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force feeding questions......
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by fizzbob7 on December 18, 2002
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i just had to force feed a couple of neonate canebrakes....they are both <1 year and one is about 1ft and the other maybe 9-10inches....this was the first time i have done it or seen it done with a hot, but other than safety, i came to the conclusion that it was the same as feeding a python or something, just less room for error....anyway...i tubed the first, gave him his meds through a syringe w/6in tube, then oiled up 2 pinkies(he normally eats mice) and fed them one at a time...just forced his mouth open and dropped it in and got it 1/2 way down then he swallowed....quick and easy...then the second, smaller one gave me problems...the medicine went down fine, but i couldnt get him to take a pinkie...so i did my best to chop it up and get it so it would flow through the tube and then just fed him with the syringe, and as of now, about 1 hour later, everything is still down....now, my 2 questions....was the way i performed it alright, and regardless, what would make it easier and the least stressful for the snake....and secondly, does anyone sell a "pre-squished" mouse soup of some kind....i have an extra blender and thought of making my own, but that is some messy, nasty stuff....i had rather buy it, but if not, when i make a cup or so of it and stick the extra in the freezer or refrigerator, would it still have the same effect as being fresh, does it lose any nutrients or is it the same as f/t mice.....any ideas....lemme know....
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RE: force feeding questions......
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by eyelashvp9 on December 22, 2002
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I wouldn't go to the trouble of grinding up mice in a blender. Pinkie pumps are also very hard to use. I recommed that you restrain the snake from behind the head using a towel providing the canbrake is not aggressive. Try a large fuzzy mouse you want a food item that is large enough for the snake to sink both its fangs into, not your finger or hand. Force the snakes mouth open with the nose of the mouse. Very small food items like pinkies will give the snake the opportunity to twist and fight. Making the chance of a bite more likley. You are correct in using a smaller mouse that the snake normally eats. It is possible that the canbrake just wants to hibenate.
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RE: force feeding questions......
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by Hotherps on February 14, 2003
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While I can appreciate the reason for assist / force feeding a snake within a acrylic tube is mainly for safety of the handler, I personally do not think it is the best procedure as far as the snake is concerned. The actual time spent in manipulating a snake into a tube and then feeding it is all adding to the stress levels that the snake has to endure.
Also, depending upon the species concerned, there is likely to be very little actual support for the snakes neck within the tube while a food item is pushed into the snakes mouth. I find it much quicker and easier to lift the snake out of it’s cage on to a foam mat, pin and gently hold the back of the head, (and support the neck) with my left hand. I then quickly pop a small food item into the mouth…..often using a sexing probe to ease the food item down then very gently massage it towards the stomach with the thumb of my right hand.
Most adult snakes should only be assist or force fed as a last resort. It is important to find out WHY a snake is not feeding. It is completely different with newly born or hatched snakes. Sometimes even pinky mice are too big a food item. I have assist fed quite a number of different venomous species , notably echis ocellatus (many 100’s of times) which are so small that they can only manage the rear legs of pinky
mice!
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