greg4000
GnK Reptiles
does anyone out there have any tips on getting a mandarin ratsnake to start eating. if so let me know, that would be great. thanks in advance, greg
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non eating mandarins
- Thread starter greg4000
- Start date
Greg, I have some experience...
with non-feeding mandarins. But it's crucial to know the details of the situation. Is it a wild caught or a captive bred. Adult or juvenile, long term captive animal that just stopped eating or an animal that has never eaten for you yet. What are the conditions of temperature, humidity, substrate, set-up, hides, traffic around the cage, food types being tried (f/t, live, mouse pinkies, other rodents), etc. The more you can tell me the better.
Regards
John
with non-feeding mandarins. But it's crucial to know the details of the situation. Is it a wild caught or a captive bred. Adult or juvenile, long term captive animal that just stopped eating or an animal that has never eaten for you yet. What are the conditions of temperature, humidity, substrate, set-up, hides, traffic around the cage, food types being tried (f/t, live, mouse pinkies, other rodents), etc. The more you can tell me the better.
Regards
John
greg4000
GnK Reptiles
these are captive born hatchlings that are on aspen average temps around 75 to 80 degrees. they have secure hides in a low traffic area. ive only tried live pinks, and am going to try split head pinks next. the only thing im missing is a container with moist spagnum which i am getting tonight.
Greg:
Thanks for the clarification. cb's are a lot easier to deal with. Ask the breeder whether it has already eaten and if so what was the meal. If it has already eaten for him then feed the same thing. As far as conditions, I like to keep the room they are in at around 70 F with a warmer corner of the cage at around 75-78 F. Put a small moist hide (sphagnum is good) in both the warm and cool sides.
If he's not taking live pinkie mice, try soap washed live pinkies. Then try f/t pinkies, then soap washed f/t pinks. Try all the tricks you try on any other snakes. I heard some guy say he had success with small lizards. I've actually had success with dwarf hamster pinkies. When all else fails I force feed mouse tails.
If it's never eaten since birth, some people like to cool the hatchling down for a mini-brumation for the month of December. Since that's too late you could do the same for January. To do this you take off all heat for a week and then put his cage in an area that is significantly cooler (60 - 65 probably would be best). Then after the month reverse the situation by bringing him up to room temperature for a week before returning to normal conditions.
Good luck
John
Thanks for the clarification. cb's are a lot easier to deal with. Ask the breeder whether it has already eaten and if so what was the meal. If it has already eaten for him then feed the same thing. As far as conditions, I like to keep the room they are in at around 70 F with a warmer corner of the cage at around 75-78 F. Put a small moist hide (sphagnum is good) in both the warm and cool sides.
If he's not taking live pinkie mice, try soap washed live pinkies. Then try f/t pinkies, then soap washed f/t pinks. Try all the tricks you try on any other snakes. I heard some guy say he had success with small lizards. I've actually had success with dwarf hamster pinkies. When all else fails I force feed mouse tails.
If it's never eaten since birth, some people like to cool the hatchling down for a mini-brumation for the month of December. Since that's too late you could do the same for January. To do this you take off all heat for a week and then put his cage in an area that is significantly cooler (60 - 65 probably would be best). Then after the month reverse the situation by bringing him up to room temperature for a week before returning to normal conditions.
Good luck
John