How to get Stubborn Babies to Eat???

[Jon-e-Boy]

In the past few seasons, I've always managed to get my babies to eat at least by the third attempt. Well, it has not worked yet for 3 of my latest youngsters. Is force feeding the first meal a good idea, or does anyone out there have a little trick they use? They were born exactly 1 month ago. Thanks.

Jon

[reidness]

well this worked for me a few years ago with one of my babie hypos, you might have already done this but try spliting the head of the pinkie, use a knife or whatever i use my teeth! just a joke, just make sure there is some blood and brain matter! it seems to get them fired up and they will eat.

[bambam]

you can also leave a fuzzy or pinkie in over nite. Nothing bigger with teeth.

[diablo]

if nothing works you could dip it in chicken broth and that might work if not i have an ideal that could work that i used to get my ball python to start eating frozen..let me know

[Jon-e-Boy]

Still can't get them to eat. I've tried live, frozen, pinkie mice and pinkie rats. I can't get them to eat, I don't understand. It's been about 5 weeks since they were born and I don't want to force feed them unless I HAVE TO. But one of them looks very skinny, however, he is very active and not at all sluggish. Should I force feed, or does anyone else have a possible solution (diablo) ?

[diablo]

thats not good.. i would tell you my ideal but it wont work if they wont eat frozen i have no ideal what to say..

[CCS]

DO NOT FORCE FEED, this is a bad habit that will strees the little snake out more than it will help, for now just try fuzzy to hopper mice, I have found that boas do not see pinkys as food items in some cases. If this does not help and it doesn't eat within a couple of weeks, take it to a vet. Only in extreme circumstances is force feeding a necessary way of keeping an animal alive. Hope I could help,
Chris

[Jon-e-Boy]

Well I've tried to feed them way too many times already and they haven't eaten. So what I did was place the head of the pinkie in one of their mouths and then they ended up eating it. The other one now just started to kill the rats and puts them in her mouth, but won't swallow it. It's weird, it's done that twice in the past two days. Maybe it just doesn't have the natural instinct. Who knows, but they are coming along well.

Jon

[Thor1]

My 1st litter, I had one stubburn Knott head baby boa LOL. That thought eating was not kewl or something? The 11 brothers and sisters ate like czazy on there 1st meal. After the 7th week of attempting feeding, I had had it. After I tried splitting the head open of a fuzzy mouse/ rat pink, chicken broth, leaving the snake in the dark with it, in the light etc... I finally pryed open her mouth and she tried to spit it out several times, then gave up and ate it. Then she was an eating machine after her 1st meal. Ended up actually being the tamest, but the most aggressive feeder I have had. It was weird with her. I worked in a lab with 1000's of snakes and never seen one act like this before.
Good luck let us know how it goes.

[Jon-e-Boy]

Yeah, I have a feeling that the one that I did the same to, will strart eating normally after this. But you never know. I will keep you informed and see if it worked. Thanks.

Jon

[Dixiesys]

So did you get all the babies eating?

In corns braining used to work wonders, on a few I'd have to put the head in their mouth the first feeding or two then they'd usually get the hang of it after that.

[Jon-e-Boy]

I had only one baby that refused to eat no matter what. She died, sadly. But one baby out of a clutch of 28 isn't bad at all. Thanks for the followup.