stimson help

[montyr6]

hey guys just after some advice on my 18 month old female stimy.

she hasnt eaten in 8 weeks. she went from smashing an adult mouse a week to nothing. It started when i put a male (same age and size) in with her. just wondering if this could be bothering her or if its just coincidental to the cold season?

the last week or so she has stopped basking under the lamp and chooses the hide rock down the cold end of the tank over the two hide rocks over the heat mat...???

i have been told not too worry as she will probably start eating again in spring??

thanks guys.

 

[Elapidae1]

As long as she is in good condition very normal for this time of year

 

[hnn17]

stressed and not basking, maybe get the male out, are you breeding them ?

 

[No-two]

I don't think it's stressed because it's not basking, snakes like to be cold sometimes. I have a male stimmie that hasn't eaten in over 18months. Normal behaviour for stimmies.

 

[montyr6]

shes still looking good steve, maybe a bit thinner than she was. she hasnt shed in 8 weeks either?
no not breeding them, they are only 18 months.

 

[hnn17]

alright, as you say it could be the male bothering her or it could be winter, can't do anything about winter so maybe get the male out and see if she start eating again.

 

[Elapidae1]

My male hasn't basked for 5-6 weeks and I haven't seen him out of his hide, he hasn't eaten for about 10 weeks and even then he only ate the once and then not for 8 weeks before that. My female that is housed permanently with the male hasn't eaten for about 10 weeks either, they will shed less as they get older. There are risks associated with housing snakes together I suggest you do a search of existing threads and then decide if you wish to continue housing them together.

Hnn17 makes a good point at least this way you can rule stress out if your still worried.

 

[montyr6]

yeh i spent alot of time looking into keeping them together, had a talk to the guys at reptile traders in rocko and came to the conclusion that it will be ok. i always take them outta the enclosure to feed, clean the tank alot etc etc and they seem to get along fine!
i might seperate them for a bit and see how they go. thanks again for the advice guys, big help!

 

[Elapidae1]

Gday I'm from Rocko also, so our stimmies are experiencing the same weather.

 

[beeman]

shes still looking good steve, maybe a bit thinner than she was. she hasnt shed in 8 weeks either?
no not breeding them, they are only 18 months.

They are more than able to reproduce at 18mo, so i would suggest that you seperate
them>