C. insularis - feeding issues

Hi all,

I was wondering if anyone could offer some advice on feeding a stuborn little C. insularis? I apologise in advance for the length of this post, but I am going to put down as much information as I can - if anyone sees any issues with husbandry / technique - please shout out! :-) Ok here we go...

1. This little snake has not fed since he arrived in the collection early this September - he is, however, still looking in good condition
2. He was assist fed a couple of weeks ago on a small fuzzy
3. Prior to the assist feeding, he has been offered chick thighs, baby bearded dragons (prekilled), small frogs (baby edibles), and small mice (thawed, prekilled). I have tried warming the prey items up, I have tried offering them bone dry, slightly damp and brained, and have tried scenting them with tuna (I was told that can be quite effective sometimes). Nothing seems to be piquing his interest.
4. I have tried all sorts of ways to offer him his prey...I have tried aggravating him with the prey touching his coils and trying to make him bite - occasionally he will strike and latch on, but he always lets go in the end.

Captive Care
Now just a few notes on current husbandry - you may see something that jumps out and needs changing in order to make this little guy a little more comfortable...
1. He is housed in a spacious and well ventilated RUB which has plenty of climbing branches and foliage.
2. He has two small water bowls attached at different levels - one at the cool end and one at the warm end.
3. Humidity is around 70 - 75%.
4. Temps are currently at 23-24 at the cool end and around 25 - 26 at the hot end: does this species require a significant gradient or any night time drops?
5. His RUB is lightly misted with warm water twice a week.

Now some questions...
(a) What is the best time to try feeding C. insularis? Have you found they take better in the morning or at night and should the room be darkened or light?
(b) In your opinion what is the best prey item to feed these snakes?
(c) Is it best to try and get the snake to latch onto the food or should I be leaving it in with him overnight?
(d) Is it best to offer the prey above him so he strikes upwards or would it be best to offer it so he has to strike downwards? (I have tried all orientations mind you)!

Many thanks,

Mika.

I had the bet results with tease feeding. I also assist fed them, but this is quite a stress for them.
Better success was with live pinkies. As a rule females were much better eaters.

I would recomend tease feeding with feeling. This does best for them ...

Cheers,
Anze

Hi Anze,

Thanks for replying. Yes, it's a bit of a catch 22 assist feeding unfortunately but sometimes necessary I guess when all else seems to be failing :-( Ok, will try tease feeding live pinks and see how he goes...

Thanks,

Mika.

Hi,

a friend of mine has also a C. insularis which made big problems with feeding. The best and easiest is to try only heads from 1 day micebaby (or othr parts like foots). Usually, they cannot spite them out and after a few attemps you can try a half 1 day micebaby and so you probably can avoid force feed.

Martin

Hi Mika,
I have had the same problem within a young offspring from C. insularis. The first times it acceped the food I offered from a tweezer (thowed and well tempered mices) then it stopped feeding like this way. I try to use some other way´s, living mices from tweezers but this didn´t worked too. Dead mices with opened head etc....
Then I put a one day old mice on the grond of the box ( abig Box with a lot of natural Plants and branches!) , let them there over night - Late in the night I observe that it goes in an ambush position, directly over the mice. Than I don´t disturb it anny longer for the day.The next morning all way fine - it has start to feed alone,and now it feeds without anny problems. Maby it like more to hunt then to be feeded... Or it feel disturbed from my hand? I´m happy that it has start to feed this way, makes thinks much more easyer.

@ Manuel:

I observe sometimes a behaviour of sopping feeding by some adult male of the ,,Trimeresurus´´ Complex. Specialy by an P. ,,fucata´´ from an malaysian Island. That stopped feeding around November, and sometimes it start not before March. No problem, then it feeds the rest of the year very good! In my opinion it is the breeding and mating time for that species on this Island!

My 50 cm C. insularis feeds like hell, every time. One of the best feeding snakes I have here.

Manuel Petritsch wrote:

the bigger one of my insularis has exactly 68 cm, and as I mentioned still do not know the difference, for the purpose of sex!

Hi Manuel,

in that case I am pretty sure that your animals are of the same sex ...

Cheers,
Anze

Quick update to this thread - he fed for my colleague last night! Small live mouse did the trick - did try him on live before but he never seemed interested...perhaps he was just in a fasting period being an awkward boy? ;-)

Many thanks to everyone who offered advice,

Best,

Mika.

Fine,
did you feed the snake, or did you put the mice on the ground, and let it hunt?

Hi Peter,

Live mouse was introduced and he hunted it. He bit it, hung on and then let go after some time. The mouse was left in the box and he ate it sometime during the night. Hooray!

Ok, like in my case... interesting!

Hi Peter,

Yep, interesting! I am curious to see how feeding goes now he has taken on his own - fingers crossed he will continue to feed without any issues...

Nice, very nice... good to know it works!

hello, I was wondering how is your baby doing, is he still eating normally ??
by the way do you have some pics of him would be nice to see the little one.

regards

Hi Gustav,

Sorry, haven't been on here for a while and only just saw your post! Yes, after a difficult start, he is feeding on his own and regularly (very pleased about that!) - in the same fashion as described by Peter van Issem. My guess is he was being a typical finnicky little boy :-)

I am currently off work at the moment as I am on maternity leave and due to pop at any moment (so not in the best position to handle anything venomous although the calling is still there - I am missing the cobras!) so I can't get any photos of the little insularis right now - but I will ask my colleague and see if he can get a few snap shots to upload here. :-)