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View Full Version : 9 NW Garter Snake Babies will not eat



Junior
08-07-2009, 05:47 PM
We have guppies in shallow water dishes and have cut up earthworms. The babies are 10 days old now and am worried. Don't know what else to do. Please any suggestions will be appreciated.

reptileparadise
08-08-2009, 02:42 AM
Try cutting up some nightcrawlers on a dish.

Welcome to the forums by the way!

guidofatherof5
08-08-2009, 06:18 AM
Welcome.
Place 6-12 guppies in a small covered bowl(no water). Put 1 to 3 babies in the bowl. I call this forced contact eating time. The flopping,flipping guppies cause my non-eaters to go crazy and they usually start eating. The smell and movement trigger a feeding response. You may have to cover the bowl with a towel or leave the room. Some snakes won't eat then they know you are there. The only down side to placing more than one snake together in another room or covering the bowl is if a food fight breaks out you won't to be there to make sure no one gets injured.
The upside to placing snakes together is the fact that one snake's eating may trigger a feeding response in another. Kind of a monkey see monkey do sort of thing. I just put them in an unoccupied room and cover the bowl so the food is the main interest. You can also substitute earthworms for guppies or mix the two. I only mix foods when serving one has failed a number of times. I have used the strategy on my baby T.radixes and T.s.parietalis with great success.
Once again welcome and please keep us informed.
If you can't get them eating it may be best to release them.:)