Doing well

[jason]

That method works very well if the snake is "snappy" - but my problem is that they absolutely will not strike, I've used the method you describe before on other snakes with great success, and I had a very good attempt, for two hours, on each of our problem feeders. The trouble is they are just too docile, this is what the guy at NRC was saying, sometimes you get ones that are like that, docile, yet with no idea what the pink is, so they would rather stay far far away from the pink, even if it's being waved in front of their face. I honestly don't think they will ever strike at the pink, so the "place the pink into the mouth" technique is the next step. It's not a total force feed, I'm not stuffing the pink down the throat of the hatchling, I'll just gently prize open the mouth with the head of the pink and place the mouse in the mouth and hold it there for a while to see if the snake decides to start swallowing the meal.

[lozzer]

Assist feeding is best for snappy snakes like you said,but how did you get your snakes so docile lol?

[John Pilling]

Good parents lozzer i think, lol.

You must have some good adults their Jason, thats passed on their calmness to the little ones.

[jason]

I know, it's weird... most of them are so amazingly calm, we only had one biter and he was a little on the small side and the last to hatch from the first clutch this year. All of the others are so easy going, they never flinch when I reach in and pick them up, some of them I can pick up while they are coiled and they stay coiled in the palm of my hand, only uncoiling after a minute and then checking out my hand, up my sleeve, in my pocket, etc... The trouble is, couple that chilled attitude with no interest in pinkie mice, and you see my problem. I guess I should be happy 11 out of the 13 are feeding.

[Vicki]

Oh yes I have done that too, although I didnt manage to open the mouth with the pinkie, i used my finger nail and Craig put the pinkie in its mouth. Still I held the hatchling in my hand around the center of the body until the pinkie had gone past the neck. I find putting them down half way through startles them and they will spit it right back out. Let us know how you get on, will be interesting to see if yours act the same.

I have found with my second clutch they are all quite docile, not one has tried to bite me yet. The first clutch was a whole different story though, they were all born evil!! The ones ive kept have calmed down now though.

[lozzer]

Lol i like a biter occasionaly,even though dillila is snappy and the most hassle shes turned out to be everyones favourite.I sware though that tease feeding has made her less bitey as last week she wouldn't bite at all and started crawling round my fingers instead lol.Shes 14 inchs at the moment and is the smallest corn ive ever seen.

[jason]

Vicki, you're on to something there, the first clutch this year behaved completely differently to this second clutch. I do like the fact that these ones are more easy going, but I could do without the awkward feeding rituals. As for the feeding, yeah, the reptile centre guy said the same thing, keep hold of the hatchling, and the pinkie, once it realises it can't spit the pinkie out it should start to swallow, wait for it to completely swallow it and gently place it back into its hide... that's the plan anyway.

[John Pilling]

Good luck Jason, and let us kno how it goes.

[jason]

Well, we had to force feed both snakes, I say we, but I mean my wife... I had the mouse down the throat of one of the snakes twice but the head kept slipping out of my grip and he would shake the mouse loose. My wife on the other hand has generations of Polish Farmers blood running through her veins and had no such trouble force feeding

So, two hours later we have two active hatchlings with fat bellys, hopefully they'll still be alive in the morning.

There was no way they were going to swallow the mouse themselves so force feeding was probably a good call.

[John Pilling]

I'm Glad they have eaten for you, 1 way or another. As long as they keep the pinkie down then things should work out for the little fellows.

Keep us updated

[jason]

Cheers John, they kept the pinkie down last night and are still alive this morning. They look quite happy, moving around their viv this morning, I expected them to be nowhere in sight, hardy little fellas.

[John Pilling]

Typical little hatchlings then, plenty of energy now they have eaten.

Good luck with the next feed and i hope they take a pink a pinkie on their own now, but if they don't at least you know a safe way to help them get started.