Losing Appetite?

[zeussnake]

A few weeks ago my corn snake became more active all of a sudden. That weekend when I went to feed him he only ate 2 mice instead of his usual 3. The next week he only ate 1, then none for the two weeks after that. He looks healthy and I'm starting to get worried. He was born in September 2009 (2 years and 7 months old).

[infernalis]

http://www.thamfriends.com/mat.jpg

[infernalis]

That's not unusual, it's also spring time when breeding is on the snakes mind, some will stop eating anything at all for a month or two.

[zeussnake]

Thanks, knowing that makes me feel much better.

[Shmoges]

Have you noticed at all if it refuses food when in shed? If it is in shed that could be a reason too. I noticed you said you feed it 3 mice, have you considered rats? I just switched to f/t weaned rats from live, I have been told rats have more nutritional value and compared to large mice less fat as well. One of my corns at a small rat (larger than weaned) today that my finicky BP wouldn't.

[zeussnake]

He does usually eat a bit less when shedding (2 instead of 3) but his colours fade quite drastically before hand, and it never lasts this long. I had thought about buying him rats but at the store near my house they cost $1.50 more each, and being a student I can't really afford the extra. He's also not even eating full grown mice, there is one size bigger before I have to feed him rats.

[Lankyrob]

Rats arent necessarily good for corns - they can stick with mice for life and be happy and healthy as long as the feeding gets spaced out as they reach maturity to avoid fat. If he is taking three mice in a feed tho i would bump him up a size on the mice. My adult is just over 4 foot and takes XL mice every 14 days.

[TeaNinja]

how many mice does he eat at once rob?

[Lankyrob]

My guy just has the one XL mouse - it maintains his weight (he was al little porky when i "rescued" him) - corns are prone to getting podgy once they are near full size. They get fat deposits that feel like ball bearings under their skin starting at the cloaca and spreading forwards - at first i thought they could be something nasty but vet says its just fat. In a year since we got him he has lost nearly all of them.

[TeaNinja]

O.o very interesting, i didn't know that.

[Lankyrob]

In the past i tried taking pics but the deposits dont show - very noticable to feel tho.

[emilie]

wow good to know! thanks rob!