Royal foster

[DavethePython]

Last night on a trip to our local Pet shop to get rats for Oscar and Tequila we discovered that they had a 2011 BP from the same clutch as Dave . we had heard months ago he was returned because he was a non feeder . We found they still have him . They are asking way too much money for him , but they are considering allowing me to foster him and work with him to bring him back to feeding. I have more time to spend working with him and our home is quiet and much less stressful . So I am hoping I can rehabilitate this little guy . We happened to have Dave with us last night and the size difference is disturbing to say the least. This little fellow is still about the same size as Dave was when we first got him in Dec. The assist. manager at the shop is going to highly recommend the store send him home to me if only for a short time to bring him back to health . I estimate he has about 4 more months at most before his situation becomes critical. He appears healthy and drinks frequently , he just won't eat. Hope I can help the little guy.

[alessia55]

Good luck! Keep us posted.

[Gungirl]

I hope you can help the snake.. on the other hand did you bring your snake to the pet shop with you?

Just want to make sure I understood what you typed..

[DavethePython]

Yes we took ours to the shop with us . Even though it is a franchise pet store , most of the staff there are really happy to get to visit and interact with animals that have been sold there. So on occasion we take Dave and Tequila in for visits when the weather is favorable to have them out.

[DavethePython]

I also find it is a great opportunity to talk to people and educate them about snakes. People are more often than not very receptive to touching and asking about them . It is pretty cool . And for a ball python , Dave really seems to enjoy the attention .

[TinkerbellsMom]

I love that! Some guy comes into the pet store I go to with his boa! It's so fun to watch the snake interact with people and its unbelievably docile.

[DavethePython]

I should know next week. The head district manager does not feel comfortable adopting an animal out that may be sick. I can respect that . So the deal is they will isolate him for another week . The store manager has said after that if there is no improvement we will work out a deal no matter what his boss says . He is quite confident that it is the right move to let me take him . He will be in a quiet stress free environment here . Instead of in the back of a loud pet store with kids screaming and yelling and all the air conditioners and such going . Even though he is in a back room away from public access it is still not a quiet stress free environment .

[Aaron_S]

Yes we took ours to the shop with us . Even though it is a franchise pet store , most of the staff there are really happy to get to visit and interact with animals that have been sold there. So on occasion we take Dave and Tequila in for visits when the weather is favorable to have them out.

I still consider this a bad idea.

[Lankyrob]

I assume when you bring the animals home htey then go into a a 6 month quarantine?

[mykee]

"I assume when you bring the animals home htey then go into a a 6 month quarantine?"
Yeah!!!
Nobody quarantines anymore, it's not the cool thing to do.

[Lankyrob]

Yeah!!!
Nobody quarantines anymore, it's not the cool thing to do.


Lol :) - i worry like hell when i do school visits where no one touches the snakes and there are no other animals around that can transmit illness. I see it as me handling my snakes but in a different room. I would never take them to a pet shop or expo etc as it just isnt worth the risk in my mind :)

[DavethePython]

So this afternoon we became this little guys new foster home. He is quite small but we were given some wrong information by one of the workers who was covering reptiles. He is not a year old , he was hatched in March and was sold in April . He was brought back because he was the wrong one , not sure what that meant because he was the only Python there in April , but whatever. SO I have him in quarantine and he will most likley stay there for at least a few months or until he has to go back should we choose not to keep him (doubt that will happen) . So I plan to keep him in the quiet for another week or 2 before I attempt to try to feed him. I think he will pull through , he is young and has not eaten in a few months , but he drinks lots and is otherwise in pretty good shape. So here is to hoping I can work with this guy and get the feeding started . My last baby took 3 months to get him to eat and a little over 5 months to get him eating regularly . And on a side note , the pet store is very grateful for our helping them out on this.

[Aaron_S]

So he hasn't eaten in awhile and you plan to starve him for upto another 2 weeks?

I would recommend give him a day or two. Attempt a feeding. You'll know how comfortable he is if he eats or not.

[DavethePython]

He was just tried last night , and given the stress I want him to relax for another week. He was force fed a few weeks ago so he is not gone completely without food since April . As with my last BP that would not eat , if he appears to be hunting of course I will attempt a feed sooner .

[Aaron_S]

He was just tried last night , and given the stress I want him to relax for another week. He was force fed a few weeks ago so he is not gone completely without food since April . As with my last BP that would not eat , if he appears to be hunting of course I will attempt a feed sooner .

Do you mean actual force feeding or assist feeding? Assist is placing the item in the mouth of the snake and gently pushing it in a bit so as to not fall out then leaving the snake to do it's thing.

Force feeding is a lot worse and only supposed to be used on very rare occasions.

[DavethePython]

I am not sure what they did , I was not there. They just said he was force fed . He seems to be very relaxed so far . It is much calmer and quieter here at my house. He seems right at home so I am giving him another couple days and I will try to feed him . I have to feed others tomorrow so I am going to see how he reacts to the scent o the prey as I thaw it out. I know when I put the prey in a bowl of warm water my other 2 start going nuts right away when they smell it . I am hoping he will react to the smell too . I will just place the prey in his room to warm it up .

[DavethePython]

Well a little update . I did try to feed the little guy today . He seems to shy away from prey . Don't know if the breeder had him on live and he got bit or what but he does not want any part of feeding. I did manage to open his mouth and place the pinky in his mouth to a point that he did finally take it . So a little good news , at least he will have some nourishment now .

[Aaron_S]

Well a little update . I did try to feed the little guy today . He seems to shy away from prey . Don't know if the breeder had him on live and he got bit or what but he does not want any part of feeding. I did manage to open his mouth and place the pinky in his mouth to a point that he did finally take it . So a little good news , at least he will have some nourishment now .

Alright well you need to give your rescue to an actual rescue.

You suck at this.


First of all, you didn't even give the snake a REAL meal. It should be on hopper mice. NOT pinks. Try live hopper mice.

Second of all, do not assist feed unless it's a DIRE situation. That's a LOT of stress on the poor snake. You just attempted to make him feel all secure and good in your home and went and ruined it with an assist feed.