Feeding help

[Loren]

Yeah, Like Shannon said- put the food item up nice and slow-and it does seem to work best right below the level of their head.
Then sometimes I move it against their lower lip in a very, very slow and gentle circular motion, if it doesnt freak them out. sometimes they will slowly turn their head sideways and start to eat. That one worked especially well with a rosy boa I was helping to get feeding.

And I have some snakes that only eat from the comfort of their hidebox. I have to enter the cage as quietly as possible, and gently reach the food item into the hidebox with my hemostat, then they will take it. If I disturb them at all- its a no-go.
For those types of snakes, a small, low profile hide works best- one just big enough for them to fit under- makes them feel more secure. Not that this is necesarily what your snake is like- but I thought I'd mention it.

[GarterNovice]

Thanks. Stu does have a low lying rock hide I got him. Though he seems to prefer hanging in the vines above his pond recently. Maybe to be closer to the lamps. Who knows. I'm gonna try some of the tricks everyone suggested this afternoon as he seems to have calmed down quite a bit since the last attempt.

[aSnakeLovinBabe]

Yeah, Like Shannon said- put the food item up nice and slow-and it does seem to work best right below the level of their head.
Then sometimes I move it against their lower lip in a very, very slow and gentle circular motion, if it doesnt freak them out. sometimes they will slowly turn their head sideways and start to eat. That one worked especially well with a rosy boa I was helping to get feeding.

And I have some snakes that only eat from the comfort of their hidebox. I have to enter the cage as quietly as possible, and gently reach the food item into the hidebox with my hemostat, then they will take it. If I disturb them at all- its a no-go.
For those types of snakes, a small, low profile hide works best- one just big enough for them to fit under- makes them feel more secure. Not that this is necesarily what your snake is like- but I thought I'd mention it.

the hidebox thing is one I forgot to mention.... I am always sneaking food items into hides and tubes with my tongs. The tongs are my third hand! This worked with a BP that belongs to one of my regular customers that I told her I would help get eating. It did not eat once the entire 2 months since she had it, it took me 3 days (2 attempts) to get her eating! Just made it "walk" in front of the hidey and BOOM goes the dynamite!!!

Basically, when you are feeding a snake, you want it to seem like just the opposite if you are having trouble. You want them to feel like they found it, or stumbled upon it, on their own. You want them to be totally unaware of your presence. With good aggressive feeders, this does not matter and they even will look forward to you opening the cage so they can attack!!!

[misskris]

quote=Loren;99330]Some garters will take rodents on their own, some wont. for those that wont, I prefer to use scenting to get them to start taking pinkies. Rinse the pinky off under warm water to wash some of its own smell off. Take a little of whatever he eats now(fish works well, but I have used worms, slugs, frogs etc.), and rub it all over the pinky.
Now, using your tongs, slowly lower it in front of your snake's nose, and let him smell it. If he acts a little interested but doesnt take it, then give it some slight wiggles and see if that does it.
quote]

dekaybrown
I have one really shy eater, and fussy too.

For her I place a pinky in her water bowl with a couple live guppies.

She almost always gets the pinky before the guppies.

OK, I've tried all these, and she still won't touch a pinky. If by chance she grabs a pinky, she spits it back out and goes after the next thing.

She's not a "shy" feeder she'll snatch whole nightcrawlers right out of my fingers. Which I've decided is not such a good idea, she went after my finger yesteday when went to clean poo.

Any ideas?

[olive oil]

Try cutting the pinkie in half length wise, she might like the smell

[Loren]

I've had a few snakes that were very reluctant to switch to rodents, even with heavy scenting. Sometimes,(mostly with wild caught animals) it just takes a lot of time for them to get acclimated to their captive environment before they will switch to something that is not on their normal natural diet, and there are always a few stubborn ones that just wont do it.



I have had relatively good success with switching garters to rodents so far, but, for example, it took 3 years to get my ca. night snake to take a pinky after trying heaving washing and scenting with everything on his natural menu. Then, all of a sudden he takes a lizard-scented pinky- and the very next feeding he took one after simply dipping the pinky into the sand in my lizard cage, without any washing. Go figure.

What have you tried scenting with?

[misskris]

I've tried scenting with fish and worms.. The only two things I can get her to eat.

[misskris]

Well, I tried something this morning I pinched the nightcrawler in half and smeared the worm guts on the pinky.. Worm and pinky are both be digested now. happy dance happy dance

[count dewclaw]

Yay! Another one converted.

[anji1971]

Well, that's just fabulous!
Way to go!