Slim at once again kinda

knads06 · 07-07-04, 09:58 PM

Well my bp ate for the first time a little over a week and a half ago with the help of assist feeding. That was the first time he had ate since i got him over 7 or so weeks prior. He was a small baby when i got him so i tried everything to get him to eat. It finally came down to assist feeding not force feeding. He held the food down and about a week and a half later i placed a large fuzzy rat in his home and once again he didnt eat it. I left it in there for 2 days and he never ate it so tonight i once again assist fed him. Once the rat gets into his mouth he has no problem getting it down but he never seems to wanna eat by himself. How much longer will i need to assist feed him before he starts eating on his own?? Im happy cause now he has two meals in his stomach so i wont have to worry about him starving for a little while. Any info would be much appreciated.

justinO · 07-07-04, 11:07 PM

3 of mine were assist fed about 6 or 7 times before they took them on their own. on a good note, after they started eating on their own, they have been my most agressive feeders!

good luck!

Vengeance · 07-08-04, 06:50 AM

I hope the rat you assist fed wasn't the same one you had left in the cage for 2 days? The rat would have started to decompose and it might not be a good idea to continue to leave the rat in the cage for a few days.

The way I usually do it is, if I thaw out the rat I'll try and dangle it and if it's within the first hour or so of being frozen and he hasn't taken it, I will throw it back in the freezer. If I leave the rat in the cage overnight, next morning I throw it out if it's still there.

Also one thing I've noticed with my ball python is he gets scared of the rat if I dangle it right in front of him. I got a pair of hemostats and have since started to grab the rat by the scruff of the neck and move it around on the floor of the cage trying to mimic how a rat would reguarly move and I have gotten a much better feeding response.

thunder · 07-08-04, 09:41 AM

i've been known to put on quite a puppet show for those who prefer live food.

knads06 · 07-08-04, 03:27 PM

The rat fuzzy was alive when i put it in the rubbermaid to let my bp attempt to feed. After he didnt eat it i put the rat in a bag wacked it which killed it then assist fed. Once it was put into his mouth he took it down no problem and didnt try and spit it up.

Vengeance · 07-08-04, 07:41 PM

If he is taking the rats assist fed, just keep assist feeding untill he takes it on his own. But then again I've have no idea what is a good suggestion for this kind of case so I'm not sure if this is the best course of action. If someone has any better suggestions I'm sure they will offer them.

knads06 · 07-10-04, 11:13 AM

Jw when my lil guy is gonna shed? Ive had him for about 8-9 weeks now and he's eaten twice but hasnt shed. Any ideas??

Bartman · 07-10-04, 11:32 AM

He will shed eventually...my guy usually sheds once a month now if even that. Hes getting pretty big. He'll shed soon though...just needs another 2 meals id say.

daver676 · 07-10-04, 02:28 PM

I had to assist feed my bp after she hadn't eaten for the first 8 weeks I got her. I only assist fed her after the vet advised me to and showed me how. After about 5 assist feeds, she started taking food on her own. Oh happy day.