When should i offer the first meal after hatching?
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As soon as the have there first shed, which occurs around a week after hatching.
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I agree with waiting until after their first shed. You can even wait a few days after the first shed to help ensure that they’re hungry. (Plus some don’t like to eat the same day that they shed for some reason.)
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I’m agreeing with the other folks. They’re not hatched hungry. Healthy babies have ample reserves to wait until after their first shed. Most eat the first offering but for those who are more reluctant, it’s much better to wait. You don’t want to inadvertently set a pattern of food refusal which can be hard to change.
You should also be aware that some are very sensitive to being touched for the first day or so after they shed. Not that new babies ought to handled much anyway, of course they shouldn’t, but do be aware that some are quite twitchy after they shed. It’s a good idea to handle them with some clear space in case they get out of your hands. They’re shockingly quick and agile. Lol
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Thanks everyone. That was what i was thinking was a few days after the first shed. They were all put into their own tubs upon hatching and have not been disturbed since. I’m not sure what i was thinking on my last rodent order lol. I only ordered 100 sm pinkies. That’s not quite 4 feedings. Now i’m going to have to pay shipping on another order since i don’t want to overstock and have them go bad in my freezer.
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You could try to find a local rodent breeder that might save you some money since you wouldn’t have to ship. I always fed two days after the first shed.
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I did this, but only ordered 100 xs pinkies. I thought I’d be fine with smalls but some of my babies are too tiny so they have to have xs pinkies. Thankfully we’ve got a local store that uses the same supplier and had a few left in stock for the ones that can’t take smalls.
If you want a tip, I suggest investing in something like a FoodSaver (they have a super cheap handheld model) and some bags. That way you can order in bulk, take them and portion them into smaller numbers per bag, and you won’t end up with stale, freezer burnt mice.
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