antaresia2021
Not so new Member
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- Mar 4, 2021
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I posted his message in a reply on another thread but would really like a broad range of opinions, for everyone and anyone who is willing to help/give their opinions to do so, that's why I'm reposting it here because I'm stressed and in urgent need of assistance:
The snake is a juvenile spotted python. Very docile. Probably anywhere between 3-5 months old. Approximately 35cm.
Enclosure: the only thing I have recently changed has been adding wood-chips behind the cool hide, in the corner (taking up less than 1/10th of the space), as I thought it would perhaps be beneficial for shedding or otherwise? (Don't know if that assumption was far-fetched or ridiculous).
I'm told that 3 weeks without food for only a few-months-old spotted isn't something to get overly worried about; even with that said, what about shedding? He hasn't shed in the two months I have had him and I don't know the date of his last shed before that. I understand that shedding only occurs with growth and that if he hasn't been eating he's obviously not been growing, but I still don't know why he would go hungry for so long when I've been occasionally offering food in a variety of ways to see if he'd go for it.
- All I know is that, while he hasn't been eating, he still moves around daily - I also can't tell if he's getting thinner (but I know I should be wary of his spine becoming visible as that's indicative of a very low weight, unhealthy snake), and like I said, I'm not sure if my mind is playing tricks on me or if he's actually losing weight. While I take his movement as a good sign, there's also the fact that whenever I open the cage he tries to creep over the edge - here I'm not sure if it's because he's just curious or unhappy with his enclosure.
- However, he also moves between the cool and warm hide so I hope that means he's comfortable with the temperatures (around 32°C on one side and 23°C on the other).
- When he is moving, he's flicking his tongue in search for food (or so I think) and yet he only smells or even shows complete disinterest in the food I offer him.
To be completely honest, the 3 week gap of no food (and overall eating with 2 week intervals as a young snake) is really worrying me. It's gotten to the point that sometimes he would rest in an awkward position and I have a moment of freaking out because I think he has died.
- I often see him drinking but he has never submerged himself in the water (as far as I'm aware), and I change the water as often as every second day, or at the latest, once every 4 days.
- I also want to mention the fact that he's been rubbing his face on various surfaces including the floor (is this a shedding thing or a problem, because he's been doing this since I brought him but increasingly more now?).
Please help because I'm really worried that he's losing weight, becoming unhealthy, or worse, on the verge of death.
I HAVE ATTACHED SOME IMAGES OF HIM AND THE ENCLOSURE
The snake is a juvenile spotted python. Very docile. Probably anywhere between 3-5 months old. Approximately 35cm.
Enclosure: the only thing I have recently changed has been adding wood-chips behind the cool hide, in the corner (taking up less than 1/10th of the space), as I thought it would perhaps be beneficial for shedding or otherwise? (Don't know if that assumption was far-fetched or ridiculous).
I'm told that 3 weeks without food for only a few-months-old spotted isn't something to get overly worried about; even with that said, what about shedding? He hasn't shed in the two months I have had him and I don't know the date of his last shed before that. I understand that shedding only occurs with growth and that if he hasn't been eating he's obviously not been growing, but I still don't know why he would go hungry for so long when I've been occasionally offering food in a variety of ways to see if he'd go for it.
- All I know is that, while he hasn't been eating, he still moves around daily - I also can't tell if he's getting thinner (but I know I should be wary of his spine becoming visible as that's indicative of a very low weight, unhealthy snake), and like I said, I'm not sure if my mind is playing tricks on me or if he's actually losing weight. While I take his movement as a good sign, there's also the fact that whenever I open the cage he tries to creep over the edge - here I'm not sure if it's because he's just curious or unhappy with his enclosure.
- However, he also moves between the cool and warm hide so I hope that means he's comfortable with the temperatures (around 32°C on one side and 23°C on the other).
- When he is moving, he's flicking his tongue in search for food (or so I think) and yet he only smells or even shows complete disinterest in the food I offer him.
To be completely honest, the 3 week gap of no food (and overall eating with 2 week intervals as a young snake) is really worrying me. It's gotten to the point that sometimes he would rest in an awkward position and I have a moment of freaking out because I think he has died.
- I often see him drinking but he has never submerged himself in the water (as far as I'm aware), and I change the water as often as every second day, or at the latest, once every 4 days.
- I also want to mention the fact that he's been rubbing his face on various surfaces including the floor (is this a shedding thing or a problem, because he's been doing this since I brought him but increasingly more now?).
Please help because I'm really worried that he's losing weight, becoming unhealthy, or worse, on the verge of death.
I HAVE ATTACHED SOME IMAGES OF HIM AND THE ENCLOSURE
