Fed up with non-feeding hatchlings....UPDATED with SUCCESS!!

Re: Fed up with non-feeding hatchlings....UPDATED with SUCCESS!!

feeds@yuku.com (aaron florian) — Fri, 09 May 2008 20:12:23 GMT

Happy to help. I rarely have any luck with down (Tenderloin excluded), but glad that was the "trigger" for those guys.

So what are you going to do with all this "free time" you'll have every night?

Re: Fed up with non-feeding hatchlings....UPDATED with SUCCESS!!

feeds@yuku.com (aaron florian) — Thu, 08 May 2008 19:01:59 GMT

Mike, call me tomorrow

Re: Fed up with non-feeding hatchlings....UPDATED with SUCCESS!!

feeds@yuku.com (rksmrz) — Mon, 05 May 2008 22:00:04 GMT

I keep my own mice/rat colonies. For me at least, there doesnt seem to be a snake that can refuse a lively pinky just pulled off mama's nipple.

Re: Fed up with non-feeding hatchlings....UPDATED with SUCCESS!!

feeds@yuku.com (Mike C) — Mon, 05 May 2008 18:39:55 GMT

Well I tried the raw chicken with limited results. I got ONE of the non feeders to take a pinky that had been sitting in the chicken juice, so it is somewhat successful. I wasn't able to get any of the other 6 to take any. I actually tried to "assist feed" one, but couldn't even get that to work. They are just too delicate or I am just too clumsy. I guess tomorrow I will try the tuna fish since I can get that easily.

Thanks for all the ideas and keep them coming!

Re: Fed up with non-feeding hatchlings....UPDATED with SUCCESS!!

feeds@yuku.com (whitehillreptile) — Mon, 05 May 2008 13:12:13 GMT

i dont know if i have posted this here before or not, but i have had the best feeding response on just about everything by scenting with tuna juice. just drain a can of white albacore (in water) over what ever it is you trying to use as food. dry it off so it is not dripping wet and see what happens. i dont know why this works, all i know is that everything that i have ever had that refuses to eat tends to take to this like a duck to water.

FWIW
Tre' Hill

Re: Fed up with non-feeding hatchlings....UPDATED with SUCCESS!!

feeds@yuku.com (cleve360) — Mon, 05 May 2008 12:31:19 GMT

Sometimes holding the pink absolutely still without teasing will work on some neos, especially runners.

Also, heating to 100 degrees or so.

Re: Fed up with non-feeding hatchlings....UPDATED with SUCCESS!!

feeds@yuku.com (Mike C) — Mon, 05 May 2008 12:23:54 GMT

Okay, I am opening up raw chicken here in 5 minutes to try that, as that never crossed my mind. Aaron is sending me some Chick down(Right Aaron??) to try as well. I really appreciate everyones input as it has given me some ideas.

Buddy, Sorry for the bad luck, it seems our two clutches are earily similar, both laid and hatched near the same time, with the same amount of babies. Hopefully I can get some better feeding responses here. I'll report back as soon as I can.

Re: Fed up with non-feeding hatchlings....UPDATED with SUCCESS!!

feeds@yuku.com (Ben Team) — Mon, 05 May 2008 07:47:27 GMT

Beer is the number one most effective scenting substance in my experience. See, if I can smell my beer on the same table as the chondros, then I don't get so skittish, and I work at the feeding trials longer.

I haven't established that many babies (less than 50) but I would suggest that in my limited experience, pissing them off may be the best tactic.

In my experiences the good...

Re: Fed up with non-feeding hatchlings....UPDATED with SUCCESS!!

feeds@yuku.com (Kim Heller) — Mon, 05 May 2008 05:48:52 GMT

Send them here. I'd do anything to have Chondro babies and the feeding challenges.

Try the chicken. A small piece, dipped in hot water. I had a young Chondro that needed to be kicked back into feeding mode. He turned his nose up at rodents, and as soon as he was offered chicken, he nailed it.

Best of luck, Mike

Kim

Re: Fed up with non-feeding hatchlings....UPDATED with SUCCESS!!

feeds@yuku.com (Blue Ridge Biological) — Mon, 05 May 2008 05:31:25 GMT

Try everything suggested and hope one of them triggers the feeding response. Chick down did absolutely nothing for a non-feeder here, but when I tried the same animal with scent from raw chicken, it tongue flicked and launched off the perch to grab the pinky. It was obviously hungry but just waiting for the right prey scent to come along. It has never refused a meal since.
Will

Re: Fed up with non-feeding hatchlings....UPDATED with SUCCESS!!

feeds@yuku.com (BuddyBuscemi) — Mon, 05 May 2008 03:22:29 GMT

Mike

I feel your frustration!!!!!
I have 7 great feeders out of 17 from my latest clutch, and I have lost all of my non feeders.
Here are a few other things to try.... hamster fur, gerbil fur, rubbing a pink on a live frog, pinks dipped in egg yolk, hatchling quail down, but the number one scent for me has been chick down.
Let me know if you need some chick down...pm me with your address and I'll mail some to you.
I'd start assist feeding today.
...

Re: Fed up with non-feeding hatchlings....UPDATED with SUCCESS!!

feeds@yuku.com (davidnj) — Sun, 04 May 2008 20:38:31 GMT

Chick down is the supposed #1 thing used for scenting. I'd probably start thinking about assist feeding at this point if chick down does not work. You will want to start with pink heads since once you get them in the snake's mouth its much more difficult for them to find the leverage to get it out. After attempting to dislodge the head and not having success, they will swallow. Good luck.

Re: Fed up with non-feeding hatchlings....UPDATED with SUCCESS!!

feeds@yuku.com (Sony Raju) — Sun, 04 May 2008 19:47:42 GMT

either chicken strips.................or just do what a good buddy of mine does, put em in the freezer! j/k

Re: Fed up with non-feeding hatchlings....UPDATED with SUCCESS!!

feeds@yuku.com (RFK38) — Sun, 04 May 2008 19:12:15 GMT

Raw strips of chicken... works like a charm.

Good luck,

Bob

Fed up with non-feeding hatchlings....UPDATED with SUCCESS!!

feeds@yuku.com (Mike C) — Sun, 04 May 2008 19:02:17 GMT

I'm to the point that I am stressing out over 8 of my hatchlings that I can not get to feed for ANYTHING. They hatched out on 02/25/08, and all shed within a few weeks. Since then, I have been atempting to get them started on F/T pinkies with mild success. Half of the clutch is pretty established, but the others are simply not interested in eating. I have tried pinky heads only, have tried different heating tecniques, have tried scenting from a lizard, from live rats, the rats fur,...