Feeding juvenile Acantophis rugosus

Hello,
I achieved two juvenile A. rugosus a week ago. The male fed on a pinky after two days, but the female refuses.
What tricks do you have to get this species feed. It isn't my highest wish to forcefeed this species Wink

Could scenting with frog be a good way of trying?
Regards,
Tommy

Hi Tommy,

mabye the are so smal that they can only feed very smal mices? In case that they are fresh offsprings you can better use only the parts from baby mices, I use the head (for A. laevis & A. rugosus).
Sometimes they don´t like complete mices. A part, that is not bigger than the head of the snake works sometimes very good!

Thanks Peter,
I will try that tomorrow when I havn't drunken wine Very Happy

Venomous and wine doesn't fit together for sure!

Ok Tommy,
that sounds very reasonable to me!

i had buy a pair last week too... by me only the female eats at second day Wink

but i think male will sheed in a few days....

Daniel,
Maybe your snakes are Czech as mine are? Bought in Hamm?

yes from stanislav

Yes, I thought so. That's keep in contact to share feeding tricks, right?

Hello, if you have not other solution that forcefeed, use a product of royal canin (i will confirm you tomorrow ) with a probe. The results are very good and it is a very very good solution to help young snakes to start. Good night. Franck

Daniel,
Sorry, I'm not a friend of Facebook. Call me at tommy@exoticherps.com

Franck,
Thanks for your suggestion. But I prefer to forcefeed natural food like, in this case, pinky head. But I would like not since Acantophis are extremely venomous. Otherwise I don't hesitate to force feed hots, but Acantophis are quite unpredictable.

Hello Tommy,
I understand very well your hesitation, venomous snakes are not easy as others for forcefeeding. But if you are interested, this product gives very very good results and permits to start young animals very well. A veterinary who is a friend do it for his animals and the young which are started by this have a better growth than the other for the same age. The product in question is 'Royal Canin Veterinary Diet Canine Feline (Recovery diet)' in pack of 100g and cost around 13 €. You add a very few quantity of water, and possible to use probe to forcefeed.
Hope you will arrive with your animals, have a nice week end
Franck

Thanks Franck for your very kind suggestion. I'll keep it in mind. Forcefeeding a fluidlike object won't of course stress the animal as much as forcing a pinky down the throat.

We've kept and bred rugosus for many years in a row. Although about two thirds of the youngsters initially refuse to eat, I think there is no need to forcefeed; a little patience will do. Just take a dead pinky with forceps and gently tap the snake on the back. This almost alway induces a bite. If the snake holds on, leave it alone. Even some weeks without food will not harm them.

Klaus,
Your suggestion was a hit! Thanks!

[quote="Klaus Roemer"] Just take a dead pinky with forceps and gently tap the snake on the back. This almost alway induces a bite. If the snake holds on, leave it alone.

As Klaus Roemer quoted this also has worked for me. "stirring" them up will almost always get a response.

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» My new A. laevis, and 1.1 Rugosus