Tips to getting Kenyans to eat

[goReptiles]

I got the 3 one month old kenyans about a month ago. I have only been able to get one of the three to eat a live pinkie. The other two could care less about live or F/T. The breeder fed them 3 successful live feedings. I can't get one feeding.

I need any suggestions that you can give.

 

[Pro Geckos]

Kenyans usually aren't picky eaters but here are some ideas you can try.

- Make sure you have a hot spot of 90-95.
- You can place the pinkie on a small lid (portion cup lids work great) and place it in the cage at night.
- Feed them at night or early morning when it's still somewhat dark.
- The best way I've found to get them feeding is to put a live or even F/T pinkie and the snake in an deli cup, place it back in the cage and leave overnight.

 

[goReptiles]

I've been putting the pinkie in a deli cup with the snake overnight.

The other female actually ate the pinkie I left in with her, so I've gotten two to eat. The male still hasn't eaten.

 

[Ga_herps]

How does he look? If he is not too skinny just water him and don't mess with him for a good week or two. I mean don't even pick him up to hold. After this put the smallest pinkie you can get with him. If he does not take it overnight you may have to actually force feed. I have bred tons of kenyans and only can recall 2 or 3 babies that had to be force fed after trying just giving them time between feedings. keep us posted on him.

 

[jmlslayer]

whaaa i have never heard of a Kenyan not eatting thats weird

 

[goReptiles]

Michael, I don't mess with them throughout the week, so they all get a good week without anything other than checking on to make sure there is water in the tub. He looks just like he did when I opened the box. He was never as plump as the females, but doesn't seem to be losing weight.

I've never had issues feeding anything other than my BP when I first moved him to a larger tank. I was really hoping these guys would be F/T feeders, but as of now those who are eating are live feeders. I'm hoping once they're steady feeders and a little older, I'll be able to convert them.

 

[Kristi23]

I've only gotten Stokely to eat twice so far. Both times were live and I fed her in a deli cup. She's shedding right now and won't eat. I definitely think it's weird that we're both having trouble. My older kenyan male eats like a pig everytime I offer him food and he eats f/t. I'm hoping Stokely will switch over once she's bigger. I really hate feeding live.

 

[goReptiles]

My orange female has eaten 3 times. The anery twice, and the male none.

I'm not thrilled.

I too feed live in a deli cup. My orange female has been steady feeding since I started offering live, but she has shedding issues right now. She was in shed when shipped, and never shed; now she has spots where she shed and where she didn't. I'm hoping she'll shed one good time soon since she's been eating a lot lately.

Does anyone have any ideas on forcefeeding? I've force fed other snakes before, but these are so tiny and their heads are hard to hold onto. My male is starting to lose a little weight. I'm hoping one forcefeeding attempt or at least one time getting him started will entice him to feed on his own.

 

[Pro Geckos]

I'm not sure why you and Kristi are having such a hard time getting them to eat. In regards to the shedding place her in a deli cup with damp crumpled up paper towel. She should be able to work it all off and if not it will loosen up so you can take it off. When they are in shed they almost always refuse to eat, although I have quite a few that could care less either way.

As for the force feeding I can't give you any tips on that because I don't have any experience with it. Before you do that Sean at VMS wrote an article on non feeding snakes. It has a lot of good info that should help.
http://www.vmsherp.com/LCNotEating.htm

 

[goReptiles]

The female is not in shed, she just has stuck shed on her. She was in shed when I got her and never properly shed fully. She just shed pieces, and left pieces on her. I will try the deli cup with the paper towel.


The male who hasn't eaten has shed twice since I've had him.

I have a similar article that I've written, but with much less detail and more basic. I have everything taken care of in terms of husbandry and whatnot. I use the deli cup method. I've tried with f/t in a deli cup, I've tried a pinkie that has a busted gut, and I've tried live. All in a deli cup, and none have worked for the male. Unfortunately, I don't have any anole blood to try, and I'm not de-tailing any of my geckos to get blood.

 

[jmlslayer]

My female anery has ate every week since i got her and thats been almost 2 years ago.

 

[Kristi23]

My female anery has ate every week since i got her and thats been almost 2 years ago.

We both got our kenyans from the same place and they were barely over a month old. I think that's the issue. They just weren't established eaters yet. My male is older and from another breeder. I've never had an issue with him eating.

Stokely did eat again right after she shed. She's also eating faster now. Hopefully your male will start eating soon.

 

[goReptiles]

jmlslayer, like Kristi said, we got the snakes at right at a month old with only 3 feedings behind them. I now realize that they should have been older with more successful feedings, and I won't ever buy this young again. I didn't know at the time, as the youngest I've ever bought was about 5 months or so...

(Well, my BP was probably a few months when I got him years ago)

My orange female eats pretty fast, the anery is getting better. The male could care less. I have tried to force feed, but I can't seem to get his mouth open. His head is so small, that I'm not sure how to do it. I've only force fed red tail boas and a few ball pythons; they were much bigger at the time and have a different shape to them.

I'm getting quite worried. I tried emailing the breeder, but I haven't heard back from them. I may try again. I just did a reply to the past series of emails but haven't heard back, and that was a week or so ago.

 

[jmlslayer]

jmlslayer, like Kristi said, we got the snakes at right at a month old with only 3 feedings behind them. I now realize that they should have been older with more successful feedings, and I won't ever buy this young again. I didn't know at the time, as the youngest I've ever bought was about 5 months or so...

(Well, my BP was probably a few months when I got him years ago)

My orange female eats pretty fast, the anery is getting better. The male could care less. I have tried to force feed, but I can't seem to get his mouth open. His head is so small, that I'm not sure how to do it. I've only force fed red tail boas and a few ball pythons; they were much bigger at the time and have a different shape to them.

I'm getting quite worried. I tried emailing the breeder, but I haven't heard back from them. I may try again. I just did a reply to the past series of emails but haven't heard back, and that was a week or so ago.

Not to egg on but i got mine when it only shed once and only fed once i think the breeder said.. but Have you tried putting the snake in a paper bag with the pinky?

 

[robin]

We both got our kenyans from the same place and they were barely over a month old. I think that's the issue. They just weren't established eaters yet. My male is older and from another breeder. I've never had an issue with him eating.

perhaps it's not the age of the snake but the quality of the snakes from the breeder. perhaps they had not been fed as much as the breeder said they had. you never know. because the only thing in common is they are not eating and the same breeder

 

[Kristi23]

perhaps it's not the age of the snake but the quality of the snakes from the breeder. perhaps they had not been fed as much as the breeder said they had. you never know. because the only thing in common is they are not eating and the same breeder

It's possible. Mine is eating fine now that I started giving her live pinks. I'm going to try to switch her to f/t soon. She is such a tiny little snake, but she has grown and shed now.

 

[goReptiles]

I don't know what it is, but I know I've never gotten one this young, and won't do so again.

I am still going to give live until they're bigger, and I know they're stable on live (probably a month or so; I just don't have any other snake eating pinkies so it'd be a waste if I bought a bag and they refuse). I am just having such a hard time getting that male to eat. I don't know what I'm going to do.

I have not tried the paper bag. I have heard of the method, but I've not tried it. What is the different in a paper bag and a dark container?

 

[Krow]

My ksb baby wont eat either. I got her from a show in March and shes about 5 or 6 months old now and hasn't eaten since I have had her. I have tried the deli cup with the pinkie mouse in with her over night and have even tried cutting the mouse in half and still no luck. She drinks her water but thats it, Im starting to get worried. :/

 

[goReptiles]

I really need some tips if anyone has any. I've been trying and haven't been able to get his mouth open.

 

[Kristi23]

I wish I had some advice for you.

Has the breeder gotten back to you yet?