Stubborn feeder?

[Raina]

I have a 3 year old spotted python that hasn't eaten since May (he ate the week before I brought him home). I understand the whole "winter fast" thing, but how long is too long?
About a month ago I offered him a rat. No luck. The following week I offered him a rat scented with a day old chick. He seemed interested and struck at the rat, only to drop and ignore it. Last week I offered him a decapitated day old chick. He began behaving strangely, rubbing his face on all the surfaces of his enclosure, drinking water, yawning and exploring the chick, before repeating the performance. After half an hour I left the room and returned the following morning to dispose of the uneaten chick. I'm sick of wasting food, and I'm out of ideas. Also, should I be concerned that he hasn't shed since I've had him? Please help!


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[mysnakesau]

All you can do is keep trying. It's still too early to be able to decide on diagnosing a health problem. The snakes I've had cooling, none have started eating yet. The boys have got other things on their mind at the moment. I know it is costly, wasting food like that. Perhaps only try every two or three weeks rather than weekly. He will start, eventually. That's where it is handy having more than one snake. If one says no, I've got another who say yes please.

 

[akuji]

Hi Raina

I had a male Jungle go 7 months without eating so just hang in there, I waited until I seen him actively exploring as well as sitting in the what I call usual hunt mode and he has eaten like a champ. I do not claim to be perfect but it worked for me

 

[FAY]

What was it eating before you brought it home?

 

[Kimberlyann]

That's where it is handy having more than one snake. If one says no, I've got another who say yes please.

So true, my baby olive hasnt been eating lately so my diamond gets everything

 

[Raina]

He still goes into hunt mode, lying on his basking ledge with his head hanging over the side. When I first got him I was concerned about an audible wheezing noise but I ruled out respiratory issues with xrays and an oral examination. I'm just frustrated I guess... Little bugger


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What was it eating before you brought it home?

He was eating fuzzy rats, which is what I've been offering him.


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[FAY]

Oh OK.
I have a stimmi that is a real funny eater. Would not eat fresh killed mice, but liked fuzzy rats. I offered it a thawed out frozen mouse and it dived on it. So, you really need to try a few things. I feel scenting the rat/mouse with a chicken is going to make it go backwards. JMO

 

[Raina]

I did offer him a mouse once. I don't know how he did it but I returned later to find it had exploded... Very messy


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[Riggsy]

You don't have to worry about adult snakes not eating for a while. Especially in the southern states over winter and cooler months of spring. Being an adult it should have enough body weight to last even up to a year. My spotteds have gone off food at different times during the cold months. You can try keeping the warm end of enclosure around 34-35 degrees and trying mice instead of rats but wait a few more weeks or even couple of months until the weather warms up. One of my spotteds went off food for four months while the other kept eating. Also have a adult male Coastal Carpet that went 8 months without a feed. Good Luck!

 

[ozziepythons]

Just try to feed it without intimidation tactics, dangling previous favourite food items infront of it or leaving overnight in its cage. A feeder can become a non-feeder and learn to flee if you push the point. You want to keep it interested in food not scare the heck out of it (not saying at all that you did!). Yes it can be a waste but this is snake husbandry they can just go off food, it happens to all of us occasionally.

 

[Raina]

Any advice on his lack-of shedding? Thanks for all your replies, I really appreciate the help
-R


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[rash]

one of my womas stoped eating for months and got it into a frenzy with a mouse.......then it took 2 rats straight after.
also, a carpet i had stoped eating for quite some time. tried mice and quail but when i offered him a chicken neck, he went crazy! took about 6 or 7 necks in a row and then took to rats on the next feed like he never went off them. good thing is chicken necks are about $3 a kilo. always have some in the freezer.

 

[snakelady96]

A most common cause of snakes not eating is because they do not like something in their enclosure or something is missing, try to really make the enclosure feel like home for him, use a heat mat, fake grass, artificial plants, natural water bowl, maybe a vine to climb, hides, a log. Try things like that and give it a day or 2 then try feed him again Good luck!

 

[Raina]

I don't mean to sound disrespectful, I do value everyone's advice, but is it wise to change-up the interior of the enclosure? Will that not create more stress?
His enclosure is set up with textbook heat gradient, he had two hides, but prefers one in particular, he has a basking ledge under the heat lamp... I did have a synthetic plant in there but he kept pulling it off the glass...
I work full-time as a veterinary nurse and sometimes after a shocker of a day I wish I could come home to "normal" pets, instead of an epileptic beagle and a fussy python...


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[Eddie2257]

try him on a small quail? worked for me.

 

[Riggsy]

I wouldn't change the enclosure. Sounds like it's ok. I bet it's just the time of year and due to temps. Don't worry at all and try refeeding when it warms up. Also be careful changing from rodents to birds because once they get the taste for birds then they can get really fussy. Generally rodents are cheaper.

 

[Darlyn]

A most common cause of snakes not eating is because they do not like something in their enclosure or something is missing, Good luck!

Really? That's interesting.
What about snakes who live in click clacks?
How does that work or are they more prone to it?