trouble feeders

[dannyj]

Thought id post this on here,

I got myself a pair of blacknecked garters from a well known breeder in the uk,

I know they are one of the hardest of feeders in the garter world but need them to eat now.

Iv had them now 3 weeks and still not ate

they were fed live food to get them going when they was born i was told and now taking trout.


iv tried and tried with trout but to no avail, iv offered chopped pinkies too

any tips?

they are 09 litters and still very very tiny

[garterchick]

I have 2 pair of blacknecks and it's allways a crap shoot whether or not they'll eat at any given feeding.
Do you have access to live guppies? That may be your best bet. You can also try pieces of night crawlers, althought mine have never eaten any.

[dannyj]

i do have some nightcrawlers - i will give them a go tomorrow

guppies - i could go the fish shop - is there a certain type?

[garterchick]

You'll want to get feeder guppies, just to keep the price down. I'm surprized nobody else has chimed in with suggestions, surely others have more ideas you could try.

[infernalis]

When I got my Blackneck I purchased a known non feeder.

She would only eat live amphibians for the first two months.

Tadpole season was over, so I was forced to feed her newts.

Then she began taking live fish, I would drop a thawed pinkie into the water bowl, and she would eat them with the fish.

After a while all I had to do was put 2-3 pinks in the water bowl.

Now she is full grown, she pounds 4 fuzzy mice per meal, and not in the water bowl anymore.

[guidofatherof5]

Did someone say guppies?
Troubled eaters + guppies = Eaters(in most cases)
Guppies (fish) flopping around trigger a feeding response.
My baby checkereds and a few of my het. albino radixes refused to eat worms.
They now eat worms only because they think they're eating guppies.
Guppies are a must for troubles eaters. Guppies have saved many, many of my baby snakes.
As they mature they start eating worms and eventually pinkies but it's the guppies that got them there.

[dannyj]

so i just ask in fish shop for feeder guppies?

I did try worms but didnt eat them either - fussy bloody things

[dannyj]

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a200/danj_1985/P7040019.jpg
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a200/danj_1985/P7040021.jpg
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a200/danj_1985/P7040022.jpg
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a200/danj_1985/P7040023.jpg


heres the troublesome pair - told they was a year old - still tiny

[guidofatherof5]

Great looking snakes.
The feeding issues you are having are just them testing you.:D

[Spankenstyne]

The colours & pattern on that blackneck are stunning!

[Bakewell]

Really nice snake you have there sir

[Nafun]

Just ask for "feeder guppies", in my experience in the states, it's about a 50/50 chance whether pet stores carry them. Given the difficulty in obtaining live food in the UK, it might be harder. You might need to get regular guppies, which will cost like 10x as much. If they don't have feeder guppies, they'll try to sell you feeder goldfish, or fathead "rosy red" minnows. Do not buy these. They contain thiaminase which can kill your snakes. If they don't have feeder guppies, buy a few regular guppies, then go home, sit down at your computer, and start calling pet stores in neighboring cities until you find one that has feeder guppies. If you absolutely can't find feeder guppies I recommend breeding guppies, or you're going to go broke really fast!

[dannyj]

there is a couple of huge fish stores around near myself i will have a ring round tomorrow,

thanks for the help guys i will keep you all updated

[guidofatherof5]

Just ask for "feeder guppies", in my experience in the states, it's about a 50/50 chance whether pet stores carry them. Given the difficulty in obtaining live food in the UK, it might be harder. You might need to get regular guppies, which will cost like 10x as much. If they don't have feeder guppies, they'll try to sell you feeder goldfish, or fathead "rosy red" minnows. Do not buy these. They contain thiaminase which can kill your snakes. If they don't have feeder guppies, buy a few regular guppies, then go home, sit down at your computer, and start calling pet stores in neighboring cities until you find one that has feeder guppies. If you absolutely can't find feeder guppies I recommend breeding guppies, or you're going to go broke really fast!

All very good advice!

[bigpig]

Does anyone have the Latin name for these feeder guppys?

[infernalis]

Some fish stores will order them in for you, I get mine special order for $10 per 100, not the best deal, but it's reasonable.

She does not stock them normally, I just call ahead and pick them up when they are delivered to her.

[ConcinusMan]

I want an eastern blackneck dangit!

[dannyj]

well...............................

could not find feeder guppies anywhere so i ended up with the bloody expensive ones


well they look pretty swimming around their water bowl

still not ate:mad::mad:


these are supposedly a year old yet they still look like weeks old babies

[mb90078]

well...............................

could not find feeder guppies anywhere so i ended up with the bloody expensive ones


well they look pretty swimming around their water bowl

still not ate:mad::mad:


these are supposedly a year old yet they still look like weeks old babies

If you're growing impatient, put them in very very shallow water, the snakes won't be able to overlook them if that way. Also try backing away a little bit so that the snakes aren't scared of you and can focus on the food.

[dannyj]

tried that and both again very reluctant - they must of had a go at them because i found the two fish dried up in the viv

One of the garters managed to take 4 tadpoles but the other still refusing

[oki-inu]

Does anyone have the Latin name for these feeder guppys?

Poecilia reticulata

Nothing special about feeder guppies, they're just guppies - just not bred for any fancy traits, or they are culls.

[dannyj]

Some fish stores will order them in for you, I get mine special order for $10 per 100, not the best deal, but it's reasonable.

She does not stock them normally, I just call ahead and pick them up when they are delivered to her.



hey wayne - responding to your mail on my tread on rfuk -

Iv offered guppies - they ended up dried up in the viv,

tried trout again and one took a coule of pieces

one had just shed so going to offer food again tomorrow

[ConcinusMan]

As you might know, Don gets his babies started on guppies (although I don't really know why) I can't get them so I tried silversides meat with Amy(she's from don). She took to it right away. Another snake of his apparently wasn't eating well on the guppies but he's been eating the silversides meat (and scented pinky bits) twice a day since I got him. He's eating well. Hmmm... Amy eats trout too but this little guy won't touch it. Hmm....

Anyway, my point is, you don't have to get stuck on one particular fish just because that's what they are used to. Try different fish. I'm sure you'll find one that is readily available, and one that they like. Up until I got her, Amy had only been fed live guppies. She loves f/t steelhead and silversides too though and hasn't eaten live food since. And apparently, this latest guy didn't like the guppies but he devours the silversides meat with great gusto!

[dannyj]

silverside meat - as in silverside from a cow? thats whats cooiking in the oven for tea:mad:

yeah they are real troublesome - i mailed the breeder and he thinks will take to but they are so called a year old now and still tiny - i have 8 week chequred that are bigger!

[guidofatherof5]

Silverside (http://www.friendsofmerrymeetingbay.org/cybrary/fgom/Menidia_menidia.htm)

Petco and Pet Smart sell them here in the US.

[ConcinusMan]

Just sayin' that "troublesome" feeders aren't always really not wanting to eat, they just don't like what you're offering. The little guy I have apparently just didn't like the guppies. He's a porker now, eating a little bit twice a day with great enthusiasm. All I did was offer him something he's never been offered, and he loves it.

[dannyj]

iv tried everything with these guys now and still not eating

[ConcinusMan]

Then it's time to consider the environment. Is it a comfortable temperature? Is it the right humidity? Is there a regular day/night cycle? Do they seem nervous or stressed? Do they have adequate room? Do they have a somewhat natural light spectrum? Do they have plenty of hiding places? Have you tried different times of the day? There's many reasons a snake would refuse to eat. If you've gone through all the foods, then it's time to consider the circumstances under which the food is offered.

A snake that is not comfortable will not eat no matter what is offered. It's as simple as that.

[dannyj]

my setups are a viv stack, temps, humidity all bang on form, plenty of room


identical set up to each other, have no probs with the florida blues, chequered and all babies.


Iv mailed the previous owner, i know he was having trouble feeding the parents.

[guidofatherof5]

Iv mailed the previous owner, i know he was having trouble feeding the parents.

Good idea.

[dannyj]

well....................................


read over on another forum about snakes having no access to water for a few days triggers feeding....


iv tried everything else so thought id give it a whirl..

they have not eaten for 2 months no matter what i tried


had no access to water for 3 days............


tonight.........


http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a200/danj_1985/P8060019.jpg
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a200/danj_1985/P8060020.jpg

[Snakers]

well....................................


Read over on another forum about snakes having no access to water for a few days triggers feeding....


Iv tried everything else so thought id give it a whirl..

They have not eaten for 2 months no matter what i tried


had no access to water for 3 days............


Tonight.........


http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a200/danj_1985/p8060019.jpg
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a200/danj_1985/p8060020.jpg
congratz!

[guidofatherof5]

That is great news. Good job not giving up.

That's a concept I never thought about. Makes sense.:)

[drache]

hey that's fantastic
congrats to the feeding success
I shall remember this, and I bet it'll come handy some day

[dannyj]

im really glad i came across this - id tried everything suggested with no results

they both ate within minutes and with me in view - was doing dishes:mad:

so pleased

both ate quite abit too big full bellies

[ConcinusMan]

Wow, I'll have to keep that in mind. Never heard that before. Congratulations on your feeding success!