Weight loss

[TxScarlet15]

So my kingsnake Scarlet Rose is still refusing to eat, her last meal was June 31st. She has had no interest in f/t so I finally wrangled up the guts and split the skull on the last mouse I thawed out for her. I made sure that some juices were coming out and the nose was bleeding everywhere, she was very interested and acted like she was going to take it but never struck. After a few minutes she completely lost interest. This was on the 6th of this month. She shed the day before, is still pooping, active and in general seems normal, except that when I weighed her today she was 22 grams less than when I weighed her on 7/12. I also noticed that she seems a little sunk in and has slight wrinkling on her side. I'm really frustrated and worried at this point and I don't know what to try next. Last year she went off eating from about May to Septemberish if I remember correctly but not once did she have such a drastic and noticeable weight change. I shamefully admit that I haven't been keeping track of her weight until this year but she has weighed the same from March up to July. Should I be worried that she lost that amount in a month's time?

[DDW]

Are you completely sure husbandry is right? This long off food doesn't sound normal and the weight sounds like a bad deal:/ it might be time to consider going to the vet, trying live, or perhaps force feeding. I don't know much on this subject and hope some more experienced keepers have some input here. Good luck with her. I hope she starts eating again soon.

[Tiny Boidae]

A trick you can try to get her to eat is, splitting the skull like you suggested, and then pushing the snout of the pinky against the snout of the snake and keeping it there. My sand boas were usually pretty tricky to get to eat their first meal with me, and nothing worked with them. Not splitting the skull, not scenting it, not leaving it overnight in a delicup with them. It was so simple that I missed it, but they eventually will, reluctantly, take it if you press the snouts together.

I'm concerned with why the animal isn't feeding. How many hides do you have? How often do you hold her (it's not a good idea to hold her at all when she's fasting btw)? Have you gotten a fecal float on her, parasites can contribute to weight loss? It'd be nice if you could tell us the species, what size enclosure she's in, and give us a pic of her enclosure.

[EL Ziggy]

I don't think you have anything to worry about yet TX. Make sure your husbandry is on point of course but my king is doing the same thing. He hasn't eaten in 7-8 weeks either. Looking back over my records I'm starting to see a pattern. He eats in the fall and spring and he fasts in the summer and winter. He's lost a little more weight this time than he did last year. He's gone from 640 to 570g. Which is fine for age. He'll be 3 next month. He looks a little thin to me but he's active and drinking water intermittently. I just keep offering food every 7-10 days. If he hits the 3 month mark I'll offer a live feeder. Last year it took 2 live feeds and he was back on f/t. I'm learning not to worry about him like I used to but it's still frustrating when they're not eating, especially because they're so voracious when they are. I say just wait em out.

[Jim Smith]

At this point, I would try feeding live pinkies or fuzzies. Whichever size prey you were feeding her, drop down one size and feed live. Sometimes, it takes a live feeding to get them back into the feeding mode. Good luck and keep us posted.

[TxScarlet15]

Temps are 75-76 on the cool end and typically 85 on the warm end with a spike up to 88-89 from about 1-3pm, I turn the lamp off during this time, humidity is 20-30%. For hides she has a box on the cool end, a log hide on the warm end and two pothos plants, she's in a 36"x18". As far as handling I might take her out 1-2 times a week, maybe 3 times depending on how she's eating, but being that she hasn't eaten in a while I've been leaving her alone for the most part and taking her out briefly maybe every two weeks to check her overall condition. I think in a few days I'm going to try another brained mouse and see if I can make it a little more enticing, if that doesn't work I guess I'll have to try live.

[DDW]

Hmm, nothing seems to jump out at me. Somebody might just be being stubburn;) good luck getting her to eat. Also, how often are you offering these refused meals?

[TxScarlet15]

Hmm, nothing seems to jump out at me. Somebody might just be being stubburn;) good luck getting her to eat. Also, how often are you offering these refused meals?
Every 7-8 days, although when she is actually eating regularly I feed her about every 10 days.

[DDW]

Every 7-8 days, although when she is actually eating regularly I feed her about every 10 days.

Okay, I was just being sure it wasn't every few days (just eliminating possibilities)

[TxScarlet15]

Success! Tried another brained f/t today and was extra persistent as well as trying the snout to snout thing and after several minutes she decided she'd taste it a little. Down the hatch it went! I'm so happy and relieved, now hopefully she'll get back onto regular feedings for the rest of the year.

[DDW]

Congrats, I'm glad to hear this. Good luck keeping her eating :)

[TxScarlet15]

I think Scarlet is finally back on track! Haven't taken her out yet to get a weight or anything, probably will do that within the next couple days, but I got her to take another meal yesterday :D! Brained of course.... apparently she prefers it that way. She still doesn't have nearly the amount of feeding response that a lot of kings do (like my MBK who is a monster during feeding time lol), but at least she's eating. Though I have to be honest with myself, a year ago I wouldn't have even imagined being able to split open rodent skulls. Is it a good or bad thing that I'm able to do that :hmm: Granted it makes me want to puke when I do but I digress, she's eating again that makes me quite happy!

[DDW]

YAY! Congrats, im glad she is doing well. ^.=.^