hatchling with mouth issue "help"

[nicciw86]

Hey everyone, just the other day one of my hatchling was trying to eat for the first time an I noticed he was dragging his face trying to break up the cricket. So I sat there an watched him an it looks like he is unable to open his mouth all the way. I've only seen him open the very front even when he acts like he's going to bite u. Does anyone have any ideas what's going on with the little guy?

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

I don't think I have heard of that issue. Can you somehow get a video taken of that?
Can he walk around normally, climb, etc? How old is he?

Tracie

 

[nicciw86]

I can try not sure how to post video though on here. Yeah he runs climbs an everything normal. I am completely at a loss with him. He's about 6 days now. My biggest concern is he's not getting enough protein to grow his siblings are almost twice his size already.

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

Can you tell if anything is physically wrong with his mouth, or his jaw? He just can't open it well or he can't chew?
You could try hand feeding or using a plastic dropper or syringe by dropping food on the end of his nose to help with nutrition. If he is that much smaller you will need to separate him from the others so he doesn't get bullied. Are the others picking on him any?

Tracie

 

[nicciw86]

I haven't been able to get video of it yet but last night he was eating I was watching really closely I can't see anything abnormal with his mouth. He chews but not normally an he tends to bite the crickets in half an only eat the back half of them. He moves , jumps, catches crickets just like his siblings. An no they aren't bullying him they may take crickets that he was also stalking but nope no bullying they all lay together no dominant behavior or anything. I ve tried feeding him sepretly but he won't eat that way I think he's to afraid.

 

[nicciw86]

Hello,

Can you tell if anything is physically wrong with his mouth, or his jaw? He just can't open it well or he can't chew?
You could try hand feeding or using a plastic dropper or syringe by dropping food on the end of his nose to help with nutrition. If he is that much smaller you will need to separate him from the *others so he doesn't get bullied. Are the others picking on him any?

Tracie

What should I feed him squash baby food with the calcium mixed in?

 

[nicciw86]

Here's a picture of him an a sibling

 

[nicciw86]

Ok couldn't p

ost video but I to pics. The last picture is all that's left is the head half of the cricket.

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

So, he can eat a little bit, but just has trouble? He is a good amount smaller than his sibling, absolutely.
You could try hand feeding him a little bit to see if that helps. Have you tried small phoenix worms?

Tracie

 

[nicciw86]

So far he won't eat out of my hand but if I pin them down he will eat them. I haven't found any pet places that have them with them being special order but I'll keep looking. I was going to try pin heads nut the place that sells them around here only sells them by the thousands an they are so small I don't think he'd see them . I looked at them an they remind me of the tinyest Nats I've ever seen.

 

[AHBD]

Hi there....poor little guy, he's so vulnerable at that size. You're doing right by letting him eat the small crix if you hold them down for him. Keep doing that as long as he'll eat with those sized crickets there in the pic. And like Tracie mentioned, he'll need to be separated soon....the others will outgrow him by far in the next month, and he will get bitten eventually. Hope he does O.K for you...he will probably be sort of a special needs runt baby.

 

[nicciw86]

I think so to. I'm just worried no one will want him if he needs special care . Oh an I did notice something odd today about his mouth on the one side his lip arches down his is the only one that does it an I can see pink like it's part of inside his mouth :/.

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

OH that is too bad. It sounds like it is just some type of birth defect.
He will need some special care & attention when he is this small & young. If he can overcome it to get to adulthood, by then he will have accommodated his issue & should be able to deal with it just fine.
The pinheads are tiny I know! You can order the phoenix worms online to help on costs also.

Let us know how he is doing.
Tracie

 

[nicciw86]

Hopefully he will. An I will keep everyone updated.

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

How is he doing? I forgot to say that you could use squash mixed with calcium for him, absolutely!
I really hope he improves & can start eating on his own eventually for you.
Keep us posted on him.

Tracie