Scenting Pinkies

[Edcase]

One of my garters is not takin the pinkies i give. Ive heard that you can scent them etc but am not sure what it is to use. Could you use something such as the juice that is in tuna cans??...or is there something specific?

thanks

[garterking]

When mine won't eat pinks, I scent them with nightcrawlers. I just rub the worm on the pinky a couple times, then put it in front of the snake. At first you might need to use tweezers to move the mouse in front so there's some movement. Usually works like a charm. Good luck.

[GarterGuy]

Well it all depends.....what is your garter eating now???? It's best to scent it with something it's already familiar with as food. Also are you using live or F/T pinks. F/T usually works best for scenting, 'cause you can wash them off a bit to remove some of the mouse scent. So far I've had really good luck getting all my garters onto pinks.

Roy

[Stefan-A]

It's not the first time I've heard about scenting with the juice from a can of tuna. I'd be interested in any experiences with that stuff.

[adamanteus]

Surely the juice from canned tuna is just brine? Better off rubbing it with a bit of fish (if your Garters are eating fish).

[GarterGuy]

I have heard of the tuna juice thing before, but I've never tried it myself. Easier to just rub it with a bit of trout from the freezer.:D

[adamanteus]

I would be unsure whether the juice was full of added salt, preservatives, MSG or all the other crap they throw into processed foods. Can't beat fresh fish!

[drache]

I don't think I've posted about this
my cat used to get triple fish flavoured medicine
I called the pharmacy a couple of months ago to ask how they make that and whether one could use the same process to make, say, frog flavoured medicne (or food)
the pharmacist basically said it was a trade secret . . .
I'm thinking about this though and once the dust settles from this move I want to experiment a bit

[Edcase]

They were eating cat food when my bro had them. I did rub a inkie in cat food (argh! horrible smell) but the snake didnt take to it. I like the idea of giving the pinkie some movement with tweezers tho that may help. Ill probably go get some fish/nightcrawlers and give it a try today.

thanks for the sugestions

[drache]

if they were eating catfood, you could probably scent with that

[adamanteus]

Rhea, I think he just said that's exactly what he did!:rolleyes:

[drache]

Rhea, I think he just said that's exactly what he did!:rolleyes:

so he did
I must have read right past that
oops

[Edcase]

lol np. Im starting to wonder now if he has eaten cat food at all. Ive tried him on the same cat food that my bro said he was feeding them and he still wouldnt touch it. He did however say that he has never seen him eat, im obviously quite peeved about only just hearing this. I wish id been able to get them myself rather then leave them for 2 weeks in his "care" .

Ive just got back from the local reptile store and told a woman who works there my situation. She has told me that if it is a possibility that he hasnt eaten yet he may not be able to swollow very well and use its muscles in the right way. She gave me some mouse tails (free) and gave me instructions on feeding them to him (i really need a name i can call him, any ideas?) to get his muscles working and then said i should slowly work my way up to pinkies. So thats what im planing to do now.

I am very worried though knowing that he may not have eaten yet, now it has become a more desperate situation. Is it common for them not to eat and for how long can they go without?

[drache]

two weeks is not that long for a snake not to eat
it's certainly not long enough for his muscles to atrophy
do you know, or can you find out when and what he did eat before his two weeks on the cat food diet?

[Edcase]

The woman my bro bought the two garters from was feeding them the same cat food as my bro because she gave him the cat food.

They were in a batch of about 20 i think though so there is a possibility it was "the runt of the litter" and didnt actually getmuch food. The snakes must be about a month old now i would think.

[drache]

so he may not have eaten in a month
I'd just keep offering a variety of suitable items, such as trout pieces, minnows, nightcrawlers
good luck
I know how unnerving it is when they don't eat

[adamanteus]

Let me get this straight, Joe. This snake is one month old, and has never eaten? If this is the case you need to consider force-feeding immediately. Maybe I've missed the point, and the snake is actually older and larger, in which case the problem isn't so urgent. Can you post a photo of the snake, then we can see if he is emaciated?

[Edcase]

Heres a pic. I put the tape measure there as a refrence. Ive never had them from babies so am not sure how small they are at birth.

Should i panic lol??

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/snake.JPG

[Elliot]

It's definately a lot older than a month old, and it doesn't look like it's in too bad shape.

[Josh]

id would say 6 month to a year,

[adamanteus]

Don't panic yet! Looks in pretty good shape to me. Sorry, I must have misunderstood the earlier posts, I thought it was a baby!

[Edcase]

im glad to here that. Hopefully its just case of finding a food that it can eat. I can relax a little now. I think i worried by the size of the other garter i have which has a much larger girth and is longer but came from the same batch and is bout same age

[garterking]

Since we know it's not a new born, and a month is not a long time to go without food. Some will go 8 months during brumation, but I do understand your concern.

Maybe try a different approach. Since he's been in someone else's care for a couple weeks, then your brother's care for 2 weeks, and now in your care. He may be stressed out. What's his home like? Do you have a heat source? That helps get their digestive enzymes going. Do you have a hide on the cool side and one on the warm side so he can feel comfortable(Do you have a warm and cool side?)

Here's something you can try. Give him a warm and cool side with a hide on both. (80ish in the warm with some light, 65ish on the cool) Leave him alone for a few days and don't handle him. Let him come out when he feels like it. Every other day put out a food source (worms, fish, pinkies, or parts) Leave it for a couple hours, if he doesn't eat it then remove it. If he does eat, you found something he likes. Basically what I'm suggesting is let him get comfortable and feel safe in his surroundings, he'll do the rest from there and will eventually settle down and do what they do naturally.

Good luck, keep us posted. By the way, nice looking snake you have there.

Mike

[DEKAN]

I had the same problem, when I tried with pinkies she just appoach but then suddenly ran away...I guess because I didn't wash the pinkie before scenting, too bad here in Mexico you can find them but only alive so, I really hate to hear them crying...and I don't have the stomach to kill them :(

[Elliot]

You can just put them in the freezer, they won't feel any pain because their nerve endings haven't developed yet (or something along those lines.) You could always make a C02 chamber, too.

[ssssnakeluvr]

I'd stay away from cat food for garters....not sure thats real good for them...try putting rosies in the water dish and leave them there....moving the snake back and forth can stress one out and it could take a little time before it eats. that one looks healthy, snakes can for for long periods without food...just the way nature designed them