to handle him to clean his tub since he spilled his water bowls and the paper was real damp and had crap all over it.
Squirtle
03-07-12, 05:37 PM
Did he have any hides previously? There should be one at the hot end and one at the cold end so that he can hide AND thermoregulate
no he had no hides last time
millertime89
03-08-12, 12:43 AM
defecation is good, that means whatever he last ate he's digesting.
defecation is good, that means whatever he last ate he's digesting.
this!
if he was still digesting, hes far from starving! just give him time!
stephanbakir
03-09-12, 09:42 AM
The little guy was definitely sold early, but the fact that he has eaten for sure, and is defecating is a great sign and I really wouldn't worry.
Unless hes a super dwarf (and even if he is) I'd get him/her on rats asap, mice are tiny little things and for an adult snake... its better to get him on rats as soon as possible (that may be the problem btw, perhaps the breeder, and you friend were feeding him rats and you introduced a new food item)
I can't believe this was not stated earlier, but DO NOT offer your burm ANYTHING that has, or might have come in contact with your new retic... all new animals should be quarantined for at least 6 months.
Squirtle
03-09-12, 04:36 PM
The little guy was definitely sold early, but the fact that he has eaten for sure, and is defecating is a great sign and I really wouldn't worry.
Unless hes a super dwarf (and even if he is) I'd get him/her on rats asap, mice are tiny little things and for an adult snake... its better to get him on rats as soon as possible (that may be the problem btw, perhaps the breeder, and you friend were feeding him rats and you introduced a new food item)
I can't believe this was not stated earlier, but DO NOT offer your burm ANYTHING that has, or might have come in contact with your new retic... all new animals should be quarantined for at least 6 months.
Crap man forgot about that.. Won't do it from now on. I'll get him on rat pups as soon as my buddy gets his rat breeding well and stable, should be a couple of weeks.
stephanbakir
03-09-12, 05:20 PM
Keep in mind, now that your burm has touched the food of an animal in quarantine, he should go back in quarantine for the full 6 months (retic, and burm)
Squirtle
03-12-12, 04:56 PM
Going to try and feed him tomorrow. Wish me luck ;)
millertime89
03-12-12, 11:11 PM
well? Its tomorrow already...
Squirtle
03-13-12, 03:12 PM
He ate for me today! didn't seemed interested at first but then he rushed out of his hide and constricted it! thanks for the help guys! best reptile forum ever :)
Jenn_06
03-13-12, 03:14 PM
Happy he ate for you.
alessia55
03-13-12, 03:41 PM
yayyy glad he ate! :D
Squirtle
03-19-12, 07:57 PM
Retic's in shed and tomorrows his feeding day, should I try feeding anyways?
millertime89
03-19-12, 08:45 PM
I would, all three of mine eat while in shed. The fourth hasn't eaten yet.
Lankyrob
03-20-12, 04:05 AM
Dont hear of many retics not wanting to eat :) I would give it a try.
Squirtle
03-20-12, 02:33 PM
He ate while in shed :d
MoreliAddict
03-20-12, 02:48 PM
congrats! don't forget to get him on rats asap. not sure about retics, but alot of snakes can develop a strong preference for one or the other (mice or rats)
alessia55
03-20-12, 02:51 PM
I'm so happy to hear he's starting to eat more regularly for you! :)
Squirtle
03-20-12, 08:48 PM
you guys are the freaking best :p I was so afraid of losing my little dude a few weeks ago. I'll be sure to recommend this site to anyone that I see having trouble with their snake
millertime89
03-21-12, 12:51 AM
He should def be on rats, even baby 'tics can take small rats. Hell baby SDs can take the smallest of rats as well.
Squirtle
03-23-12, 05:55 PM
he shed last night.. it was TERRIBLE. anyone know why this may be? He's housed in a tub so the humidity was really high. It might have been his first shed not sure, is this normal for babies? the shed came out in like a million little pieces and i had to help him shed his tail off when i came home from school.
Lankyrob
03-23-12, 06:15 PM
How high is "really high" humidity? I have my retic at 85% during shed.
millertime89
03-24-12, 12:44 AM
my girl's first shed with me was atrocious too. I'm guessing stress. Get all of it off and wait and see what the next one looks like.
Squirtle
05-22-12, 04:50 PM
He shed either last night or the night before, didn't even have to mist the cage and it came out 100% perfect!
Squirtle
05-23-12, 09:12 PM
Happy to hear squirtle
Thanks K. Are you still going to be getting that king snake?
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