Social Eater

So bought a new tiny boy (abberant patterns) and after turning down two meals the breeder suggested feeding him next to another snake. So I got one of my (almost) yearlings and put her in a tub next to him. Well… It worked. He ate for me finally after watching his neighbor for a few moments. Has anyone else had a social eater?

(Hopefully a food bulge shot is okay…)


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That’s fascinating. I would have thought that being near another snake would have a negative effect on feeding, if any. However, I have sometimes found that a baby box turtle that isn’t feeding yet may start to eat if fed with other hatchlings.

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@westridge

What the breeder does is start putting babies in deli cups on a large table offering a pinky and closing the lid. By the time they get to the end of the table the first babies are done eating. So even from early on they see other similar sized snakes around them while eating. Thus saftey = other babies I guess?

This is a Pic from their blog so you can see how the babies eat. Sorta makes sense he’s afraid to eat alone.

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Well, snakes are definitely creatures of habit. They get used to one thing and then they want it to be that way forever.

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Hopefully my new little man will just associate me and tongs with food eventually. I had one upset snake for the one that I put in the other container! She was expecting her own food item. Poor girl was all willing and ready. So many frustrated tail wiggles.

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I grew up w three brothers. If you saw one eating, you didn’t wait long to put on the feed bag yourself. I’m guessing that’s just natural selection. Heck, just put a brother around and you’d start eating BEFORE he had a chance…
:grin:

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