Here we go again...

[Nicky]

Well Bob has been beeing good for ahwile eating every week until he stopped again for a month and a bit, despite what I tried he just wouldn;t eat. Anyways today I bought him a live fuzzy mouse just out of desperation and he gobbled it down immidately. The second he got to the head ( He likes eating them backwards:S) he just stopped and regurgitated the body:confused: I really don;t know what to do with him he's just so random when it comes to eating I keep him in very clean conditions and he has no mites. I'm begging to think it might be a internal parasite or diese though he's feces appear normal, do you think its something I should get checked out with a vet or simply a very stubborn hoggie?

To give some background info he's just turning one this month and is around 5-7inchs he's very skinny maybe only a cm at the thickest part, very un- hoggy like and was from bought from a pet store and had been force feed his whole life while he was at the pet store ( 3 months) When I brought hime home at first he switched over really well to dead then he started going on and off sometimes accepting dead sometimes only live and so on.

[sapphire_moon]

he's a year old and only 5-7 inches! WOW.

my yearling/year and half old hoggie is about 16-17 inches long, and about 1 inch in thickness!

Where do you get your mice? Maybe he has a problem with them? (I started breeding mice again and he refused to eat them until about 1 month after the mice had been in my care, such a brat.


If he is *THAT* skinny maybe he should go to a vet? Especially since no one can really give medical advice when they can't see the snake in person :(

[Nicky]

Ya I know he's ridiculously small, I honestly have no idea why I bought him when I knew he was being force feed, he just had such a personality I guess I wanted to give him a second chance but I don't think I'm doing a great job at it. I buy mice from port credit pets sometimes and other times just pet shops closer to me.
I'll go book him an apoitment as soon as possible. I just don;t know what it could be though as I kepe him in very sanitary conditions and clean and replace his bedding often,temps are all right. I'll update you on what the vet said later next week when I go.
THanks for your advice
Kayla

[snakehunter]

TRY THIS: take his water away for a while (week or two) then offer a sopping wet pinky, mine will start to drink off of it and then just attack it and gobble it down.

I have also noticed that both my hogs will eat regularly for a month or so, then just all of a sudden stop, then pick right back up about 2-3 weeks later, its weird, but I have them pretty much pegged, and I am not worried anymore.

As for size, my fem is about 1.25-1.5 yrs old and pushing 20in, my male from the same clutch is about 12/15.

[sapphire_moon]

So any new info on bob?

[Nicky]

Not much to report, I've decided to try one more feeding attempt this friday with some help from a friend and if it fails than off to the vet we go. I hope it dosen't have to come that though.
Thanks for all the advice
Kayla

[sapphire_moon]

and (sorry for asking so often) how is he now?

[Nicky]

sorry haven;t checked the forums lately, last week I almost got him to eat a fuzzy I bought from PCPC he struck at it a few time and then left it:S,I can;t explain the fusteration of being so close and now pretty much back where I started, bringing him to friend who has helped me out in the past and in my opinion is a very knowladgable person and will get him force feed thier.
Out of curiosity do you think he will live? Knowing how small he is and how he hasn't eaten since the last expo?I can't imagine losing him, he's one of my favs as far as personlity wise. I will get some pics tommorow sorry for my slowness to respond been bussy lately
Kayla

[sapphire_moon]

I don't know when the last expo was. But as long as he is keeping hydrated, then I think he will be fine. But I'm not a vet, so I can't gurantee anything.

I do know what you mean, mine hadn't ate for like 1 month, then I get him to eat 3 times!!! I even got him to eat a P/K!!!!! then I try again, he sniffs it, "hovers" over it, then leaves. ????? Don't know what to say. lol Maybe it just wasn't his color preference. lol (it was like brown or something)

[Nicky]

lol yes hoggies are truley bizzar animals, especially when it comes to eating. lets see the last expo would of been on nov 21st, so wow it really hasn't been that long, it just feels like forever when you keep trying every week without sucess.
Glad to know I'm not the only one with a hoggy who has no concept of pigging out lol.
Thanks
Kayla:)

[Nicky]

I finally got some pics uploaded, what do you think does he look like he still might have a chance?

This is a normal 6'' pen
http://www.ssnakess.com/photopost/data/509/169bob_streched_out_next_to_pen_500_.jpg

and my last feeding attempt which as you can see failed ( had to lighten the pic a bit because it was too dark to see well before)..

http://www.ssnakess.com/photopost/data/509/169bob_in_rubbermaid_with_fuzzy.jpg

A little update due to the extremely cold weather today ( -35 around here BRRRRRRR) can't get out to my friends till tommorow but I though I might as well post these pics first just to see if you guys think its bad enough to the point where I should be considering force feeding or should I hold off and keep trying?
Thank you so much for all the help
Kayla

[sapphire_moon]

well I can't tell how small he is perosnally (other than length wise)
but if you think that he needs to be force fed, then maybe you should get him to a vet?

Also try a pink/hobber in tuna juice. I've heard this works. lol

[snakehunter]

Have you tried scenting with a house gecko or anole? In the wild these guys are lizard eaters and this is supposed to help alot. I have also heard from many sources that they will also eat rosie reds and gold fish, give em a try it cant hurt.