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aSnakeLovinBabe · 02-08-2008, 05:20 PM

hey there. I've got a good bit of expierience with keeping picky eatin' pythons as I deal with carpet pythons and they can be fussy babies. Burmese python babies are a little on the big size to be offered pinky mice. Try offering a fuzzy or a hopper. If he wont take them try offering him rat pinkies or rat fuzzies. your snake probably would'nt even have any trouble downing a small adult mouse. remember to try all of these prey items in different ways, such as live, fresh killed, brained, and frozen thawed. if you don't know what braining is, it is breaking through the skull to expose the fluids surrounding the rodent's brain. This often entices a fussy snake to eat. These are the same fluids that are said to help a snake find the head of the rodent when he prepares to swallow it.

When I have a new snake that's being picky... I do the following. I buy one live mouse of corresponding size. I offer it alive. if the snake won't take it, I kill it, usually a quick whack off the side of the cage is an instant death. Offer it again to the snake. simply leave it lay there in front of the snake and walk away for 15 minutes. If he still hasnt eaten it, take a sharp object and cut through it's skull and expose it's brain. put it back in the cage and walk away for a good half hour. if this still has not worked... well feed it to another snake that wants it or throw it out. Then try that same kind of animal frozen thawed. If he doesnt eat it, move on to a different animal. For example if you jsut tried fuzzy mice, try a rat pinkie instead. repeat the whole process wth the rat pinkie. Usually this way allows you to find out quickly what your snake likes and how he likes to eat it!

Just a note... make sure he's not in a high trafficked area. baby snakes are VERY sensitive to their surroundings and are unsure of you because, well, you are much bigger than them and their instinct is that you are a predator. So make sure at feeding time your snake is generally unaware that you are there by moving slowly and keeping his attention on the mouse. Also, do NOT handle the snake the same day you try to feed him. you pick him up once and bam he could be stressed for the rest of the day and not want to eat.

hope this helps!

02-08-2008, 05:20 PM	#9 (permalink)
aSnakeLovinBabe The Serpentine Queen Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 1,176 Country:	Re: newborn wont eat hey there. I've got a good bit of expierience with keeping picky eatin' pythons as I deal with carpet pythons and they can be fussy babies. Burmese python babies are a little on the big size to be offered pinky mice. Try offering a fuzzy or a hopper. If he wont take them try offering him rat pinkies or rat fuzzies. your snake probably would'nt even have any trouble downing a small adult mouse. remember to try all of these prey items in different ways, such as live, fresh killed, brained, and frozen thawed. if you don't know what braining is, it is breaking through the skull to expose the fluids surrounding the rodent's brain. This often entices a fussy snake to eat. These are the same fluids that are said to help a snake find the head of the rodent when he prepares to swallow it. When I have a new snake that's being picky... I do the following. I buy one live mouse of corresponding size. I offer it alive. if the snake won't take it, I kill it, usually a quick whack off the side of the cage is an instant death. Offer it again to the snake. simply leave it lay there in front of the snake and walk away for 15 minutes. If he still hasnt eaten it, take a sharp object and cut through it's skull and expose it's brain. put it back in the cage and walk away for a good half hour. if this still has not worked... well feed it to another snake that wants it or throw it out. Then try that same kind of animal frozen thawed. If he doesnt eat it, move on to a different animal. For example if you jsut tried fuzzy mice, try a rat pinkie instead. repeat the whole process wth the rat pinkie. Usually this way allows you to find out quickly what your snake likes and how he likes to eat it! Just a note... make sure he's not in a high trafficked area. baby snakes are VERY sensitive to their surroundings and are unsure of you because, well, you are much bigger than them and their instinct is that you are a predator. So make sure at feeding time your snake is generally unaware that you are there by moving slowly and keeping his attention on the mouse. Also, do NOT handle the snake the same day you try to feed him. you pick him up once and bam he could be stressed for the rest of the day and not want to eat. hope this helps!