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 feeding problems please help.
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marc_sg
Yearling

United Kingdom
160 Posts

Posted - 19/10/2013 :  19:01:59  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
I've had my female pin for about 3 months. She has eaten twice since having her. When i got her she weighed 127g. Weighed her last night she weighs 168g's. So shes still putting weight on but not at the rate i was told she should (100g a month). Ive tried braining the mice, i tried smaller prey... i tried live once i didnt like it because it seemed to scare her.I've also tried rat pups weeners smalls. Ive tried scenting. Ive checked her temps they seem fine. Ive tried feeding early morning last at night leaving it in there over night. Shes got 2 hides a wooden plank/branch that provides another hide fake plants i really dont no whats wrong. Any advice would be very much appreciated


0.1.0 ghost (silva)
1.1.0 diffused/bloodreds (scarlet and samson)

0.1 ghost bloodred pied corn
1.0 ghost bloodred het pied
1.0 staffy x beagle
0.1 staffy
0.1 pinstripe royal

hodgie
Fully Grown Royal

United Kingdom
1197 Posts

Posted - 19/10/2013 :  19:12:58  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Sometimes they just don`t want to eat, its really frustrating for experienced owners but can be seriously worrying for novice owners.
For starters there` no official guide to how fast they grow. I`ve had a few that have hit the 1kg mark within a year, i also have a 2 year old female Albino who is 480g and a year old female Lesser who is the same size. A 7 year old male Pastel who is 1200g.
The important thing is that yours is actually eating and putting on weight just not at the rate you want. Your probably not doing anything wrong if your temps are ok.

Royals owned "lots"


Edited by - hodgie on 19/10/2013 19:16:17
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marc_sg
Yearling

United Kingdom
160 Posts

Posted - 19/10/2013 :  19:51:06  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
But the last time she ate was 26th september before then was 12th august i got her on the 4th august ive spoken to cold blooded and im feeding her what she was eating there i might scent a jumbo or large mouse tomorrow with a chicks blood see how i go with that option


0.1.0 ghost (silva)
1.1.0 diffused/bloodreds (scarlet and samson)

0.1 ghost bloodred pied corn
1.0 ghost bloodred het pied
1.0 staffy x beagle
0.1 staffy
0.1 pinstripe royal
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boomslang
Old Royal - I Post too much!

United Kingdom
2025 Posts

Posted - 19/10/2013 :  20:45:01  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
You can't really say how much they will gain each month.depends on to many things,mainly if they stop eating etc.
It could have fed more or less fine,up until now and decided to stop.
What have you been feeding her when she ate for you?
Also shes gaining weight,so i wouldn't worry to much yet.

1.0.0 pinstripe Royal Python
1.0.0 Bumblebee Royal Python
1.0.0 Normal corn
1.0.0 Extreme red Hognose
0.1.0 Extreme red tiger Hognose
1.1.0 yemen chameleons
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hodgie
Fully Grown Royal

United Kingdom
1197 Posts

Posted - 19/10/2013 :  20:51:45  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by marc_sg

i might scent a jumbo or large mouse



There`s your problem, i`d say your food items to large. Offer smaller prey.
Its not a race to get them big.

Royals owned "lots"


Edited by - hodgie on 19/10/2013 20:53:02
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carlb1981
Fully Grown Royal

United Kingdom
1527 Posts

Posted - 19/10/2013 :  21:53:36  Show Profile  Visit carlb1981's Homepage  Reply with Quote
Rat pups or rat fluffs at her size or equivalent mouse size try warming the pray in hot water from the tap, i put mine in sandwich bags to keep them dry as sometimes if the food isn't warm enough it doesn't interest them and give multis a try too they worked a treat for me

3.3.0 Royals,Yellow Belly -Marty,Fire YB-Fred,Mojave-Mo,Butter Pinstripe-Betty,Pewter-Newt,Normal-Molly
0.1.0 Snow Cornsnake- Lumi
1.1.0 Hypo Sonoran Dwarf Boa-Bart and Maggie
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1.1.0 Salmon Boas-Hershey and Sam
0.2.0 Leopard Geckos-Spot and Chocolate
1.4.0 Dune Geckos
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0.3.7 Tarantulas
0.0.1 Pandinus Imperator/emperor scorpion
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marc_sg
Yearling

United Kingdom
160 Posts

Posted - 19/10/2013 :  23:04:52  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by carlb1981

Rat pups or rat fluffs at her size or equivalent mouse size try warming the pray in hot water from the tap, i put mine in sandwich bags to keep them dry as sometimes if the food isn't warm enough it doesn't interest them and give multis a try too they worked a treat for me



I always warm them up in water let them get up to temp and then blow dry them. She took the last two like that. Coldblooded said she refused rat pups so they feed her large mice. Ive offered her medium and small mice to no result. I've tried a weener rat nobresult. Im not trying to fatten her up i only feed mine every saturday if they refuse then I wait two weeks so i dont try them the next week but the week after.but ive tried that with her and that didnt work by the way my temps are 91.6°f at hot end and 84°f at the cool end checked the middle tonight and its 86°f


0.1.0 ghost (silva)
1.1.0 diffused/bloodreds (scarlet and samson)

0.1 ghost bloodred pied corn
1.0 ghost bloodred het pied
1.0 staffy x beagle
0.1 staffy
0.1 pinstripe royal
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marc_sg
Yearling

United Kingdom
160 Posts

Posted - 20/10/2013 :  00:14:27  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by carlb1981

Rat pups or rat fluffs at her size or equivalent mouse size try warming the pray in hot water from the tap, i put mine in sandwich bags to keep them dry as sometimes if the food isn't warm enough it doesn't interest them and give multis a try too they worked a treat for me



I always warm them up in water let them get up to temp and then blow dry them. She took the last two like that. Coldblooded said she refused rat pups so they feed her large mice. Ive offered her medium and small mice to no result. I've tried a weener rat nobresult. Im not trying to fatten her up i only feed mine every saturday if they refuse then I wait two weeks so i dont try them the next week but the week after.but ive tried that with her and that didnt work by the way my temps are 91.6°f at hot end and 84°f at the cool end checked the middle tonight and its 86°f


0.1.0 ghost (silva)
1.1.0 diffused/bloodreds (scarlet and samson)

0.1 ghost bloodred pied corn
1.0 ghost bloodred het pied
1.0 staffy x beagle
0.1 staffy
0.1 pinstripe royal
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marc_sg
Yearling

United Kingdom
160 Posts

Posted - 20/10/2013 :  16:10:33  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Some good news but not theway i liked it to happen. Safia ate a medium mouse today. But it was a live one. I took everything out of the viv so i could keep an eye on them at all times. I put the see thru container with the mouse in the viv ao she could get scent of it. Then after 5 mins i let it out and she flew at it no problems constricted round the throat so the mouse couldnt bite her then score she ate it. But ill do it again and then ween her off them. But least shes eaten


0.1.0 ghost (silva)
1.1.0 diffused/bloodreds (scarlet and samson)

0.1 ghost bloodred pied corn
1.0 ghost bloodred het pied
1.0 staffy x beagle
0.1 staffy
0.1 pinstripe royal
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richard v
Sub Adult

United Kingdom
563 Posts

Posted - 20/10/2013 :  18:51:14  Show Profile  Click to see richard v's MSN Messenger address  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by marc_sg

Some good news but not theway i liked it to happen. Safia ate a medium mouse today. But it was a live one. I took everything out of the viv so i could keep an eye on them at all times. I put the see thru container with the mouse in the viv ao she could get scent of it. Then after 5 mins i let it out and she flew at it no problems constricted round the throat so the mouse couldnt bite her then score she ate it. But ill do it again and then ween her off them. But least shes eaten


Your right at least she has eaten, personally I think your worrying a little too much, and possibly a little hasty to go down the live feeding route.I really think this should be a last resort, especially if you say your snake is gaing weight, this could possibly cause you more trouble than its worth.Anyway it's done now, you say your snake is 168gm so if you go by the feeding guide that everyone on here sticks to 10-15% of there weight you want to be looking at feeding rat fluffs around the 15gm mark I use to feed two rat pups when my snake was at that size. If your feeding every 5 days as per the feed guide you will be feeding depending on weeks per month a max of 75gms worth of food, plus if you take into account any toilets your snake will do you really would be hard push for your snake to gain 100gms a month.so as you can see its not going to happen as people have said its not a race to get your snake to a certain size, and snakes all grow at differents rates I have 2 royals one 5 years old weighing just over 1000gms the other is 18 months and weighs 1600gm so you can see massive difference. The smaller snake only eats when he feels like it so far around 7 times this year. Also offering to often can stress your snake out, if it refuses just lesve another 5 days and try again.unfortunately this is typical royal behaviour and nothing to worry about. As long as your happy with your set up and confident everything is as it should be your snake will eat when it's ready.
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hodgie
Fully Grown Royal

United Kingdom
1197 Posts

Posted - 20/10/2013 :  21:07:11  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
I`ve got to agree with the above post, can`t see why you needed to live feed. Your snake was eating but not at the rate you wanted and putting on weight.
It appears from your previous post that you were quite obviously given incorrect info from the reptile shop and your prey sizes were far to big meaning your little snake was consuming 3-4 weeks food in one go.

Royals owned "lots"

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marc_sg
Yearling

United Kingdom
160 Posts

Posted - 20/10/2013 :  22:55:47  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
I put my hands up but as i said i was going by other advice but thats y im glad I asked on here. I wont try live feeding again as aaid i dont like it but i was starting to worry. From now on if she refuses then i wont panic. Ill keep an eye on her weight amd if she loses a lot of weight then ill consider other options i dont like live feeding but thats what the shop recomended to do.


0.1.0 ghost (silva)
1.1.0 diffused/bloodreds (scarlet and samson)

0.1 ghost bloodred pied corn
1.0 ghost bloodred het pied
1.0 staffy x beagle
0.1 staffy
0.1 pinstripe royal
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hodgie
Fully Grown Royal

United Kingdom
1197 Posts

Posted - 21/10/2013 :  16:55:46  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Don`t beat yourself up, you aren`t the first and you won`t be the last person to be given incorrect info from a pet shop. When i bought my 1st Royal i was sold a UV light, a heat mat that covered 2/3rd`s of the viv floor and glass thermometer,the type you normally get for a fish tank.

Royals owned "lots"


Edited by - hodgie on 21/10/2013 16:56:17
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anatess
Sub Adult

USA
669 Posts

Posted - 21/10/2013 :  17:17:46  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
I would triple check your husbandry as well.

You have a baby snake there. In addition to the proper temps and humidity, these royals need security. If he's in a viv sized for adults, he might not be feeling secure enough if the viv has lots of empty space.

Post a picture of your set-up and let's see if we can identify some room for improvement.

I'm biased about live feeding because I feed my royals live. Has been since 2008. If done right, it is as safe as F/T. The reptile shops around here feed live because royals are known to be finicky eaters. If they feed F/T they have to throw the rat out if it's not eaten, whereas a live rat can be put back in the rat colony to live another week. They only switch the royal to F/T if the buyer requests it.


Snake owner since Oct 2008, so yeah, I'm no expert.
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1.0.0 spider royal
0.1.0 albino royal
1.0.0 bumblebee royal
1.0.0 yellowbelly royal
0.0.1 wild-type royal
1.0.0 normal western hognose

Edited by - anatess on 21/10/2013 17:26:03
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marc_sg
Yearling

United Kingdom
160 Posts

Posted - 23/10/2013 :  17:27:21  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
I will post a pic when i get back from work


0.1.0 ghost (silva)
1.1.0 diffused/bloodreds (scarlet and samson)

0.1 ghost bloodred pied corn
1.0 ghost bloodred het pied
1.0 staffy x beagle
0.1 staffy
0.1 pinstripe royal
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