My New Retic WILL NOT EAT! Someone help me out here! - Page 3

MDT · 04-19-15, 08:33 PM

So...at the expense of being called a meanie again (as in another thread)...Kyle, you gotta ask yourself, are you really wanting assistance or simply validation? If it's the former, then I think the overwhelming response would be, don't feed live...it's simply not worth the risk. You have limited your snake simply by captivity. Hunting/killing in the wild is not the same as in captivity. It just isn't. Your responsibility to the safety and well being of your pet overrides your desire to "watch a kill".

If you are wanting validation of your husbandry, you likely won't get that...especially with a freaking taser poised to off a rat that gets jiggy with your snake.

So, I truly hope you don't take this the wrong way....I've been keeping snakes for well over 30 yrs...I'm still learning and modifying what I do and how I do it with regard to husbandry tips and pointers. I really think that for the long term well being of your snake, you should reconsider your feeding options.

**millertime89** · 04-19-15, 08:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MDT

So...at the expense of being called a meanie again (as in another thread)...Kyle, you gotta ask yourself, are you really wanting assistance or simply validation?

For a second there I was confused because I thought you were addressing me...

MDT · 04-19-15, 08:50 PM

Lol!!

Nope...the other Kyle. You're a retic guy...you're one of the guys I get my info from.

KyleKennedy · 04-21-15, 12:41 PM

I just ordered a bunch of frozen rats in bulk. It's much cheaper and like you all said, why risk injury to myself and the snake. I'll take your guys' words for it considering you are all experts and I am just a rookie. Thank you all. But its still been a few weeks since he ate. When these frozen rats come in, I'll give that a try.

KyleKennedy · 04-21-15, 12:44 PM

@davehimself - Jesus that's a huge rabbit!My retic isn't big enough to eat one of those yet. But when he does get to the point to eat large rabbits, I'd kill the rabbit first. I can imagine the type of damage a rabbit that size can inflict.

**millertime89** · 04-21-15, 01:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KyleKennedy

@davehimself - Jesus that's a huge rabbit!My retic isn't big enough to eat one of those yet. But when he does get to the point to eat large rabbits, I'd kill the rabbit first. I can imagine the type of damage a rabbit that size can inflict.

It doesn't even have to be that big to inflict serious damage. I've been kicked by 3 lbers that leave nice big cuts on my arm. The other thing is if you continue to feed live, there's a chance that they won't take f/t or pre-killed when you want them to.

dave himself · 04-21-15, 02:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KyleKennedy

@davehimself - Jesus that's a huge rabbit!My retic isn't big enough to eat one of those yet. But when he does get to the point to eat large rabbits, I'd kill the rabbit first. I can imagine the type of damage a rabbit that size can inflict.

Thanks for not picking me up wrong mate, I wasn't trying to be a smart a$$. I was just trying to make you more aware

KyleKennedy · 04-21-15, 02:09 PM

@millertime89 - I was feeding my 7 foot boa couple days ago. When I went to place the jumbo rat in the cage it turned around and gave me a nasty bite on my thumb. I went to the hospital the next day because my thumb started to turn black was very painful. They gave me shots to stop the infection. I've been bitten plenty of times by snakes even by my 7 foot boa. But nothing is more painful than a rat bite. From now on, I'm going start feeding my retic and boa f/t. It's worth a try. Don't want to get bitten by one of those nasty little bastards again.

MDT · 04-21-15, 02:55 PM

check out Streptobacillus moniliformis....

**millertime89** · 04-21-15, 05:17 PM

This is something else you want to avoid... VERY GRAPHIC PICTURES OF A NASTY FEEDING RESPONSE BITE

This is why I cautioned you about the snake flipping around when you try and go in and taze the feeder the snake doesn't appear to want. I'm really happy to hear that you're willing to try f/t. Don't get me wrong. I love watching a snake hunt like it would in nature. But the downsides just aren't worth it for me.

reptiledude987 · 04-21-15, 05:35 PM

This whole thing about using a tazer baffels and disgusts me. Why would anyone think this is a appropriate option? I gurantee when this is done this is tazing the snake as well. Gaurenteed if you were holding a rabbit or rat in your hand and tazed it you would certainly feel the shock in your arm. Ive heard some ridiculous things about snakes before but this tops the list.

KyleKennedy · 04-21-15, 07:11 PM

@MDT - pretty sure if I had that the doctors would have told me when they did an examination of my thumb. They gave me 4 shots, two in the thumb to kill the spread of infection and 2 in the arm. I doubt I have it.

KyleKennedy · 04-21-15, 07:11 PM

What I have is a severed tendon in the thumb, no disease........knock on wood

MDT · 04-21-15, 09:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KyleKennedy

What I have is a severed tendon in the thumb, no disease........knock on wood

you probably don't, but there is no way they/we can tell you that based off of exam. it's not common and i was throwing that out there as another example of why live feeding may not be the best choice.

you wouldn't know if you had rat bite fever until the bacteria could be isolated and identified (that does not happen in the ED) and, if your ER doc wasn't considering that as a possibility, you may not have received the correct antibiotic. chances are though, you did. (This is where follow up is important)

if you have a severed tendon, you have a whole other set of problems depending on if it's a flexor tendon or extensor tendon....and i'm guessing they set you up w a hand surgeon to repair the tendon? When you go in for tendon repair, they can take a culture if need be.

**millertime89** · 04-21-15, 09:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MDT

you probably don't, but there is no way they/we can tell you that based off of exam. it's not common and i was throwing that out there as another example of why live feeding may not be the best choice.

you wouldn't know if you had rat bite fever until the bacteria could be isolated and identified (that does not happen in the ED) and, if your ER doc wasn't considering that as a possibility, you may not have received the correct antibiotic. chances are though, you did. (This is where follow up is important)

if you have a severed tendon, you have a whole other set of problems depending on if it's a flexor tendon or extensor tendon....and i'm guessing they set you up w a hand surgeon to repair the tendon? When you go in for tendon repair, they can take a culture if need be.

This is all latin to me... lol