Is he too skinny? :( - Page 2

Amara · 12-29-12, 02:28 AM

Ok so since I last posted I tried a bigger pinkie and my poor little guy seemed completely overwhelmed. For over half an hour he kept trying to eat the poor thing grabbing it by the waist, butt, poking at it with his nose. He tried really hard but just couldn't get it down and ended up looking quite agitated so I took it out and gave him a smaller one which he downed in a minute.
He is due to eat tomorrow so I'll try him on 2 small pinkies instead because just one doesn't leave a bump on him at all.
I've read that you can re-freeze a thawed mouse and feed it at a later time is that true? I get the pinkies for 50 cents a piece so not a big worry but I'm just curious.

Lankyrob · 12-29-12, 05:26 AM

How much bigger in terms of girth was the mouse to thr snake?

My corns have eaten mice twice their girth with no issues since they were hatchlings......

KORBIN5895 · 12-29-12, 06:24 AM

Refreezing rodents is kinda controversial but I always refreeze once.

shaunyboy · 12-29-12, 07:45 AM

i would have left the snake with the larger prey,unless he abandoned it himself

i have adult carpets who take several attempts before they find the head of the prey and take it down

i had a jag that tried for an hour and a half to take prey backwards,with a leg jammed hanging outside each side of his mouth,in the end he spat it out and found the head and ate

imo its not unusual behavior for a snake to have a few attempts at grabbing the correct end of the prey

cheers shaun

dinosaurdammit · 12-29-12, 09:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shaunyboy

i would have left the snake with the larger prey,unless he abandoned it himself

i have adult carpets who take several attempts before they find the head of the prey and take it down

i had a jag that tried for an hour and a half to take prey backwards,with a leg jammed hanging outside each side of his mouth,in the end he spat it out and found the head and ate

imo its not unusual behavior for a snake to have a few attempts at grabbing the correct end of the prey

cheers shaun

My male boa has this issue, I ended up buying a cork log and place the rat head facing out and put the butt end against the glass or other wall and now he never has an issue.

Amara · 12-31-12, 12:55 AM

Sorry, I'm kind of slow on my replies, Christmas crazyness is at cause

Lankyrob, the girth of the mouse was about the typical 1.5 diameter of my snake but I could tell he wanted it but just didn't know how to take it, it was weird. He's normally a pretty fast eater.

I fed him two smaller pinkies today (had to try since I was worried about feeding him larger) and he ate them both without too much fuss. The only thing is if I hold the mouse doing the "zombie mouse dance" he gets excited and rubs up against it, pokes it with his nose and all but doesn't eat it. I have to drop it in the tank but that's when he goes...not so smart with it

Basically, he doesn't seem to know where to take it from. He ate the first one head on after a lot of rubbing onto it but the second one, he tried and tried to eat it from the waist until he ended up eating it from the butt. It went in because it was small but I'd like to know what dinosaurdammit is talking about with the cork log. Excuse my ignorance but I've never heard of that and I think it could help my little guy lol.

Anyway, he ate both and seems content for now. I think he is going into shed as I noticed his eyes are glazing over. I added a second bowl of water to hopefully up the humidity level and he has plenty of stuff to rub up against. 2 stone hides, stone water bowl, plants and a 20$ branch. I can't believe I just paid 20$ for a branch but nothing is too good for Zaphod haha!

You guys have been so helpful and I can't thank you enough, I thought I did my research beforehand but I find myself wondering about so much still so thank you

*edit* I ended up throwing out the un-eaten pinky, not worth the risk for 50 cents

Lankyrob · 12-31-12, 04:43 AM

Next time SUPER heat the head of the prey, kinda gives them a target to aim for and then just leave him too it. Some snakes wont fall for thea zombie dance, one of my corns has only just started to strike the zombie mouse after two years of trying, up till now he would only eat a mouse laid on the floor of the viv

KORBIN5895 · 12-31-12, 05:26 AM

If a snake will eat a f/t just laying on the floor why bother trying strike feed?

Amara · 12-31-12, 12:12 PM

Thanks Lankyrob, I was thinking of slicing the mouse's brain but I MUCH prefer your idea

Korbin, it's not so much about him striking, it's more for him to take the mouse the right way when I have it in the tongs instead of him getting all confused and eating it from the butt when I leave it go.

KORBIN5895 · 12-31-12, 12:58 PM

Sorry that was directed at Rob

shaunyboy · 12-31-12, 01:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dinosaurdammit

My male boa has this issue, I ended up buying a cork log and place the rat head facing out and put the butt end against the glass or other wall and now he never has an issue.

i give the preys head an extra heat,with the hope of encouraging a head strike

imo carpets can be very stupid snakes at times

cheers shaun

KORBIN5895 · 12-31-12, 01:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shaunyboy

i give the preys head an extra heat,with the hope of encouraging a head strike

imo carpets can be very stupid snakes at times

cheers shaun

Just because they are pythons.....

shaunyboy · 12-31-12, 01:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KORBIN5895

Just because they are pythons.....

yep mate daft as a brush pythons

cheers shaun

Lankyrob · 12-31-12, 02:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KORBIN5895

If a snake will eat a f/t just laying on the floor why bother trying strike feed?

The one i was describing will pull the prey back into his moss hide to eat, so i TRY to get him to strike feed as i can direct him to eat on the bark instead of the moss. It isn't a major issue eitherr way, just my preference