Stimsons Not Defecating or Eating.

[Foxthor]

I got my Adult Stimsons on the 5th of April this month, It fed on 1 Adult Mouse on the 7th, I have offered it food every week there after. It has not Defecated or Accepted food since. I know they go off food a bit when the cold weather comes through but its been 3 weeks and it hasnt even passed it first meal through. Should i be worried? I dont think its going to shed, the skin is a little dull but the eyes are clear.

 

[saximus]

What are your temps like? What substrate are you using?

 

[Foxthor]

Temps are all good i think. 32 on the hot side, 26 on the cool side, dropping to 22 at night. I use Kritters Crumble, Coco Husk, But i feed the snake outside the cage in a box.

 

[Ramsayi]

dropping to 22 at night.

This could be the problem

 

[AshMan]

It may well just be getting ready to shed. It can take some time, it may shed in the next couple of weeks and then leave a poo behind in the skin. How was the person who had him before keeping him? My jungle never recieved any heating until i bought her and it has lead to her having a very slow metabolism.

Ash.

 

[Foxthor]

Ok, Ambient Temps not meant to reach that? The cage has a mesh top. So its hard to keep the heat in on the cool end. Any Ideas? and what can it drop to at the coolest point of the night?

It may well just be getting ready to shed. It can take some time, it may shed in the next couple of weeks and then leave a poo behind in the skin. How was the person who had him before keeping him? My jungle never recieved any heating until i bought her and it has lead to her having a very slow metabolism.

Ash.

I bought her from a good pet store.

 

[saximus]

It's not necessarily a bad thing that it's dropping that low. It just means that the snake will switch itself off until it warms up again. If you don't want to cool it then maybe try covering the mesh with something. Even a thick towel might be enough

 

[Defective]

try giving it a warm bath and see if that makies it all loosey goosey

 

[AshMan]

I bought her from a good pet store.

Cool, just a thought. I dont really know then, sorry mate.

Ash.

 

[gillsy]

Another poo'ing thread! Do people actually use the search function!

It will when it's ready, and will feed again when it's ready if your temps are fine don't worry.

 

[Darwin-Girl88]

yeah ive been told that if u give them a bath it will help them poo, my brother had to do that once with his adult Darwin and it worked a treat good luck

 

[saximus]

lol who doesn't enjoy a new poop thread Gillsy

 

[Bluetongue1]

Another poo'ing thread! Do people actually use the search function!

It will when it's ready, and will feed again when it's ready if your temps are fine don't worry.

I beg to differ. With all due respect, allowing a snake suffering from constipation to “poo when its ready” can have lead to real problems. For example:
1) Passing of dry, hard stools can result in a prolapsed cloaca;
2) Unpassed faecal matter may block the passage of further faeces, resulting in impacted faeces. This can require surgical removal.
3) The flora of the gut have the opportunity to multiply significantly and can reach numbers where their normal by-products reach toxic levels even resulting in septicaemia.

Whilst these may not happen, it is my opinion that it is not worth taking the risk.

Blue

You should be able to feel the faeces as a hard lump in the large intestine close to the vent. Try to get the snake to take in as much water as you can.

A tepid bath (just warm to the touch) and try to hold the tail up so the vent opens and allows water into the cloaca and rectum to soften the hard stools. After about 15 mins try a very gentle massage of the rectal area – basically just applying gentle pressure around the girth and pushing backwards, two or three times. No luck, continue with holding tail up and try again in 15 mins. Bath for 1 hour then handle snake for 15 mins or so, allowing it to run through your hands. Try a couple of baths a day for two days. If nothing happens, I’d take it to the vet, as it may well have something more sinister causing the blockage.

Blue

 

[wranga]

Ok, Ambient Temps not meant to reach that? The cage has a mesh top. So its hard to keep the heat in on the cool end. Any Ideas? and what can it drop to at the coolest point of the night?

cover the mesh top fully or in part will keep more heat in the enclosure

 

[beeman]

This is where people need to actually learn about the snake they keep and all the intricacys with each breed.

Understanding your snakes this way is called good husbandry!

It is very common for the Antaresia family to stop eating as soon as they sense a change in the seasons/atmospheric conditions.
Once this happens its not likely you will start the snake eating again untill the spring season comes.

As far as defacation of the last meal it can take up to 3-4 weeks if there is a temp drop and the snakes system has started to slow.