1st Feeding for a kenyan

[bigdog2003]

I bought a female kenyan yesterday. How long should I wait before attempting to feed her?

[Trent]

I would give her a week or two to settle in if it were me.
Congrats on the snake!

[bigdog2003]

I would give her a week or two to settle in if it were me.
Congrats on the snake!

Thanks, I have been wanting a snake for a while, but wanted to make sure I did plenty of research before getting anything. Kenyans are amazing. Everybody keeps asking me why I have an empty tank in my living room. They don't believe there is a snake in there until I show the pictures.

[theapexgerman]

Yea wait atleast a week befor you try feeding

[UwabamiReptiles]

A week or two is the standard. Just try to not handle her to until you get her feeding. If you start picking her up right away, it could stress her out enough to make her not eat.

[alessia55]

Like others have said, wait a week and don't' handle her. How old is she?

[bigdog2003]

Like others have said, wait a week and don't' handle her. How old is she?

Not exactly sure how old she is. She is a juvenile snake, and has been eating frozen/thawed the breeder said. Got her from one of the leading kenyan breeders.

[bigdog2003]

Talked to the breeder today, he said middle to end of this week I should try to feed her.

[jaleely]

I go against all of the good advice when i get a new snake. I plop them in their new home, and offer food right away. i think 99% of the people on here will disagree with this method *lol* but that hasn't stopped us from doing it....and the only one's i've never had NOT eat right away were my male dumeri's boa, and one of our rescues who'd been abused.

12 other snakes, from breeders, shows, and adoptions, have all eaten the first day they've lived with me.

I can see how it may cause stress to the animal, but in my experience for my snakes, i feel like it distracted them and helped them settle in. BUT i'm probably the only one on here who thinks that or who will admit it ; )

[youngster]

I do the same as jaleely.

If the snake eats right away good, if not, it's not going to cause that much stress.

[Strutter769]

Thanks, I have been wanting a snake for a while, but wanted to make sure I did plenty of research before getting anything. Kenyans are amazing. Everybody keeps asking me why I have an empty tank in my living room. They don't believe there is a snake in there until I show the pictures.

Congrats on the new snake! It's nice to read "wanted to make sure I did plenty of research." Nice job!

You're in the right place to learn even more. Welcome!

[mykee]

I feed everything the day I set it up in it's new environment. Reason being; the animal is stressed enough with a new place, new temps, new environment, etc. so why stress it out further by not feeding it. Never in 13 years have I had a problem.

[Gungirl]

I always offer food right after I get them in there new viv.

[bigdog2003]

Thanks for all the advice.

[KORBIN5895]

Wow! Why are all the people who feed right away so quite about it? This is like the first time I have heard people say they feed right away! I just feed mine on schedule.

[mykee]

I am quite vocal about this. I tell all my customers to feed their new acquisitions as soon as they get them into their new environments. The question has never come up in a forum setting until now. I'm full of this kinda info, but need to be reminded of it most of the time.

[bigdog2003]

First feeding today went great. She acted like she didn't want it at first, but all of a sudden grabbed it and swallowed it down.

[CK SandBoas]

It's always a big relief when a new animal feeds for the first time in your care:) I'm glad everything went smoothly for you and for your new Kenyan!

[bigdog2003]

It's always a big relief when a new animal feeds for the first time in your care:) I'm glad everything went smoothly for you and for your new Kenyan!

It sure was. Glad she ate the first time I tried.

[mykee]

You'll be hard-pressed to find KSB that won't eat when offered food. They're pretty hardy.

[bigdog2003]

Tried to feed her again yesterday after 7 days, and she wouldnt eat. Should I be worried?

[FangsAnarchy]

I go against all of the good advice when i get a new snake. I plop them in their new home, and offer food right away. i think 99% of the people on here will disagree with this method *lol* but that hasn't stopped us from doing it....and the only one's i've never had NOT eat right away were my male dumeri's boa, and one of our rescues who'd been abused.

12 other snakes, from breeders, shows, and adoptions, have all eaten the first day they've lived with me.

I can see how it may cause stress to the animal, but in my experience for my snakes, i feel like it distracted them and helped them settle in. BUT i'm probably the only one on here who thinks that or who will admit it ; )

Nope, I have fed as soon as we had snakes in their homes as well. If they took food great if not then I give em a week.

Also I wouldn't be worried just yet. Kenyans can be shy and picky (in my experiance and research) if she doesn't eat after 14 days try live. 9/10 i would say frozen thawed but sometimes snakes just won't take it. However you said she was already eating F/T so don't worry just yet. Give her time, try feeding in the dark and leaving her alone with the F/T meal.

[bigdog2003]

Nope, I have fed as soon as we had snakes in their homes as well. If they took food great if not then I give em a week.

Also I wouldn't be worried just yet. Kenyans can be shy and picky (in my experiance and research) if she doesn't eat after 14 days try live. 9/10 i would say frozen thawed but sometimes snakes just won't take it. However you said she was already eating F/T so don't worry just yet. Give her time, try feeding in the dark and leaving her alone with the F/T meal.

She ate last week, so maybe she just isn't ready to eat again? I have heard some say once a week and others say once every two weeks.