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Cazador · 01-04-2007, 06:45 PM

That is really cool, Matt! Not many "large," terrestrial organisms are freeze tolerant. Thanks for sharing.

Snaky,
Give them about 16 hours of daylight and 8 hours of dark per day, and make put their temperature somewhere between the mid-70s and mid-80s F (24-29C) with plenty of hiding spots. Then you can try putting those Danio rerio (zebrafish) in a small jar lid with just enough water to make them splash and flop around with their backs exposed to the air. If the snakes come to investigate, you might even try dropping a small, live fish right onto floor of the terrarium. The motion and smell should help out.

Keep trying different foods, like you've done (worms, fish, pinkie parts). If nothing else works, you might have to force feed them. This works best with two people when you're just getting the hang of it. One person holds the snake just behind the head, while the second person gently opens the snake's mouth. Then the first person inserts the fish head first deep into the snake's mouth/throat. If it spits the fish back out, you might have to use forceps or tweezers to get the fish further down the snake's throat. This is pretty much a last resort, though because it can be stressing for the snake. After you've force fed the snake once, try letting it eat on its own every day for the next three days. When you're force feeding, the fish shouldn't be wider or deeper than the snake's head. Let us know if you need more help with this technique,
Rick

P.S. Are the ribs starting to show on the underside of the snakes?

01-04-2007, 06:45 PM	#17 (permalink)
Cazador Moderator Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Alaska, USA Posts: 1,609 Country:	Re: end of the hibernation That is really cool, Matt! Not many "large," terrestrial organisms are freeze tolerant. Thanks for sharing. Snaky, Give them about 16 hours of daylight and 8 hours of dark per day, and make put their temperature somewhere between the mid-70s and mid-80s F (24-29C) with plenty of hiding spots. Then you can try putting those Danio rerio (zebrafish) in a small jar lid with just enough water to make them splash and flop around with their backs exposed to the air. If the snakes come to investigate, you might even try dropping a small, live fish right onto floor of the terrarium. The motion and smell should help out. Keep trying different foods, like you've done (worms, fish, pinkie parts). If nothing else works, you might have to force feed them. This works best with two people when you're just getting the hang of it. One person holds the snake just behind the head, while the second person gently opens the snake's mouth. Then the first person inserts the fish head first deep into the snake's mouth/throat. If it spits the fish back out, you might have to use forceps or tweezers to get the fish further down the snake's throat. This is pretty much a last resort, though because it can be stressing for the snake. After you've force fed the snake once, try letting it eat on its own every day for the next three days. When you're force feeding, the fish shouldn't be wider or deeper than the snake's head. Let us know if you need more help with this technique, Rick P.S. Are the ribs starting to show on the underside of the snakes?