Yeah, that was my thinking, because it was the only thing that made sense. All of this points towards my Ghost Motley-Stripe being the dad, however I guess I’ve never really thought about the genes on my Scaleless male. He’s a bit of an odd duck as well, clean belly up until the tail and his colour is really washed out. I tried to get more info from his breeder but apparently there are no records, so that was a bust. I’ve gotten myself into quite the conundrum, I think.
2 Likes
I won’t disagree. Lol
2 Likes
I’ll upload photos of both potential fathers later, see if there’s anything I’m not seeing in them that someone else can see. 
Edit: Scratch that, after taking my Scaleless boy outside to get a good look at him, no indicators of anything else. Dad is confirmed to be my other boy, Chipmunk.
2 Likes
His eyes are beautiful!
1 Like
They’re one of my favourite things about him, they’re practically silver and so deep. 
2 Likes
Chipmunk is a handsome guy. His eyes are gorgeous! It does appear that he’s putative father of at least several of Sienna’s babies. Unfortunately one cannot be sure of the ones who are pretty classics, especially without knowing what your Scaleless boy may carry.
Whatever, Chipmunk has some of the prettiest eyes around. 
1 Like
Trying to get the last of the hatchlings to take their first meal. Leave a pinky in the bin, sibling takes it. So of course I put in another pinky. Since sibling has eaten and these are smalls, not xs, I think it should be fine to just leave.
I check back in a while later and what do I find?
This absolute sausage, who has now consumed two small pinks in one meal. Not exactly the problem I expected to have with feedings.
Edit: Did not learn my lesson, has now eaten three pinkies. 
5 Likes
Well at least one of them is definitely a good eater! 
Sounds like you may need to separate them before the little piggy helps themself to a 4th.
5 Likes
lol, she is going to grow some 
2 Likes
Ooh, yikes, I hope she keeps them down. Regurges when they’re still so small can be dicey.
3 Likes
Next feeding time, I most definitely will.
Doubled weight in one evening. 
I cannot help an animal’s nature, though I will be changing how I feed when one eats and the other refuses. This little one has had at least one previous successful feeding, so if there is a regurg issue, it shouldn’t be the absolute end of the world.
5 Likes
Lol 
that nuts
3 Likes
Yikes indeed! Olivia is right, the baby who ate the extra meal is definitely at risk for a regurge. Honestly, it’s best not to have more than one baby in with a food item. They haven’t figured out the whole feeding thing yet. It is thankfully rare, but certainly not unheard of for one baby to actually cannibalize another if they smell prey on the other hatchling, or just get excited about a meal. When that happens, generally both are lost.
Different keepers have different methods, of course. You’ve said that you want to do things nature’s way when you can. Babies disperse independently shortly after hatching and shedding to go hunting alone. They don’t need buddies. You might want to rethink housing two neonates together before something worse than eating two pinkies happens.
5 Likes
I don’t think I was really clear on how I feed. While I do leave both babies with one food item, it is never for long enough without supervision for them to possibly both end up eating it. I check in until one takes the food item, at which point the other baby is moved or given handling time until the sibling has finished their meal. Believe me, I also keep Garters communally, so I’m very aware of feeding multiples and the risks associated/how to minimize those risks.
2 Likes
Sorry, I was just going by your post on the “sausage.”
I definitely recommend putting the baby who hasn’t eaten into its own bin. I’m not disparaging your experience or expertise at all. Garter snakes and corn snakes have very different lifestyles. Garters live communally, as you know, but corn snakes live solo. Your stubborn baby may feel stressed and shy about eating when its with a bin mate.
5 Likes
I will put the baby in his own bin if he doesn’t eat in the next day or two. Bit scarce on bins for the time being, most of the recent $ went into Celia’s vet care so I would have to shuffle some things around.
3 Likes
I do understand the vet bills. And I’m always gratefully surprised how much less expensive veterinary medical care is when compared to similar medical care for humans. I understand a lot of the reasons, but still.
3 Likes
Until I can get a smaller hide to go in another enclosure for the little one that hasn’t eaten, I decided to see if maybe switching the binmate might change anything. Put the sausage I’m now calling ‘Hoover’ in with Leaky, who also has a voracious appetite and a binmate that was more stubborn. So now the two picky babies who are both smaller will be sharing a space, perhaps that might entice both into feeling more comfortable and taking a meal. If not, I will separate them out likely tomorrow.
4 Likes
Loosely crumpled or folded paper towels can make an adequate hide in a pinch, especially when they’re little. It’s not the most attractive option, but they don’t seem to care.
4 Likes