Snakes not eating well

[Sssssnakey]

We've had two babies die. I'm nearly having to force feed one or two of the remaining five babies. (I hold a wiggling guppy by the tail and keep sticking it in their face until they grab it and swallow it.)

Sammy (the mom) wasn't eating very well either. I turned on a heating pad under her tank and that seemed to help with her, but I'm not sure it would work well with the glad containers the babies are in.

I'm not sure how much the babies are supposed to eat, but they usually only eat 2 or 3 guppies a week. Sometimes only two at one time and then none until the next week. What is normal for less than 6 month old babies?

Thanks!

[aSnakeLovinBabe]

I would maybe try some cut up worms or something other than guppies, it sounds like they are not very fond of the guppies. 2 or 3 guppies per week is not a whole lot, even newborns I would be feeding 1 guppy every day or 2 of them every other day.

[Sssssnakey]

Thanks. Maybe they just want something different.

[Mommy2many]

My babies eat cut up worms or salmon everyday. I alternate between the two. Every other week or so, I'll throw some guppies in there. And occasionally I'll give them pinky parts (I save those for the big guys). My babies love the worms, sometimes more than salmon. It's like, "Mom, we want Mac & cheese for dinner tonight!"

[ssssnakeluvr]

they could be going into brumation.....some do it automatically in the fall, go off feed... as long as they have good body weight, I take them off feed if they skip 2 feedings. they are off feed for 2 weeks then cooled off for a month. then they are warmed up and they generally start eating.

[Quibble]

they could be going into brumation.....some do it automatically in the fall, go off feed... as long as they have good body weight, I take them off feed if they skip 2 feedings. they are off feed for 2 weeks then cooled off for a month. then they are warmed up and they generally start eating.

What do you do if a snake decides to go off feed, and does not have a great enough body weight?

[ssssnakeluvr]

as long as they don't have skin folds on the sides I would put them down for a shorter period...maybe 2 weeks

[MasSalvaje]

I am with Don on this one. With the temps as they are now in northern Utah you either need to prepare them for brumation or you need to get a heat source in there to help offset that response from them. I do not brumate any of my first year guys and I learned that if I don't add a heat source they go off food very quickly. Early fall is the hardest time for me to keep the little guys feeding because it is still a little to early for most people to turn on the heaters for the year but can still get rather cold, especially at night. I found that a room heater on a therostat works well for combating that problem.

The babies I have will only go after the guppies if I have the lamp on in the cage. If you can't use a lamp as in your case, I would recommend heating the entire room to the desired temp. Keep working at it and let us know how it goes.

-Thomas

P.S. You can try feeding different items to the little guys but I have personally never had a wandering of any age go after a worm. I am not saying it won't happen or hasn't happened for others but it won't matter what you try if other conditions are not conducive to good feeding.

[Stefan-A]

P.S. You can try feeding different items to the little guys but I have personally never had a wandering of any age go after a worm.

It was the first meal I gave my own babies and a year-old male emptied a bowl full of slugs and worms the one time I tried it.

[MasSalvaje]

It was the first meal I gave my own babies and a year-old male emptied a bowl full of slugs and worms the one time I tried it.

And that is why I left the disclaimer in there.

I have used slugs and leeches with much success but I have never had any luck with worms (That is only with my vagrans). I don't know if it is just my snakes or if it has something to do with the local they originated from but they don't ever seem to take.

My point was that it does not matter what you try to feed them, if there are other factors that need attention first they are not going to feed.

-Thomas