| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Kempy |
Posted - 11/11/2013 : 22:48:19
Hey all.
Well Claudia is still fasting. Its been 16 months now and she is loosing weight now too, from a high of 1160g when she started her fast down to 930g now. I've tried all the usual "tricks", including braining, scenting a rat with a mouse, offered smaller food item, using mouse bedding to increase the scent, offering different food i.e rats, mice, and multi's and scenting with chicken. nothing has even come close to working. she's just not interested, to the extent that she will crawl all over it and poke it but show no signs of feeding.
This is her first fast and she was a very good feeder prior, always strike feeding and as soon as the food item was offered, often before I was ready for her. She is 3 years old. Also nothing has changed for her from when she was feeding well. she is in the same viv she always was, temps not changed, substrate not changed and the furniture (hides etc) are all the same and not moved etc.
So here it is. I need to break her fast before her weight loss becomes a real issue so what would you say is preferable, offering live food or force feeding? I've spoke to 2 different royal experts and one said live and one said force feed. naturally I want to try the one that offers the most success with the least stress, I am also concerned about any consequences i.e the stress involved with force feeding and putting her off feeding even more, or of course the chance that if I try live food that she will only take live food thereafter (not something I want, naturally).
Any thoughts?
I will probably go with the majority... |
| 6 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| hodgie |
Posted - 05/04/2014 : 15:11:37
Have you thought of follow on feeding?
If she takes a chick, just pop the rats nose into her mouth before she finishes the chick.
personally i`d have gone live before chicks as i don`t think they offer any significant nutrition, but congrats on getting something that works. |
| Kempy |
Posted - 04/04/2014 : 19:46:14
Ok sorry for real slow update.
She's eating a gain YEAH
she took her first meal (a chick) on Xmas day of all days so that was cool present.
She slowly took more chicks but wouldn't even look at a rat or mouse. and would play with the chick for a bit before eating it. then slowly she became a little more keen.
last week she finally struck at a it. still a chick but she was striking before i had it in the viv so v.happy, better still she took a mouse after it.
I'm gonna offer another chick and a mouse with it tomorrow and hopefully she'll take both again. Then i work on getting her back rats properly.
I know chicks ain't a great diet for her and yes i know they are just pretty much bone n feather but i'm just so happy she's eating again.
16 month fast. i dont to go through that again...
Thanks all. |
| hodgie |
Posted - 12/11/2013 : 22:05:03
Get yourself some Avipro Plus to put in the water bowl this will also help.
Have you tried getting some dirty rodent bedding from your local pet shop, leave it next to the viv for an hour or 2 before feeding.
I`d definately try live as well. |
| rustyp1974 |
Posted - 12/11/2013 : 12:18:19
As above...
I had a problem with my first Royal, she fed to start with then went off her food totally. I offered a live small white mouse & no sooner had I backed away she was on it like a shot. Since that day I only offer F/T & she eats like a pig now.
Good luck. |
| anatess |
Posted - 12/11/2013 : 01:57:23
I would go with Live feeding before assist feeding or force feeding. The risks to the snake for a live feeding is considerably lesser than assist/force feeding.
And about the snake not eating F/T afterwards... I'd rather have a healthy live feeder than a long-fasting F/T feeder. Assist/force feeding does not necessarily make them consistent F/T feeders.
I've been live feeding all my 6 snakes since 2008 every week. I have not had a single injury. Not once. |
| Baobab |
Posted - 11/11/2013 : 23:36:55
I think force feeding is an absolute last resort only to be done by somebody experienced in doing so. She has obviously lost more than 10% of her body weight, assuming the 1160g was an empty weight and 16 months is a long fast but even so I wouldn't say she has lost an excessive amount. Have you considered assist feeding which is still best done by somebody with experience in this. If you have a good rep vet they might show you how to do this or offer some advice to help break the fast or at least reassure you that your royal isn't in any danger or have any health issues.
No idea about live feeding as never spoken to anybody who has gone down that path. |
