Puffed up lol. She’s caved in underneath. She’s just wide looking because she’s mad I got her out. All of them were 64-67g out of the egg. So she’s definitely smaller than the rest of the clutch.
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She was DEFINITELY not happy with me assist feeding. I followed a youtube video to do it. If she resist this week, I’ll assist another pinkie then move up to something bigger. I have rat pups too. Maybe she does want larger prey. I’ll figure it out. I’m very glad I got some food in her.
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Oh man… this little one is 42g I wish she was your little one’s 63. She’s just been maintaining since she hatched. I sold her largest sibling on sept 29th at 92g. They hatched in early July.
She hasn’t lost weight technically…but she had put on a little length recently so ugh. It’s frustrating. On the plus side she IS eating. I did have one I needed to assist for 3 months that hatched at 27 grams. I apparently have an issue with hatchlings deciding to stay itty bitty in normal sized eggs.
@caron She unfortunately hatched with a pretty heavy wobble. So it was up in the air with her for a little bit. If she didn’t start eating on her own, I was going to euthanize her. But since I had 3 that weren’t getting started on rat fuzzies like the rest, I figured what the heck and picked up some mice. She’s so picky still that she won’t even go for rats scented in STINKY mouse bedding.
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Geez…a lot of challenges. Thats tough. I’m glad you got her eating though. I think I saw a video about nutritional content of feeders and mice weren’t as calorie filled as rats. Being a mouser seems to slow their growth. Ive taken in a couple of rescues that had been exclusively fed live mice. They were both on the small side, but grew fast once I switched them to rats. Thankfully putting in a ziploc bag of dirty mouse bedding into their enclosure before offering the f/t rat was enough to get them to eat.
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Update: I’ve assist fed #1 3x now. She will take it down after I get the head down her throat. She still wont strike and eat on her own. All of her siblings are still eating great on their own. I’m about to move everyone up to larger prey. Hopefully that goes well. The last assist feeding I did with #1 was a rat pup. I need to weigh them when I clean tubs this weekend, just to see how everyone is doing.
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Well, at least you’re getting some good assist feeding experience, even though it’s probably stressful each time.
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I second @halfmoonlakeherps about the assist feeding experience! Hopefully one day before too long that little one will get with the program and figure out what he’s supposed to do with the rat.
I have heard it said that sometimes a baby snake just doesn’t recognize food as food and has to be coaxed/assisted for awhile. I don’t know how true this is but I suppose it makes sense.
Anyhoo keep at it @hlynn2224! I bet one of these days that little critter will start eating on it’s own! 
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I’m just glad she isn’t going to starve lol. Hopefully she figures things out soon. I’m a quick study with most things so it’s already gotten pretty easy to do.
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I had my first 2 clutches this year and I had to assist feed one. He wasnt a small baby; hatched around 52gr. He went 5wks without eating before I stepped in. I had to massage the rat down to his stomach - it was like his muscled didnt work. It took him two months before he’d eat on his own, but he does now! Finally!
Keep with it! Yours can at least take it down on her own, which is more than my guy could do. Pretty sure she’ll figure it out!
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It took me 3 months to get my runty gal going on her own. you can do it!
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Thanks for the encouragement! She is catching up to her siblings now. They are between 81g and 91g. I’m going to switch everyone to rat pups this week and start beefing them up. I need to start handling them too and get them chilled out 
got a bunch of nippers on my hands here.
From yesterday when I cleaned and weighed everyone.
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#3 really wanted to light me up yesterday. He’s about to shed. #7 had a shed in their tub when I cleaned. I guess the rest will shed again soon too.
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#1 grabbed the rat pup and wrapped it like she was going to eat on her own, but didnt 
so another assist feed is in progress.
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Yeah, even the pros have one in a blue moon. Eventually they figure it out and get on the ball.
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I hope so. I hate putting her through the stress of assist feeding. So I’m being impatient
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You have done well with her though! She is growing and I think once that natural feeding instinct they are born with kicks in she will be a striker and a coiler! Just hang in there @hlynn2224! 
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Sorry I’m late to this. Those were some beautiful babies to come from that clutch! 
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Thank you! I love them all.
I took them with me to Repticon (Grapevine TX ) last weekend for a breeder friend (Epic Vibrant Balls, got the dad from them) to sex the babies. The only female in the clutch is baby 1
I think Diva is a fitting name. She’s still needing help to eat. I let her skip last week to see if the hunger would get her to eat this week on her own. Didnt work. Oh well. I’ll keep helping her if she needs it.
They are all about 100g now.
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She will get there! Remember, she is a Diva! 
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That’s what I’ve been calling her. Another baby has gone off food this week and last week. No idea what his problem is since he was eating fine before.
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