1st Feeding for a kenyan

bigdog2003 · 03-11-12, 12:12 PM

I bought a female kenyan yesterday. How long should I wait before attempting to feed her?

Trent · 03-11-12, 12:38 PM

I would give her a week or two to settle in if it were me.
Congrats on the snake!

bigdog2003 · 03-11-12, 12:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trent

I would give her a week or two to settle in if it were me.
Congrats on the snake!

Thanks, I have been wanting a snake for a while, but wanted to make sure I did plenty of research before getting anything. Kenyans are amazing. Everybody keeps asking me why I have an empty tank in my living room. They don't believe there is a snake in there until I show the pictures.

theapexgerman · 03-11-12, 12:46 PM

Yea wait atleast a week befor you try feeding

UwabamiReptiles · 03-11-12, 01:04 PM

A week or two is the standard. Just try to not handle her to until you get her feeding. If you start picking her up right away, it could stress her out enough to make her not eat.

alessia55 · 03-11-12, 01:09 PM

Like others have said, wait a week and don't' handle her. How old is she?

bigdog2003 · 03-11-12, 01:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alessia55

Like others have said, wait a week and don't' handle her. How old is she?

Not exactly sure how old she is. She is a juvenile snake, and has been eating frozen/thawed the breeder said. Got her from one of the leading kenyan breeders.

bigdog2003 · 03-12-12, 09:19 AM

Talked to the breeder today, he said middle to end of this week I should try to feed her.

jaleely · 03-12-12, 07:47 PM

I go against all of the good advice when i get a new snake. I plop them in their new home, and offer food right away. i think 99% of the people on here will disagree with this method *lol* but that hasn't stopped us from doing it....and the only one's i've never had NOT eat right away were my male dumeri's boa, and one of our rescues who'd been abused.

12 other snakes, from breeders, shows, and adoptions, have all eaten the first day they've lived with me.

I can see how it may cause stress to the animal, but in my experience for my snakes, i feel like it distracted them and helped them settle in. BUT i'm probably the only one on here who thinks that or who will admit it ; )

youngster · 03-12-12, 08:30 PM

I do the same as jaleely.

If the snake eats right away good, if not, it's not going to cause that much stress.

Strutter769 · 03-12-12, 09:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigdog2003

Thanks, I have been wanting a snake for a while, but wanted to make sure I did plenty of research before getting anything. Kenyans are amazing. Everybody keeps asking me why I have an empty tank in my living room. They don't believe there is a snake in there until I show the pictures.

Congrats on the new snake! It's nice to read "wanted to make sure I did plenty of research." Nice job!

You're in the right place to learn even more. Welcome!

mykee · 03-12-12, 09:23 PM

I feed everything the day I set it up in it's new environment. Reason being; the animal is stressed enough with a new place, new temps, new environment, etc. so why stress it out further by not feeding it. Never in 13 years have I had a problem.

Gungirl · 03-13-12, 05:56 AM

I always offer food right after I get them in there new viv.

bigdog2003 · 03-13-12, 08:42 AM

Thanks for all the advice.

KORBIN5895 · 03-13-12, 09:19 AM

Wow! Why are all the people who feed right away so quite about it? This is like the first time I have heard people say they feed right away! I just feed mine on schedule.