| Author |
 Topic  |
|
Kelfezond
The bearded one
United Kingdom
4803 Posts |
 Posted - 05/09/2010 : 19:58:10
|
Hello everyone.
Today was my first attempt at feeding Valhalla, I took her out the viv to avoid her eating any substrate and dangled the little mouse up for her but she didn't seem that interested, in fact at one point she was even moving away from the mouse.
I've put the mouse in her viv overnight to see what happens but am not expecting much.
I'll try her again in a few days see if I can get a strike out of her.
Also,is it possible the mouse could be too small for her attention? It's nowhere near the girth of her body but it's what the chap in the store was getting her to strike on.
Thanks alot! will keep you all updated :) |
\v/ Click me for Kelfezond Reptiles Facebook Page! \v/
  |
|
|
mischang
Yearling
United Kingdom
482 Posts |
Posted - 05/09/2010 : 20:05:17
|
| did u warm the mouse ? how long have u had him ? |
 |
 |
|
|
Kelfezond
The bearded one
United Kingdom
4803 Posts |
Posted - 05/09/2010 : 20:11:14
|
Mouse was nice and warm at the time, could have been warmed I guess tough.
I've had Val a week today. |
|
|
|
n/a
deleted
7384 Posts |
Posted - 05/09/2010 : 20:23:52
|
Sorry to hear that - they can be slow starters. I got my first royal at the end of July and he went straight into shed ... so wouldn't eat ... and then it was a bad shed so I had to get him out and bath and assist ... when I wasn't supposed to handle.
After all that he struck and coiled when I waggled the mouse on long tongs. The local rep shop had sold out so I got a pair of kitchen tongs from Wilkinsons', but tbh I prefer their soft plastic grips, and only a couple of quid. As has been said, about heating, it helps to get mouse nice and warm - not steaming, but hand warm. I put mousey in plastic bag in a mug of hottest tap water for a couple of minutes, and I defrost away from viv so delicious mousey smell comes as nice surprise.
I now think it's best to feed out of viv, and have gradually accustomed my young man to feed in a rub, but at first I did feed in the viv - until the little gannet grabbed an artificial leaf! But perhaps at first it could be a good idea to let the snake stay in the viv until they get the idea. It's also a good point about the size of mouse - I've known corns perk up no end when offered a larger, smellier, mouse.
All the best. It's terrifying at first, I know! |
|
|
|
|
Kelfezond
The bearded one
United Kingdom
4803 Posts |
Posted - 05/09/2010 : 20:27:27
|
Thanks for the advice, Burned :D
I'll give the mouse much more heat next time, I only defrosted her at room temperature wrapped in a paper towel over a radiator for about 5 minutes (Thats 5 mins after she was fully defrosted of course)
If she doesn't seem interested on the next feed I'll try her in the viv, she may have just been a bit too nervous to care about the mouse as it was her first time out of the viv as well :) |
\v/ Click me for Kelfezond Reptiles Facebook Page! \v/
|
|
|
|
n/a
deleted
7384 Posts |
Posted - 05/09/2010 : 20:39:31
|
| All the best - keep us posted, and as I say I'm only new to this myself - other more experienced people may have better ideas. Good luck! |
|
|
|
|
Blackecho
Royal Python Admin
United Kingdom
11327 Posts |
Posted - 05/09/2010 : 21:10:00
|
| I feed all mine in the viv to avoid any stress, not saying its that though, you've only had him a week, it could take a few to get ready. |
 
 |
|
|
|
n/a
deleted
7384 Posts |
Posted - 05/09/2010 : 21:52:04
|
Ooops,correction, in case I didn't make it clear, when I say I put mouse in plastic bag in mug of hot water, that's when mousey's already defrosted ...
Sorry ... blame the Shepherd's Neame ...
As before, all the best and fingers crossed! |
|
|
|
|
hodgie
Fully Grown Royal
United Kingdom
1197 Posts |
Posted - 05/09/2010 : 22:00:27
|
| Im with Blackecho, i feed all mine in their vivs if your worried about substrate just put a little paper down. Personally i find it pointless to stress them moving them from vivs to tubs and back again, as little stress as possible is always best. |
Royals owned "lots"
|
|
|
|
n/a
deleted
7384 Posts |
Posted - 05/09/2010 : 22:17:40
|
quote:
Originally posted by hodgie
Im with Blackecho, i feed all mine in their vivs if your worried about substrate just put a little paper down. Personally i find it pointless to stress them moving them from vivs to tubs and back again, as little stress as possible is always best.
I would prefer to do this myself, yes, but the contortions these guys get up to - or should I say, my little guy? I reckon I'm lucky, as all he's thinking is Mouse! Where is it?? But for shy snakes, yes, in viv, if poss, I do agree ... |
|
|
|
|
Blackecho
Royal Python Admin
United Kingdom
11327 Posts |
Posted - 05/09/2010 : 22:31:31
|
| I would only do it with certain substrates though, wouldn't risk it with Orchid Bark or Beech Chips personally. |
|
|
|
|
Kelfezond
The bearded one
United Kingdom
4803 Posts |
Posted - 05/09/2010 : 22:54:21
|
I believe I'm using some kind of bark, theres no label on the bag I recieved as it was kind of a "perk" of shopping with them.
Might try putting down some paper towel inside her viv if she doesn't eat again next try. Maybe she's just a bit shy.
I'm guessing she is as I've not seen her move from the spot in her viv in 7 days. |
\v/ Click me for Kelfezond Reptiles Facebook Page! \v/
|
|
|
|
KDRGM
Snake Mite
United Kingdom
20 Posts |
Posted - 06/09/2010 : 23:13:31
|
I'm no expert but maybe she getting used to her new surroundings,differnt noises,vibrations and also different smells/tastes ??? just a suggestion :)
Kev :) |
Owned By
1.1.0/ Amelanistic Cornsnake (Amber & D.T.)
2.1.0. Normal/Classic /males het for amber (Marley,Ziggy & Kaya)
0.1.0. Snow cornsnake (Blizzard)
0.0.27. Mostly Amel cornsnakes ( all for sale )
1.0.0. BP (Nesta)
1.1.0. Common Boa's (Ky-Mani & Bobbie) |
Edited by - KDRGM on 06/09/2010 23:14:22 |
|
|
|
Kelfezond
The bearded one
United Kingdom
4803 Posts |
Posted - 10/09/2010 : 00:34:50
|
Tried her second feed today, went better but still not eaten.
I tried tempting her to strike for a long time before giving up, I placed some kitchen roll paper down in her viv and places the mouse ontop (to avoid her ingesting any substrate should she choose to eat it in the night)
About half hour later I saw her inspecting the mouse, sniffing at its head and then around to it's tail, however nothing happened from this.
The next 2 hours or so she was very active, more so than I've ever seen her before, exploring every inch of her viv and even taking a few minutes sitting ontop of one of her hides.
I'll let you all know in the morning if she's eaten the mouse during the night or not.
Fingers crossed! |
\v/ Click me for Kelfezond Reptiles Facebook Page! \v/
|
|
|
|
Blackecho
Royal Python Admin
United Kingdom
11327 Posts |
Posted - 10/09/2010 : 06:51:24
|
| Fingers crossed. |
|
|
|
|
Kelfezond
The bearded one
United Kingdom
4803 Posts |
Posted - 10/09/2010 : 11:26:00
|
Morning is upon us and a dead mouse still sits rather casually in the viv, I'll throw it out and try again next week. Will keep you all updated.
The last time I defrosted the mouse at room temperature for hours and then placed it in a waterproof bag in a cup of hot water to warm it up.
Time before I didn't do the bag part so will try another technique next time. |
\v/ Click me for Kelfezond Reptiles Facebook Page! \v/
|
|
|
|
n/a
deleted
7384 Posts |
Posted - 10/09/2010 : 14:26:57
|
 I'm really sorry to hear that!
BUT - Valhalla is doing exactly what my Shahi did before he started eating for ...well, not England, maybe, probably Ghana!
They are all different - you may have to try different techniques but he's obviously on the right track.
All the very best! |
|
|
|
|
Kelfezond
The bearded one
United Kingdom
4803 Posts |
Posted - 13/09/2010 : 23:42:28
|
Yaay!
Valhalla ate her first meal today, a medium sized mouse.
I tried to get her to strike but she didn't seem that keen, after about 15 minutes of waggling and a tail falling off (off the mouse, not the snake) so I decided to leave the mice in her viv (I defrosted two to see if double the smell would help)
She started to stir around the viv about 5 minutes after I put the mice in and closed the viv doors before then eating the first mouse, t'was amazing!
I was half expecting her to eat the second as she keeps venturing out of her hide and looking towards it but she's yet to go for a second, I'll probably have to take it out in the morning. But I'm really happy she's now eaten something even if she didn't strike it.
After eating the first mouse she returned to her hide leaving the front half of her body outside, she was moving the front of her body around like mad, looked like she was dancing, she's been doing that for about 15 minutes now, guess she's still pushing the mouse down?
She also, for some reason, lifted her hide up while doing her little dance! |
\v/ Click me for Kelfezond Reptiles Facebook Page! \v/
|
|
|
|
Blackecho
Royal Python Admin
United Kingdom
11327 Posts |
Posted - 14/09/2010 : 06:34:42
|
| Congrats, that's a weight off your mind. |
|
|
|
|
Kelfezond
The bearded one
United Kingdom
4803 Posts |
Posted - 14/09/2010 : 10:32:21
|
Yeah, that's all my worries over with now, she's feeding, got her light safe and secure, temps are all perfect, viv's set up fine.
Only things left are the shedding process which might not come for ages! |
\v/ Click me for Kelfezond Reptiles Facebook Page! \v/
|
|
|
|
n/a
deleted
7384 Posts |
Posted - 14/09/2010 : 13:34:46
|
quote:
Originally posted by Kelfezond
Yeah, that's all my worries over with now, she's feeding, got her light safe and secure, temps are all perfect, viv's set up fine.
Only things left are the shedding process which might not come for ages!
That's really good news! Congrats, and good luck with the dread shed! I've had to bath my Shahi twice now - found Miss Cat's bathing sticky very helpful. |
|
|
|
|
Topic |
|
Valhalla's Feed Thread
