Pinkie Pump

[stano40]

Has anyone ever used pinkie pumps? If so are they good to use and how are they used?

Thank Yo u
Bob

[telefrag]

pinkie pumps are only needed in extreme cases of force feeding, its much less stressful than shoving a food item into a snake with tongs and force.

instead a small tube transfers the liquified contents closer to the stomach.

I have one, and in the last 8 years and several hundred baby snakes have only had to use it ONE time.

so its not something I would consider a essential tool for snake keeping.

If you breed large numbers of snakes, or breed animals that are likely to be problem feeders, or are frequently too small to take normal sized rodents, i'd probably not waste the 80 bucks or so they cost.

[JuliusSqueezer]

I have...and I don't like them. Basically it squishes a pink mouse and squirts the guts and some of the skin into the snake. It's only any good for wee little babies that a pinky is enough food for and it's extremely stressful on them.

A better alternative in my opinion, is to make a slurry out of pink rats, ensure, egg, chicken baby food...and anything else you may need to add like wormers or other medications. I usually add some benebac and B12. Put it all in an old blender (buy one at a thriftstore for 5 bucks and designate it for this use only)...then instead of a stiff stainless steel feeding syringe, use an irrigation syringe and catheter tubing. It gets a lot better stuff down, you can feed snakes of any size this way and it's not near as stressful.

[telefrag]

from the strees perspective, i'd seem them as being pretty similar.

I used the tube attachment on the pump, so it was the same as if I had used a syringe and tube also.

Im a much bigger fan of using a mouse tail, when I was keeping small milksnakes (celanops, gentilis, etc) it was a great way to start them out, and didnt seem to bother them too terribly much, and usually only had to be done 2 times or less to get them going.

[stano40]

Both of you have given me a lot to think about. I do have a few baby ball pythons who refuse to eat and I don't want them to die.

The slurry idea sounds very hopeful and deserves a try. do you think any remains of the slurry could be frozen for re-use?

Thank You both for the help.

bob

[JuliusSqueezer]

freeze it in syringes...just make sure it's thawed and warmed (preferably in hot water) as you would a frozen rat. It's kinda hard to tell when it's completely thawed so be careful.

[Shadrach]

Stano40 try this before force feeding. Get you some small totes, colored ones work well giving them the feeling of security. Crumple up some news paper and fill them with the paper and a small water source. Put the baby balls in and leave for at least a week without handling or disturbing. At the end of the week add a small mouse preferbly one that can't harm the snake and leave overnight. This will usally work for the most stubborn feeders. Let us know how it goes.

[stano40]

I want to thank everyone for their wonderful advise. we have already fed the babies by syringe. Our ARAV vet showed us how to safely do it.

Now the work begins to keep them fed, healthy and eventually switched to eating on their own.

Again, thanks for your help.

bob

[unluckyseventeen]

Again, the first thing you want to do is feed them in an enclosed space. If you can do it without having to move from the tank, it's perfect. I've had several young Boas do the same thing, and as soon as you put them somewhere out of sight, they are the best eaters I've ever seen (no pun intended).

[stano40]

Thank You,
My babies are over 50 ball pythons. We have had smaller lots of balls, with no problems.
This group of babies have just challenged us to no end. Most are eating nicely.
Each baby and these are really tiny babies have their own seperate sterilite shoebox lined with paper towels and have a water source they can climb in and out very easily.
Each baby is taken care of individually and not in view of others.
The first round of feeding went well with no one regurgitating. We are giving them a slurry mix of baby chicken food and rat pinkies.
I will also be getting some benebac for the next feeding.
bob

[unluckyseventeen]

Ah.. I see.