Force/ Assist Feeding. When it's necessary

[lady_bug87]

For those of you who keep up with what goes on around here it's no surprise that this is a topic that has been getting some negative attention.

Though it has been discussed in other threads I thought it would be a good idea to gather information on the topic of force and assist feeding for new keepers or keepers with established collections but who have never encountered this type of intervention so that it can be used properly and to the most Benefit of the animal.

This thread is intended for our more experienced members to provide information on techniques, how to do it safely, when to do it and what it actually means to force and assist feed.

** THIS IS NOT AN OUTLET FOR BLAMING OR ANYTHING NEGATIVE I will ask that discussions about the mistakes of others not be discussed in an oppressive way. That we keep this as a useful tool for new keepers**

To the mods: if this thread does what it's intended to do it may be something good to sticky

[Wildside]

First and most important thing you have to have when force/assist feeding is patience. I always try the assist feed first. I've never had to result to using a pinky pump. Assist feeding is a slow process and you have to be gentle.

[lady_bug87]

That's the thing, I want people that have done it before to be extremely specific when they say assist feeding and force feeding.

[shaunyboy]

FORCE FEEDING = cutting the legs of a pinkie,then inserting the pinkie head first into the snakes mouth,you then push the pinkie down into the throat,then massage it all the way into the stomach

FORCE FEEDING = using a pinkie pump,its a metal syringe that turns the pinkie to pulp,which is squirted down snakes throat,into stomach

FORCE FEEDING = using high protien cat/dog food provided by a vet,water down the dog/cat food into a paste,then use a syringe and an infant feeding tube,to put paste into snakes stomach (i have used this method to aid snakes recovering from illness)

re infant feeding tube
its the same type of soft plastic tubing used on human babys,you cut it according to the size of the snake,you need to get the paste your feeding,far enough down the snakes throat,as to make it go into the stomach,and not come back up out the snakes mouth

ASSIST FEEDING = opening the snakes mouth with the head of a pinkie,then when the snake bites down on the pinkie,you put the snake into a tub and let it do the rest itself

imo assist feeding is a lot less stressful than force feeding

imo force feeding should only be done,if the snakes visibly losing a lot of weight and its health is suffering as a concequence of not feeding

i have seen assist feeding used on stuborn hatchlings to induce a feeding response

cheers shaun

[lady_bug87]

How do you find the stomach?

[Wildside]

There's no need to find the stomach, just be sure to get behind the trachea and insert slowly.

My assist feeding method consists of causing the snake to bite the prey, then gently try and keep them moving forward. There's a certain amount of resistance they will have but usually once you get them past the prey's head they go easier. After the prey is all the way in the throat the snake should swallow on it's own. If it doesn't and spits the prey back out then try again at a later time.

Always keep in mind that food rejection is not a time to panic. The time to panic comes when the snake starts showing signs of illness, such as rapid weight loss.

[shaunyboy]

Originally Posted by lady_bug87

How do you find the stomach?

your NOT looking to put a tube all the way to the stomach

you WANT to put the tube far enough down the snakes throat,as to stop the medication/paste,coming back out the snakes mouth,

with sub adult and adult carpets i make sure the infant feeding tube goes around 3 to 4 inch down the throat,this will send the paste/medication down in to the stomach

if you do NOT put the tube far enough down you will soon know,as the paste or medication,will come back out the snakes mouth,as your pressing the syringe full of meds/food into the snake,via the infant feeding tube

cheers shaun

[BarelyBreathing]

I will try everything before assist feeding. I've only had to assist feed a small handful of times and only had to force feed twice, and both times were under extreme circumstances.

Steps that should be taken before attempting to assist or force feed a snake:
-Check your set up from proper temperatures, humidity, substrate, and hides.
-Check it again.
-Substitute your rodent with a girbil or an African soft fur rat.
-Brain case your rodent.
-Cut the head off of your rodent and feed only the head.
-Scent your rodent with a frog, toad, lizard, or snake
-Feed a frog, toad, lizard, or snake.

Steps that should be taken before attempting to assist or force feed a lizard:
-Check your enclosure for proper temperatures, humidity, UVB, substrate, and hides.
-Check your enclosure again.
-Be sure your UVB is current.
-Check for signs of dehydration.
-Try a new food source. Lizards can often get bored of the same thing. For a carnivore, try something that moves differently, has more meat, or has a stronger scent. For an herbavore, you can try adding brightly colored edible flowes, try something of a different texture, and try juicier food sources.
-Change the location of the feeding source.
-Check that you have the correct supplements. Change the brands. Some lizards have shown preferences to a certain brand of calcium, multi-vitamins, etc. Offer some feedings without supplements and some with.


Only assist or force feed if your animal is failing and losing a lot of weight AFTER all of these other methods of getting it to feed have been attempted. Assist or force feeding should ONLY be attempted under expert supervision, as this is very stressful for the animal. A lot can go wrong.