Force feeding-Did I do this right? Need advice please

[bekers71]

So heres the deal. I will try to make this as simple and short as possible.

I have a baby corn that started off eating great when I got it. Then started refusing meals. At first I just thought it was going to shed so no worries. Well it never went blue. After 3 refused feedings, it finally ate a really really small pinkie. Then regurged the next day. During this time I have put the snake in some warm water that contains reptile vitamins once ever couple of days to keep it hydrated and getting some vitamins. Today I decided it was time to try some forceful tatics. I cut off a fuzzy tail and force fed it. Once the tail was about a 1/4 of the way down the snake ate the rest on its own. Through out this time it has went from 10g to 6g and getting weak and no shed.

Did I do this right? Should I do some thing different? I am not one to just give up and will try all options.

Here is the schedule:
1-16 Pk
1-21 Pk
1-26 Pk
1-31 Refuse
2-5 Refuse
2-10 Refuse
2-15 xsmall Pk
2-16 Regurge
2-23 Forced fuzzy tail

(I know there are plenty of you out there that would say " Just cull it". But I can't do that unless I feel as though all options have been exhausted. The only exception to this for me is if there is a visible or other proven reason to cull a snake.)

 

[ghosthousecorns]

Hi Becky... I would have waited a few more days and then tried another really small pinky or just a head, since the snake did eat voluntarily last time? But if regurge was on 16th ten days would be 26th?

 

[bekers71]

Thanks Jen. It did eat voluntarily last time so I guess I should have wait 3 more days. I thought 7 days after regurge was alright? If it doesn't keep this down should I try to wait the full 10 days until I try again? Maybe I jumped the gun because I was so worried.

 

[wade]

You have only waited a week since the regurge. I think I would wait a little longer, another 4 or 5 days. Your post didn't say, have you tried all the normal tricks to get it to eat on its own? That would be my first suggestion.

The fact that it ate fine then refused then regurged, makes me think that something is wrong. What made it regurge? Especially when it was hungry.

I have forced fed snakes and saved some of them. But it's a difficult process and usually fails.

 

[ghosthousecorns]

I think there is very little nutrition in mouse tails so if the snake is losing weight the best you can hope for is that it will eat a pinky on its own again like last time. I hope the tail isn't gurged and hopefully the snake will have recovered from the last gurge in 7 days but I have heard ten days is better... but if it keeps it down I'd try another pinky and hope it will go for it. I hate force feeding, it truly is a last resort to me. Others may have had better luck than I but I have yet to have a snake survive after it is that far gone that it has to be force fed It is so stressful for them, it is much better if you can somehow get it to eat voluntarily.

 

[bekers71]

Thanks for the help guys. There are so many different opinions out there that some times your just not sure if what you hear or read is accurate. I have heard 7 days and 10 days. But if it gurges again I will wait the full 10 days before trying again.

have you tried all the normal tricks to get it to eat on its own? That would be my first suggestion.

I tried braining, offered just a pink head and I tried putting the pink in the tank with the snake and leaving it. It is near impossible for me to get live pinkies where I live and the ones you do find say they are 1 day old but are too big.

The enclosure is a small 2qt(approx) tote in a rack set at 82*. Humidity is about 45%-50%.

 

[starsevol]

If you absolutely feel that you need to force feed, there is a member on this site who is reputed to be the best as far as instructions on how to do it. His nic is jaxom something....

I don't know him or anything, but I've heard he's the *go-to guy* for forcefeeding!

 

[Rich in KY]

It is always a tough decision to force feed. With the history of this lil guy, I think it was getting to the point where it was necessary. I hope he doesn't regurge the tail.

Good luck! Keep us updated.

 

[Susan]

Since he did voluntarily eat the meal he regurged, I would hesitate to force feed. If he regurges again, wait the 10 days, and then offer just a tiny pinky head and see if he'll eat. Considering your description (getting thin and weak) and the fact that it hasn't been a month yet since he last ate well, I have a bad feeling that something is wrong and that he may not make it. Force-feeding an already stressed and compromised hatchling is a last resort. Look up Kathy Love's routine for regurges and follow it (it has been fairly recently linked under a couple of regurge threads). But I would stop the baths in vitamin water as that may actually be adding stress the hatchling doesn't need at this point. Find a shallower water dish (plastic lids do well) and place it closer to where the hatchling is staying so it is easier for it to get a drink. You may want to increase the temps a couple of degrees as well (about 85-86 F) as hatchlings that aren't feeling well seem to do better a little warmer (I've even read closer to 90 F, but that's risky IMO). Good luck!

 

[diamondlil]

I've only force-fed 2 snakes, but because I managed to start breeding mice I got them both on to live reds (day-old pinks) as soon as I could. I actually syringed pureed pinky into them rather than a fuzzy tail. Both went onto feeding voluntarily.
Having done it though, I would only repeat the process under the same circumstances. One is mine, the other I fostered. I would never breed Lil in case her problems are genetic. The owner of the fostersnake (who was also kinked) just wanted his pet to have a chance of survival and promised me he wouldn't breed her for the same reasons.
So personally, I'd say it's worth it to try to save a pet. If the snake is intended to be bred, I'd follow fairly minimal intervention to get it feeding because I would not want to be responsible for perpetuating the potential problems for other owners.

 

[SNAKEWISPERA]

Hey....force-feeding is a strong word, I don't like the word one bit....it makes me think of ramming food into a snake :-\.. I Prefer assist fed...giving the snake a little bit of help.
I might be a kid but I look after over £30.000 worth morphs, I have 52 feeding corns at the moment and I have about 4 non feeders, which need ''force-feeding'', I have my own way of doing it...I will not disclose this info on here mainly because someone might read it wrong and the snake might die,

If you wish to PM me im sure i could make a video on how to do this, and send you the link to the video (sometime next week)...and give you some basics.

Also if anyone else is curious about my method Pm me and i can tell you the basic idea of how I do this...the Mods and high ranked members are certainly allowed to Pm me and i can tell them.....as you know this forum isnt allowed to disclose any bad infomation so any constructive critisim will be welcomed because this isnt a hobby its a science.

thanks

 

[abell82]

Bekers,
A snake will expand quite a bit for a meal.
Are you certain, that the live pinky's are too big?

I would think that 7 days for a fuzzy tail is adequate,
as that is such a small meal. (If it regurges that small of a meal, I would definately be concerned!!!!)

But right now, I am more concerned, with why it stopped eating,
and why it regurged in the first place.

Is this animal in Quarantine?

Are the Mice getting too cold,
by the time that you get to feeding it?

Is it trying to brumate?

Is it the victim of ingested substrate?
(from before you got it?)

Is it sick (parasites or a respitory infection)?

I have in the past been forced to assist feed baby snakes,
mouse tails. But, I gave them adult mouse tails, as a fuzzy tail seems,
like it would contain far too little nutritional value, and be far too small of a meal, even for a baby snake.
(Did you maybe mean hopper tail?)
I would often try to determine how much, of a tail to give them, by how large the snake was.
What I would do was start at the big end, as the tip was just far too
flexible. After 3-4 feedings they would often begin
eating on their own. This of course, was after everything
else has been tried.

:shrugs:

 

[bekers71]

Thanks every one for your help and advice.

(Did you maybe mean hopper tail?)

LOL...That is what I meant to say. Fuzzy tail be pretty hard to work with huh.