Temp questions

[katach]

It has been suggested that I brumate my 2 non-eaters. I can get my fridge to 42F but that is the warmest it will go. Is that a temp that they can be at? Also, what is the minimum amount of time I can brumate to kick start their appitite? Any suggestions and advice is welcome.

[katach]

Anybody? Could use the help...

[mb90078]

I've never brumated, but I've heard that 40 is around the low end. I'm pretty sure some people put them down for as little as a month, but a few months is more common.

[katach]

My concern is they are babies that are 7wks old and haven't eaten. I was hoping that a very short brumation would work to jump start them eating. I didn't want to brumate for as long as they would in the wild. I'm worried they would die being in that long with no reserves to use. I realize that there is a chance they may die anyway from failure to thrive, but just want to know I did everything I could possibly do to prevent that from happening.

[mb90078]

My concern is they are babies that are 7wks old and haven't eaten. I was hoping that a very short brumation would work to jump start them eating. I didn't want to brumate for as long as they would in the wild. I'm worried they would die being in that long with no reserves to use. I realize that there is a chance they may die anyway from failure to thrive, but just want to know I did everything I could possibly do to prevent that from happening.

In the wild many (most? all??) garters don't brumate their first year at all. If they are 7 weeks old and haven't eaten, I'm not sure that brumation is the right step to take. I would focus the efforts on getting them to eat, trying a wide variety of different foods and techniques.

In fact, if anything, I just might increase temperature to induce eating.

[katach]

Maybe you can help me with some suggestions. I've tried night crawler chunks (unscented, scented with salmon, and scented with slug). I've tried pinkie parts (unscented, and scented with salmon and slug). I've tried salmon. I've tried strips of slug. I'm out of pinkies at the moment and won't have the money to buy more for a couple weeks. I'm kind of at a loss here. I've tried tongs, a plate, separating them, putting mom in to "show them how it's done", and dark and quiet for a while.

[BLUESIRTALIS]

Maybe you can help me with some suggestions. I've tried night crawler chunks (unscented, scented with salmon, and scented with slug). I've tried pinkie parts (unscented, and scented with salmon and slug). I've tried salmon. I've tried strips of slug. I'm out of pinkies at the moment and won't have the money to buy more for a couple weeks. I'm kind of at a loss here. I've tried tongs, a plate, separating them, putting mom in to "show them how it's done", and dark and quiet for a while.

I would not brumate them. Have you tried live feeder guppies? I would seperate the non-feeders and maybe increase the heat a little. Don't forget too that no matter what you do some babies just don't thrive to make it. I have lost a few to failure to thrive in the past. I had a baby this year that would not eat so i had to put a small piece of fish in his mouth and then he would finish it off and now he is doing great eating on his on. Good luck and i hope they start eating for you because i know how hard it is.

[mb90078]

Yeah, I would try live fish, if you haven't yet. If guppies aren't available, go ahead and use minnows just to get them started.

You could also try skinny earthworms, if you can catch any from a pesticide-free garden or something. They're the right size for babies, and full of movement.

[d_virginiana]

I'd just keep trying to get them to eat if I were you... Brumating a baby is stressful even if they have been eating well.

Good luck getting them started on food though. Hopefully they'll start eating for you!

[katach]

I got another to eat!! Now only one hasn't eaten. Hopefully the others will tell him how yummy it is!