hand feeding lions???

[starr]

We are the proud owners of a bouncing baby boy, or girl! :jumping: Lion fish! :happyfish I would love to know how the people who have, have taught their little guy to get hand fed. Step by step would be great! we will be feeding krill, :happyfish any other food suggustions?

 

[sweetdawn]

i use a feeding stick cause when i would hold the shrimp in my fingers he would strike at the shrimp and that is just pain waiting to happen teach something non venomous to eat from your hand. someone has pictures of his eel doing that totally cool

 

[fallinmor]

silver sides r good but if it's young cut them to a small size like half and inch long. becareful lions don't take to medication well so keep it in the best conditions.

 

[fishnerd]

I used to hand feed The-semi-tame-lion (his/her name).
I would make sure your lion is comfortable with your hand in the tank before trying to hand feed. The best indicator your lion is comfy with you is check its dorsal spine's movement when your hand is near it. If the spines go UP/ERECT, don't get close. If the spines don't change, let it get more comfortable. If the spines are lowered/put down, you have an indicator that your lion sees you as the care giver and NOT a threat. If you consistantly get this reaction when your hand enters the water,you could possibly try hand feeding.
Beware that lion stings hurt reeeaaaal bad. I would think twice before giving it a try.

 

[tnt]

I hand feed my lion, but I don't put my hand in the water. Ours is about 5 inches long, so he can take pretty good chunks of food. I usually hold a piece of meat so it is barely in the water. I can also hold the food above the water and he sticks his head out of the water to get it. It scares you the first couple times you try it. Mine sits very close to the food for a minute or two and then sucks it up really fast. He usually splashes water on you. We have a trigger in the tank also, so I haven't got brave enough to put my hand in the water to feed him. I figure I wouldn't be able to keep an eye on both fish. I do also stick feed when I feed him smaller things. I've only been doing this a couple of months, but I haven't been stung yet. I imagine that will be the end of hand feeding once I do! Good luck!!

 

[sw65galma]

I've never been personally stung, but the people who i know who have been say it's EXTREMELY PAINFUL. Like 10 bee stings in the same area.

 

[computrgk]

DON'T HAND FEED!!!! The sting hurts like hell my entire hand swelled up twice the size
don't do it especially if your allergic to bee stings you could die!!!
supposidly the venom is like 10-20 bees or something like that i would suggest feeder fish anyway they seem to like trapping their food with the outer "Wings" for lack of a better term.
BE CAREFUL

 

[90257]

it hurts like 10 scorpions all at once and everyones body is different.you better ask your local hospitol cause you will get stung it will happen and every time you stick your hand in the tank he will be there. good luck

.

 

[gamedawg]

TNT
what kind of trigger do you have? I have a Humu and his bite doesn't hurt. It's startling, but it doesn't hurt the way a dog-faced puffer would. My husband puts his finders in to play with him and lets him bite him. (the trigger)

 

[computrgk]

dogfaces have some vicous looking beaks i've been nipped by a porcupine puffer but not the dogface i had my humma humma would come up to your finger and let you pet his trgger and his "muzzle" and never nipped he was a pet.

 

[starr]

well chocolate chip (his name) started hand feeding the day after I posted that, He puts his spines down when we sit by the tank and always when I put my hand in so I gave it a few test rins and jumped! , also its the only way he will eat the krill. If he stings me then that will be ok, life goes on and Im not allergic to bees, but I dont think he will sting, there are alot of success stories and plus life is all about taking chances and doing cool stuff, and taming the lion is very very cool . Also saying he WILL sting is like saying EVERY dog will bite or every snake will strike. I think everone should give it a try Good luck to all!!!

 

[lion_crazz]

I don't know about everyone giving it a try, but it all comes down to how comfortable you are with your fish. I handfeed my two lions frozen food and ghost shrimp just because it is easier and a more direct way to make sure that both of them get an even amount of food. All I would say is be careful while you are doing it, and if you do get stung, run your hand directly under as hot of water as you can tolerate for a good 5 minutes to help with the venom.
And also, to whomever said you should feed lions feeder fish, that is absolutely not true unless you are feeding them saltwater feeder fish, like silversides. Freshwater feeders are deadly to saltwater fish.

 

[tnt]

Originally Posted by Gamedawg
TNT
what kind of trigger do you have? I have a Humu and his bite doesn't hurt. It's startling, but it doesn't hurt the way a dog-faced puffer would. My husband puts his finders in to play with him and lets him bite him. (the trigger)
We have a Humu also. He's about 5 inches long. He's never tried to bite us, but I've seen pics of trigger bites and heard stories of chunks being taken out of fingers by them. How big is your trigger?