Garter Snake Fondue

[guidofatherof5]

With my last couple groups of babies, I've had a few troubled eaters. Last night I tried something new with them. They are still being housed with their eating siblings.
I first took a couple of dead guppies and smashed them up. This was my fondue dipping sauce. Then I would grab a chunk of night crawler from the feeding dish and scent it with guppy goo.
I use a very small pair of hemostats to offer the food with. These or a pair of long tweezers help by putting some distance between you and the tiny snake. I think a hand coming in with a tiny bit of food on it might be intimidating/scary to them.
I found that these troubled eater were able to be around the food dish and still get something to eat. Most times they would leave because of the frenzy going on or the fact they didn't want worms. The crushed fish really helped out. I'm hoping that leaving them in to feed with their siblings will help their natural development rather than removing them to feed alone.
It went very well but is time consuming. Watching some of these first time eaters get some food in their bellies was very satisfying.

[Snakers]

very good idea

[Snakeknot]

Congrats! I just had my one non-feeder ( although it was a Saharan sand boa, not a garter ) FINALLY decide to start eating! I'm so relieved! I didn't know a snake could go so long without eating. So frustrating! This is why my other snakes are overweight.

Devon

[guidofatherof5]

Congrats! I just had my one non-feeder ( although it was a Saharan sand boa, not a garter ) FINALLY decide to start eating! I'm so relieved! I didn't know a snake could go so long without eating. So frustrating! This is why my other snakes are overweight.
Devon

There's something special about getting any non-eaters started.
Nice job.

[HazAnga]

Yes there is Steve, I got one of my checkered babies to eat a few pieces of raw pickeral that my dad caught and it was our dinner so I cut a small piece off and cut it up and fed some of the smaller babies that didn't eat much this week. One seemed more interested in my finger then the meat but then lunged at the piece of fish

[guidofatherof5]

Great news, Nick.
Giving up some of your dinner to one of your snakes. Cool