Force Feeding?

warnerk · 02-14-12, 12:22 PM

It has been a little less then 2 months since my GTP last ate, should i force feed him ?

Gungirl · 02-14-12, 12:25 PM

Absolutely not!
Snakes can go long periods of time with out food and be ok. Force feeding is a very Last resort. What is your set up like? What are your temps hot and cold? what is your humidity at? how long have you had your GTP ? how old is it? All of this will help us help you.

Trent · 02-14-12, 12:51 PM

Agreed..Last resort.

UwabamiReptiles · 02-14-12, 01:11 PM

Just like Gungirl said, you should check your husbandry and see if something is lacking. Force feeding is super stressful on a snake and should be an absolute last resort.

youngster · 02-14-12, 01:34 PM

Kat pretty much covered it. Helps to have pics of the snake & the setup

Lankyrob · 02-14-12, 01:41 PM

Check and then double check everything in the husbandry, as long as the snake is not losing condition then just persevere with offering food every 14 days until it takes it.

If you would like us to help you double check everything then pics and a breakdown of your temps and humidity would be helpful

warnerk · 02-15-12, 12:15 PM

Green Tree Python - YouTube

Theres a youtube video of the entire enclosure

youngster · 02-15-12, 12:27 PM

That GTP is still pretty small, improperly force feeding could damage the spine.

jarich · 02-15-12, 01:46 PM

Its difficult not to worry as they are such picky little guys sometimes. When I first got mine it didnt eat for quite a bit longer than what you are talking, closer to four months. (admittedly though mine was bigger) But I think force feeding would only make it worse. As long as your enclosure is right regarding temps, humidity, etc then its just a waiting game. They have to feel comfortable and it takes quite a while. After that initial time, mine is now a voracious eater. The second I bring a mouse in the room he goes straight to the door.

gtp 1 · 02-19-12, 05:51 PM

hi there i have looked at your young gtp and you want more perches in the tank your temps want to be 82 -85f. humidity should be raised in the morning when you water spray your tank and leave to slowly dry out by the next morning which should then read 60% humidity they dont like the tank wet all the time they can get IR problems also they like to crawl on tank floor but if its to wet they want. (once you get your tank running right your gtp will feed)

Brazen17 · 02-23-12, 05:31 PM

Mechanical hygrometers are notoriously inaccurate. You should invest in a digital version to make sure your humidity is in the proper range. IF you gage is correct and the humidity is 70% all the time then that is too high. You need a range of 85%-90% dropping to 50%-55% or so over a 24 hour period. Has your GTP had a bad shed recently? From the video it appears as though it might have but was hard to say for sure. If so, then after it sheds again it will probably resume eating with no problem. Hope this helps...

**millertime89** · 02-23-12, 05:57 PM

I'm curious why you guys keep saying that the humidity needs to drop? Wouldn't a constant 85ish% be better?

gtp 1 · 02-24-12, 06:15 AM

hi you have to do your humidity like it would be in the wild so on a night it would dry out from the heat its had all day its got to have a cooling off period so the humidity then comes down plus to much humidity can cause ir problems

Lankyrob · 02-24-12, 07:57 AM

GTP;s dont like constant high humidity, they are much better off with a cyclic humidity rather than constant.

jarich · 02-24-12, 08:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gtp 1

hi you have to do your humidity like it would be in the wild so on a night it would dry out from the heat its had all day its got to have a cooling off period so the humidity then comes down plus to much humidity can cause ir problems

While it is convenient for us as keepers to let our enclosure dry out a bit, it really is not anything that is copying nature. Humidity is lowest in the afternoon, and never drops below around 65-70% where these guys come from. However, its often difficult for us in captivity to keep an enclosure from molding at a constant high humidity like that. Hence why it is often stated that they be misted and then allowed to dry out a bit.