Eternal babies

[Sputnik]

I think I will lose at least one of my tetrataenias over the next few weeks...:(
They are both nearly a year old and no bigger than babies. They have never accepted anything other than earthworms and the smaller one doesn't even seem particularly interested in them now.
I got them at the same time as the conncinus, who are doing so well, feed on whole pinkies and grow beautifully.
If things don't pick up and I loose one or even both of them, I will be absolutely devastated!

[adamanteus]

Oh no! Esther, I'm so sorry. Don't give up yet though, mine were slow to start.
Have you tried 'posting' more substantial food behind the earthworms?

[Sputnik]

They are so quick it's hard to do anything other than leaving them to it. I will keep on trying but it's just so sad when I see the smaller ignoring the food and looking so ridiculously tiny. I just want to cry when I look at it.

[adamanteus]

I wish I could help, Esther.... but you're quite a long way away.:(

[drache]

oh Esther I'm so sorry
it's heart rending to watch . . .

[Sputnik]

Thanks, Rhea. It really is.


James, yes, it sucks! I would love to send them to you to be fostered for a while to see if you could work your magic on them.

[Zephyr]

Have you tried using earthworm smoothie?
Sounds a little weird, but if you throw a whole bunch of nightcrawlers in a blender, turn it to mush, and then use it to scent things it works wonders.

[anji1971]

Oh, Esther, that's so sad...............I hope something works out for the poor things.

[adamanteus]

James, yes, it sucks! I would love to send them to you to be fostered for a while to see if you could work your magic on them.

I'm quite willing to do what I can, if you could get them to me, Esther.

[Stefan-A]

I'm really sorry to hear that, Esther. Hopefully you'll be able to get them started before something happens.

[Lori P]

I'm so sorry, Esther. I wish there was a magic answer for some of these that fail to thrive. Have you had them checked for parasites??

[adamanteus]

I think we can be pretty sure they're parasite free... they are from Gijs&Sabine... the same litter as mine and Lulu's. I guess tetras are just slow starters.

[Lori P]

Oh yeah. Well, I really really hope they have a magical revival and surprise us all!!!

[Sputnik]

Sadly I found the smaller baby dead in the viv today. :( I had just bought a lovely piece of salmon and thought I might be able to entice it to eat. Too late!
The other little one took a worm, some salmon, a worm and some more salmon. I think at least this one might pull through.

Eurgh, it sucks so much! Apart from loving my snakeys simply because they are such amazing creatures to observe, I had of course also hoped to someday have some of my own baby Tetrataenia.

[count dewclaw]

Sorry for you loss. It is hard, especially when you've put so much effort into helping them. I am glad to hear the other one looks like it will make it through.

[adamanteus]

Sorry you lost one, Esther. Sounds good for the other one though.

[aSnakeLovinBabe]

I really hope that the other continues to do well for you!

[Lori P]

Aw, sorry for the lost one Esther. I also hope the other thrives from now on.

[Stefan-A]

Sorry about the baby, Esther. :(

[Sid]

So sorry to hear about lossing one of the babies, Esther. Hope the other one keeps the appitite up and does well.:(

[drache]

so sorry the little one didn't make it
and I wish a big growing appetite upon the other one

[anji1971]

Awww, how sad.............sorry for your loss.:(
Best wishes for the other -- hope it continues to eat, and thrives.

[Sputnik]

Thanks everyone. I really hope that the other one makes it. So far it seems still bright and active, despite its size. It's tiny but a little larger than its late companion and if it eats well again in future, there's certainly a good chance it'll get through.
I do still catch myself looking for the other one when I go over to the viv.

[Snaky]

Very sad to read this, but I hope the other one will start eating good and develop good. Best of luck.

[Sputnik]

GUESS WHAT?GUESS WHAT?GUESS WHAT? Sanchez has eaten half a pinkie!!!

I was feeding all the snakes yesterday and for some reason had half a pinkie left so just gave it a go. After wriggling it in front of Sanchez, he struck it and worked on swallowing it.
Only took a year to get him to accept anything mouse related, lol. Now that Fran is gone, he's suddenly doing so well.

[zooplan]

Oh Ester,

what a happy surprise!
Maybe James gave you a little bit of his "magic touch" ?
Hope you can continue that way.

[drache]

Esther, fantastic - good job
the little guy is really catching on to this food thing
cheers Sanchez

[adamanteus]

That's great news, Esther...... he'll grow like a weed now!:D

[anji1971]

Oh, that's wonderful to hear!!
Good job, Sanchez!!:)

[Snaky]

That's great to hear, Esther! Hopefully he'll be growing like hell now :)

[Lori P]

How exciting!!!! Congrats, Esther. And now grooooooow Sanchez!!!!!

[adamanteus]

Esther, we haven't heard from you for a while...... how is little Sanchez doing?:)

[gregmonsta]

Fingers crossed ;) good news!!

[snakeman]

did you have them both in the same container?I have seen some high strung garters stress the hell out of other garters.

[Sputnik]

Woohoo, the computer has let me log in! Sorry for keeping such a low profile, I still have problems signing in.

Sanchez, I think, might be Fran, as the little rascal musked me when I took him/her out.
I had to move her into a starter tank as the concinnus she was sharing with are fine with her unless they've been freshly fed...then they mistake her for food and we've had a couple of close misses recently. Not a risk I want to take. Sadly she's still not growing much and feeding only happily on worms, not so keenly on pinkies.
When my sister collected her babies from Martin Hallmen (author of "Strumpfbandnattern") she spoke to him about my tiny snakeys and he said there is always the possibility of it being a genetic defect. He said he has had some tiny snakes in the past and they just stayed very small throughout their lives.

I feel quite sad for her though, now she's tiny AND lonely. Just like me, lol.

[adamanteus]

Fingers crossed that at some point she starts to really come on. I have a pickeringii female that was a very slow starter..... for a long time I was simply waiting for her to die. Then one day she just turned it around, and now she's a beautiful, healthy girl.
Just like you.:)

[Sputnik]

James. You have no idea how much I needed to hear that! :o

[jitami]

Esther, I'm glad the baby is hanging in there. Hopefully she'll catch on as james said. Sounds like you're doing a great job either way, though :)

[Sputnik]

Fran seems to like living on her own...it has done wonders for her appetite! She had a tiny pinky on Tuesday and another today. Took it first try and gobbled it down like a pro! I'm chuffed to bits!

[adamanteus]

That's great news, Esther!
You should get yourself a couple of nice radix!!!:rolleyes:

[Sputnik]

Lol, now that would be nice. I could give myself a Christmas present.
Still dreaming of a little Th.cyrtopsis or a melanistic, too.

[adamanteus]

Lol, now that would be nice. I could give myself a Christmas present.

It so happens that I know someone who has some gorgeous little radix... eating everything in sight and growing like weeds!:D

[Sputnik]

Yes, strange that! :D