He ate!!

[RedSidedSPR]

My baby snake finally ATE last night!!!!

I caught some tadpoles for scenting/feeding yesterday.

I was gonna wait until tomorrow (today) but, because they could have died overnight (they did), I tried something last night.

I picked him up in one hand, held the tadpole in the other, and set it on my palm in front of him! And almost instantly HE GRABBED IT!! NO hesitation!

I did not expect that after leaving him overnight so many times with guppies! Didn't expect eat the tadpole, eat right away, or eat while in my hand (my other wont do that). So basically, I had no hope. Just a little, enough to try what I did.

I didn't pics except with my iTouch, which are crappy quality but I guess Ill upload them later.

So today or tomorrow I'll scent some guppies with the dead tadpoles and get him to eat those.


Much thanks to Wayne, who suggested tadpoles. THANKS.

[infernalis]

You are welcome, now wean your snake off them quick. ;)

[RedSidedSPR]

I know, i'm not gonna feed him anymore if I can help it.

[Sonya610]

Congratulations. : )

[aSnakeLovinBabe]

chop one up and use it to scent the fishes!!! :cool:

[BLUESIRTALIS]

Congrats! I hope he will take off for you now.

[RdubSnider]

Great news. With scenting hopefully you can get him on other items easily now

[guidofatherof5]

chop one up and use it to scent the fishes!!! :cool:

Scent the worms also;)


That is such good news.
We all know how relieved you must be.

[RedSidedSPR]

chop one up and use it to scent the fishes!!! :cool:

I will I said that. But why chop them?


Scent the worms also;)

Will do.

What's better, small earthworms (like we discussed) or chopped nightcrawlers? Or are they equally good? I ask because nightcrawlers are easily available, but I really have to look hard for earthworms. I don't many.

[RedSidedSPR]

Congrats! I hope he will take off for you now.

He took that so readily I have a feeling it won't be too hard. I was really surprised. NO hesitation.

[guidofatherof5]

What's better, small earthworms (like we discussed) or chopped nightcrawlers? Or are they equally good? I ask because nightcrawlers are easily available, but I really have to look hard for earthworms. I don't many.

Whichever you have available.
Switch and mix when you can.

Strongly consider getting some calcium supp.
This is the one I happen to use.
Dust the fish or worm pieces every other week or so.
Rep-Cal Ultra-Fine Calcium with Vitamin D3 - 4.1oz. (http://www.google.com/products/catalog?rlz=1T4GGLL_enUS344US347&q=Rep-cal&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=shop&cid=3817686425388673074&sa=X&ei=nYraTebZN-a-0AGo88z7Aw&ved=0CIQBEPICMAM&biw=1693&bih=774)#

[RedSidedSPR]

so D3 is what I want? I have one that I never really used, because it has D3 AND B1.

I have the stuff you get at our petstore.

I'll look into it thanks.

This works right?
Fluker Farms Repta-Calcium Dietary Supplement - Reptile - PetSmart (http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2753952)

[RedSidedSPR]

How small should I cut the nightcrawlers? I mean, if he can handle whole earthworms...

[BLUESIRTALIS]

You can put a nightcrawler in some water and it will stretch out thin so it's smaller for him to swallow. Then cut them in peices around 1 1/2" maybe 2". Is the snake about 5 or 6 inches long?

[RedSidedSPR]

You can put a nightcrawler in some water and it will stretch out thin so it's smaller for him to swallow. Then cut them in peices around 1 1/2" maybe 2". Is the snake about 5 or 6 inches long?

5-7 inches...

[BLUESIRTALIS]

Oops obviously i can't spell pieces. I always get the dang e and i mixed up. You get the point either way.

[RedSidedSPR]

Didn't even notice. Probably 'cause I do the same thing:D

[RedSidedSPR]

OK he ate a scented guppy today. Making progress. It was funny i din;t want him to swallow bedding so I lifted the guppy while he was hanging from it and set him in my hand.:D

How much/often do you recommend feeding him?

[infernalis]

Babies.. every other day no problem, heck if your new snake is only ingesting one guppy at a time, then every day will not hurt anything.

Babies need lots of food to grow.

In nature they will gore themselves so they can get as big as possible before the first winter sets in.

[RedSidedSPR]

I was planning on feeding more than one at a time, I only had one guppy though. The only one alive. But I guess one a day will work, but proably I'll feed 2-3 (that's good right?) every other day

Thanks

[guidofatherof5]

I was planning on feeding more than one at a time, I only had one guppy though. The only one alive. But I guess one a day will work, but proably I'll feed 2-3 (that's good right?) every other day

Thanks


Add a few fish scented worm chunks and you'll be set.

[RedSidedSPR]

yup, I'll start working on worms when I'm sure he eats un-scented fish.

[RedSidedSPR]

So how do you use that supp you showed me. I'm gonna buy it this week, but I don't get the form it's in. I used to have a spray supp....

[guidofatherof5]

It's a very fine powder. I just sprinkle it on the food.

[Mommy2many]

Great job, Baby Snake!

[RedSidedSPR]

Well he didn't eat the un-scented guppy. And I don't have anymore tadpoles... guess I'll go catch some more.

[guidofatherof5]

Container, guppies and 1 tadpole= better chance at eating guppies.

[RedSidedSPR]

Thanks I'll do it.

[ConcinusMan]

That's great news. Once that hurdle of the first meal is over, and then the second, I find that most babies are willing to try just about anything at this stage. Like everyone was saying, get him eating other stuff asap and that way you won't be stuck with a picky snake that only wants certain things. Get him eating whatever is widely available to you as soon as you can. That usually means scenting/mixing and the gradually taking away the tadpoles.

I recommend getting him to eat some earthworms right out of the dirt. Lots of beneficial bacteria in them, that will colonize his digestive system and help him digest his food from there on out.

[RedSidedSPR]

He has only eaten that one tadpole. Everything else has been scented guppies. He won't take unscented guppies.

I'll try the earthworms. I could dig 'em up, but they're hard to find. Especially after a tornado knocks 200 trees down in your yard. My wormy woods is GONE.

[ConcinusMan]

If the weather isn't too hot, try overturning moist decomposing leaves after a good soaking rain. Should be able to find something.

[RedSidedSPR]

Will do thanks.