snake not eating; should I be concerned?

[airman_miller]

hey guys I ended up getting a kinsnake, and after a particularly rough time with shipping, it finally arrived monday. I waited until yesterday when i saw it prowling the cage at night to attempt to feed the snake, but it would not eat. I even brained it! The snake seemed interested(rapid flicking of the tongue),but nothing. I am trying again tonight with the cage covered. According to the person I purchased it from the snake has ate a total of 3 times, each including a f/t pinkie. If the snake was fed the day before it was shipped (i doubt it), it would be a week and a half since the last meal.

so should i be concerned or if it doesn't eat what is in there tonight just leave it alone for a week?

[stephanbakir]

Snakes can go over a year without eating if they need to.

[SSSSnakes]

Leave it alone for at least a week before you try to feed it. If it does not eat do not try to feed it every day or you will stress it out. Try feeding it every week and no sooner.

[UwabamiReptiles]

SSSnakeS said it perfectly, when a snake is shipped it puts them through a lot of stress. Then on top of that they are put into a new environment so it usually takes time for them to get comfortable with everything. Even if they refuse food you really should wait a week before the next feeding attempt. Just make sure you have the right temps, humidity, etc. and once you get him to eat, he won't ever look back. Kingsnakes are great feeders, just be patient. Keep us posted.

[airman_miller]

i know i shouldn't be concerned, but I let myself get that way. lol I will wait the week and report back with what happens.

[airman_miller]

well tried to feed him tonight and no go. looked at it and left.

[NennaMeerkat]

Has it been a week since you tried to feed last? Are the temperatures correct? Where is the snake's home located? Some snakes get stressed easy and thus if in a busy part of the house with a lot of "traffic" could keep it in a stressed state. How are you attempting to feed? If it has been a week since you last tried to feed have you left the snake completely alone other than scooping poop or refilling the water bowl?

[airman_miller]

Ok I left the pinkie in the cage, snake hasn't came back out yet. it has been a week since i last attempted feeding. I will just describe my current setup and if you see anything wrong let me know.

*aspen bedding
*5 hides (3 on cool side, 2 on warm side)
*75 gallon tank
*only enter tank for water refilling.
*uth and ceramic heater on warm side. ceramic gets air temps to 86 with relative humidity around 40-50%. uth is on thermostat set to 85.
*cool side around 80 (normal house temp in summer)

here is my biggest concern with the setup:
*in the lowest-traffic area we have that can be maintained temperature wise(anywhere else and the room would be too hot or too cold during different seasons due to lack of central heating/air in those rooms. winter would not be a problem, just summer). 2 people pass by no more than 50 times a day. guests do not even come close to the tank.


and as for the snake:
*mex-mex kingsnake
*the snake is small; barely over a foot, if that (haven't measured, only estimation)
*wanders around tank every night starting around 8-10pm.
*have seen on multiple occasions drinking water
*normally stays on one side for most of the day. will move on occasion, but normally no more than once or twice
*first stayed completely hidden until night, now will stay out in open resting.
*does not seem aggressive, more passive
*does not run away when passing by tank. seems oblivious to outside activity.
*fairly active at night, not lethargic.

hope this helps. also, if there is anything else that could be helpful, let me know and I will provide with answer. I am really nervous about the whole thing, and would hate to get my first snake only to starve it to death.

also, if I had to get a live pinkie, where would I get it? there are no reptile stores nearby, only places like petsmart, petco, and petland. and this thing could only it a very small pinkie, nothing bigger than a couple days old.

[airman_miller]

Has it been a week since you tried to feed last? Are the temperatures correct? Where is the snake's home located? Some snakes get stressed easy and thus if in a busy part of the house with a lot of "traffic" could keep it in a stressed state. How are you attempting to feed? If it has been a week since you last tried to feed have you left the snake completely alone other than scooping poop or refilling the water bowl?


answered, in order:

1. yes it has been a week
2. I have had quite the difficult time finding the exact temps for this variety of snake. i have set the temperature/humidity for the average kingsnake, which just happens to be the same temperature/humidity for san louis potosi, the region the snake comes from in the wild.
3. snake is located in the lowest traffic area that can accommodate for its required humidity/temps. there are other rooms would be more secluded, but those rooms are also upper 80's lower 90's. in the winter they would be 60 or lower. I took alot of time to decide where to put this tank, and there honestly no other place to put this tank that would be a safe adjustable temperature.i should also note that I can only adjust the temps to make it warmer in those other rooms(uth, ceramic heater), not colder.
4. I have attempted feeding by braining, by leaving in the tank overnight, and lightly moving mouse in general vicinity of the snake. the snake will get close to the pinkie, but not strike; the snake will just move slowly and calmly away. hopefully by next week i will have a lizard to scent the mice with.
5. I do my best to stay clear of the tank, and also make the other person who passes it does the same. the ONLY time the tank is opened is for attempted feedings and changing water.

[lpbldg18]

a 75 gallon tank?! For a kingsnake? That's quite large

[SnakeyJay]

a 75 gallon tank?! For a kingsnake? That's quite large

This may be the problem... sometimes the space will freak a snake out, no matter the number of hides. Have you tried feeding with no lights on, or enough so that you can just see? I find this helps with nervous eaters. Good luck.

[marvelfreak]

With a snake that small and a cage that big i would set the snake in a plastic container (with air holes) then put the food in. Then just leave food and snake alone over night. (Never leave snake alone with live food.) Just be sure to set the container on or towards the warm side.

[jhiggy69]

it's starting to get tiresome ,hearing some people stating (confidently) that snakes can go a year .... in reality some cases its fine ( #1. your animal needs to be of good weight #2. needs to be in vary good health ) i dont thinks its healthy to feed only once a month (i here alot do this) let alone a YEAR!

[airman_miller]

This may be the problem... sometimes the space will freak a snake out, no matter the number of hides. Have you tried feeding with no lights on, or enough so that you can just see? I find this helps with nervous eaters. Good luck.

I always attempt to feed in the dark.

[airman_miller]

it's starting to get tiresome ,hearing some people stating (confidently) that snakes can go a year .... in reality some cases its fine ( #1. your animal needs to be of good weight #2. needs to be in vary good health ) i dont thinks its healthy to feed only once a month (i here alot do this) let alone a YEAR!

i simply played that length without food to larger snakes like ball pythons. i am checking the snakes weight when i feed to see if it is getting too thin.

[airman_miller]

a 75 gallon tank?! For a kingsnake? That's quite large

i have heard of those having a cage the same size with no issues, as long as the floorspace was kept down. the snake does not seem scared of the environment (moves around freely), just not interested in eating.

[airman_miller]

i intend to move the snake to another room, temps permitting. also, as for the cage size, about the only thing i could do is place him in a rubbermaid container i have, but the container would have to sit in the 75 gallon tank as i do not have another heating pad or thermostat.

[shaunyboy]

with nervous non eating carpet python hatchlings its common to down size the size of tank they are in to make them feel more secure

you could also try taping paper on the sides and back of the tank.allowing it to only see out the front of the tank.i have found this can make nervous eaters feel more secure

from what you have wrote i can see nothing wrong with your methods mate

so it may be feeling insecure in such a large space

i had a nervous feeding carpet hatchling not eat until it was 10- months old with no ill effect

i ended up keeping it in a 11" long x 6" wide x 5" high tub.i placed the tub in a wooden vivarium with a ceramic heat set up

this gave it good ambient air temperatures as opposed to just ground temperatures a heat mat would give

it also could be a case of its just taking a little longer than most to settle in

cheers shaun

[Lankyrob]

it's starting to get tiresome ,hearing some people stating (confidently) that snakes can go a year .... in reality some cases its fine ( #1. your animal needs to be of good weight #2. needs to be in vary good health ) i dont thinks its healthy to feed only once a month (i here alot do this) let alone a YEAR!


I dont think anyone is saying oyu should only attempt to feed once a month or once a year - jhust that it isnt a massive problem if the snake goes this long without taking food as long as it is maintaining its weight and drinking regularly.

[shaunyboy]

I dont think anyone is saying oyu should only attempt to feed once a month or once a year - jhust that it isnt a massive problem if the snake goes this long without taking food as long as it is maintaining its weight and drinking regularly.

^^^^^
i agree with robs statement


also it all depends on species as well

my diamonds only get fed 6 months of the year

a fat diamond is a dead diamond,so its in their interest to get their feeding requirements correct

cheers shaun

[airman_miller]

k well i went out today and:

* got a 10 gallon tank. put him in there and resetting the feeding clock for 9/3, so I will not attempt to feed till next saturday or sunday.

*I think i overdid it on the lid though, i got one that fits in the lip of the tank and locks, plus the regular screen lid with 8 screen clips. i don't want to loose him, so I wanted the extra security.

* It is also moved to another room. I did manage to get some airflow in there and the room seems roughly the same temp as the rest of the house now, give one or 2 degrees.

*new room has ZERO traffic; the only time the room will be entered is to care for the snake.

*the room has 2 windows in it, so I will let nature run my lighting system lol. i put the tank away from the windows so it will not cook the snake (room gets bright enough anyway.)

*I found it VERY difficult to get a hide on each side, but i managed.

*I bought a small uth (zoomed) and until it arrives i have a ceramic heater on a dimmer switch. also getting an IR thermometer to get a better reading of temps, I do not know if i trust these cheapo thermometers I have...

sound any better? I will post a picture tomorrow when it is sleeping so i don't scare it.

[NennaMeerkat]

That sounds MUCH better Airman. Eventually I am sure you will be able to put your snake in your bigger tank (though with a big empty tank I would see that as the perfect excuse to get another reptile LOL). Since you live in the US keep in mind that most ambient temperatures of your home (unless you like your house overly hot or overly cold) will be enough to keep your snake happy. I know for my western hognose I only have a UTH on one side of the tank for her and she rarely uses it at all. So don't stress to much about the temps. I think King Snakes are generally found in several different regions of the United States.

[airman_miller]

That sounds MUCH better Airman. Eventually I am sure you will be able to put your snake in your bigger tank (though with a big empty tank I would see that as the perfect excuse to get another reptile LOL). Since you live in the US keep in mind that most ambient temperatures of your home (unless you like your house overly hot or overly cold) will be enough to keep your snake happy. I know for my western hognose I only have a UTH on one side of the tank for her and she rarely uses it at all. So don't stress to much about the temps. I think King Snakes are generally found in several different regions of the United States.

i think for the time being (until i get used to taking care of a reptile) i will just leave that tank for decoration. i will try again when it outgrows the other tank, which i understand will be in about a year. you are right in a way though; i would hate to have an empty tank lol. a project i may endeavor in is separating that tank with dark glass or plastic and have 2 35ish gallon tanks. move the uth to the center so the hot spot is on opposite sides. just have to make sure i do that i can make absolutely sure i can keep the reptiles away from each other. depends on if my significant other wants one as well.

as for temps, my general goal for heating is keep it natural for the environment the snake comes from, which is should not be an issue. the house is 80 in summer, 65 (brrr) in winter, purely for economic reasons. my plan will be to set the ceramic heater in the winter to get the tank temp up to 80 where the uth creates the temp gradient. it is a 100W, so it should handle it no problem.

[marvelfreak]

Sounds like you got it set up perfect.

[airman_miller]

k i got a picture, figures though the time i go in there it is poking its head out of its hiding place lol.

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6088/6114561622_f9700b0e48_b.jpg

[marvelfreak]

Looks good to me. Now just give him a few days to settle in then try feeding him.

[lpbldg18]

Much better, snake will feel much more secure

[shaunyboy]

if you cover the outside of both the sides and back with paper it will make him feel more secure,as he will only see out the front of the tank

you could even cover some of the front reducing the size of the view for him

cheers shaun

[infernalis]

it's starting to get tiresome ,hearing some people stating (confidently) that snakes can go a year .... in reality some cases its fine ( #1. your animal needs to be of good weight #2. needs to be in vary good health ) i don't thinks its healthy to feed only once a month (i here alot do this) let alone a YEAR!

I don't honestly think annual feedings are remotely suggested, There was a case documented of a python that exceeded a year without eating.. Probably where the confusion comes from.

A colubrid like a king snake with it's fast metabolism would perish in a few months time, a baby colubrid would drop after about 6 - 8 weeks without food.

A tiny colubrid with ultra fast metabolism (Like a Dekayi or ring neck) would be skin and bones in just a couple weeks.

Personally, I would keep a baby king in a 10 gallon for it's first year to 18 months.

When I receive my shipments of baby Thamnophis every year, I try to feed every other day...

and to dispel one myth, I have personally had babies eat half an hour after the fed ex driver left.

[airman_miller]

so should i try again on friday? or wait till sunday?

[lady_bug87]

if the snake hasn't eaten have you tried to move them into a smaller container? I know a large amount of space seems like freedom but the need for space is a human characteristic that snakes don't particularly share especially since you may not know what their habitat was like before it was shipped not to mention the fact that it spent a bunch of time in a small dark space, change is intimidating

[airman_miller]

I don't honestly think annual feedings are remotely suggested, There was a case documented of a python that exceeded a year without eating.. Probably where the confusion comes from.

A colubrid like a king snake with it's fast metabolism would perish in a few months time, a baby colubrid would drop after about 6 - 8 weeks without food.

A tiny colubrid with ultra fast metabolism (Like a Dekayi or ring neck) would be skin and bones in just a couple weeks.

Personally, I would keep a baby king in a 10 gallon for it's first year to 18 months.

When I receive my shipments of baby Thamnophis every year, I try to feed every other day...

and to dispel one myth, I have personally had babies eat half an hour after the fed ex driver left.

so you are saying i should attempt to feed it sooner? i saw the snake yesterday and it looked healthy, pretty much like the day i got it(very round, no bones sticking out.) i had to rut around a little bit to put the thermostat under the bedding, i bet that spooked him :( i am just glad it isnt nippy at me for bothering it lol.

[infernalis]

so you are saying i should attempt to feed it sooner? i saw the snake yesterday and it looked healthy, pretty much like the day i got it(very round, no bones sticking out.) i had to rut around a little bit to put the thermostat under the bedding, i bet that spooked him :( i am just glad it isnt nippy at me for bothering it lol.

Don't pester the snake, but every evening for a little bit won't upset things too much.

What I find effective is to use a small poly box and place the snake in confined quarters with a fresh pinkie.

If the snake is nervous, place the closed poly box into the snakes enclosure and leave it...

This one should illustrate the size quite well, the box is 12 inches long and about 6 inches wide, roughly a small shoe box.

http://www.thamnophis.net/Gartersnakes/images/redside.jpg

[airman_miller]

questions:
*when i feed it again, i need to put it in a little container overnight, or a few hours?

*when you say "fresh" do you mean freshly killed or freshly thawed? i have 0 live pinkies nor any clue on how to get them.

*i don't normally "pester" it, only put the pinkie in the cage, move it (mouse) around a little bit, stuff like that. the snake looks like it starts to get interested, then just leaves it.

*also for clarification, how can you tell the difference between a nervous snake and a calm one?

*also, the snake to pinkie size ratio in your pic is different than mine. i bought the smallest pinkies they had, and they are about the same size around as it is, or slightly larger.

i see so much variance in opinion about how to feed this thing, it is almost becoming not worth the hassle. maybe i will just give up and give it back to the breeder.

[infernalis]

questions:
*when i feed it again, i need to put it in a little container overnight, or a few hours?

*when you say "fresh" do you mean freshly killed or freshly thawed? i have 0 live pinkies nor any clue on how to get them.

*i don't normally "pester" it, only put the pinkie in the cage, move it (mouse) around a little bit, stuff like that. the snake looks like it starts to get interested, then just leaves it.

*also for clarification, how can you tell the difference between a nervous snake and a calm one?

*also, the snake to pinkie size ratio in your pic is different than mine. i bought the smallest pinkies they had, and they are about the same size around as it is, or slightly larger.

i see so much variance in opinion about how to feed this thing, it is almost becoming not worth the hassle. maybe i will just give up and give it back to the breeder.


1. Overnight seems to work with stubborn cases

2. fresh thawed

3. Sorry if you mistook me, Never meant to imply you pester your snake, just a word... and one never knows, have met folks with the best intent who handled their snakes 5 times a day. ;)

4. Symptoms of a stressed snake - Always stays hidden, like ridiculous long periods of time, You should see some exploring, drinking, etc....

Pacing all day - if the snake is scooting back and forth, behaving like there is a monster in the cage with it...

4B - A calm snake - will behave like it's comfortable... you will see basking, drinking, exploring and hiding all mixed together in the same day.

Sometimes simple things we don't really think about can stress out a snake, cages near places where there is activity.. people walking by, cats, dogs, etc.. can cause snakes to feel uneasy.

Don't give up so soon, plenty of time to sort this out.... once a snake starts eating it's all downhill from there.

I specialize in non feeding snakes, every year breeders send me snakes that refuse to eat.. so please feel free to ask anything you need.

Opinions and technique vary, just follow along with an open mind approach, and the best answers will present themselves.

[airman_miller]

I apologize for that last post, I have just been getting really upset about the whole thing. I just don't want to see the thing die, and it is so frustrating to know it was eating regularly before I got it. I decided to try the container feeding thing last night. I found a mouse that apparently broke in half, thawed it out, and put it in the small container. didn't want it.

I wasn't nearly as agitated as I presented myself with the pester thing, I more wanted to know if the little I was doing was enough to qualify as pestering lol.

I guess point 4 would be the most concern to me. the snake just sits out in the open, all day. technically it is semi-hidden(between 2 things), but it is easily seen. In the smaller enclosure, I haven't really seen it move around the tank much (well, to be fair, I don't go in there enough to know, it could move.) In the large tank on occasion I would see it wander over to go get some water, or just some random spot to hide. We have a cat, and it was the biggest concern for me. luckily the room change removed that issue.
I think the biggest problems with varying techniques is I can't afford them lol.

topic change: Where would one look for live pinkies? I wouldn't think large pet chains would have them(petsmart, etc) but there are no specialized reptile sellers/stores around me.

[lady_bug87]

hang in there, have you tried feeding at different times? I dont know anything about that particular species but my GTP will only eat at night or when the room is semi dark

[airman_miller]

hang in there, have you tried feeding at different times? I dont know anything about that particular species but my GTP will only eat at night or when the room is semi dark

i mostly try as late in the evening as i can, but I have attempted a feeding in the day; it normally doesn't wander much at all during the daytime, only around 8-10 pm.

[Gungirl]

One thing that tends to work with picky eaters is to cut slits into the prey Item then heat really hot. Anything to help get the scent out is worth a shot. When my Bp goes off feed for a while I offer him a headless rat and he goes right back into feeding.

[marvelfreak]

topic change: Where would one look for live pinkies? I wouldn't think large pet chains would have them(petsmart, etc) but there are no specialized reptile sellers/stores around me.
You could always try something like craigslist and try to find a breeder near you. An don't worry so much once your snake gets hungery enough it will eat.

[airman_miller]

One thing that tends to work with picky eaters is to cut slits into the prey Item then heat really hot. Anything to help get the scent out is worth a shot. When my Bp goes off feed for a while I offer him a headless rat and he goes right back into feeding.

the last feeding attempt was with a mouse that had broken in half. the one before that was a pinkie that had been brained and cut open along its skull. how hot would you say is good? does upper 90's sound good? i wouldn't want to get it too hot.

[Gungirl]

My Bp won't eat unless its 98 or higher.. he has shot down a rat that was at 97 checked with a temp gun, I ran it under hot water again and used my temp gun to check it and it was at 99 and he ate it right away.

[airman_miller]

My Bp won't eat unless its 98 or higher.. he has shot down a rat that was at 97 checked with a temp gun, I ran it under hot water again and used my temp gun to check it and it was at 99 and he ate it right away.

so would 105 be too hot? next feed I will try 100, it probably cools down a degree or 2 from where I heat it to the cage.

got the rest of my supplies the other day. this temp gun i got is awesome, and already paid for itself, it is just too useful!

I do have a question about hygrometers though. what do you guys think of this one in terms of accuracy?

Amazon.com: Exo Terra Digital Hygrometer with Probe: Pet Supplies (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00101KWYW)

it is an exo terra, and has high marks. one concern, however, is how much off it is compared to my analog hygrometer. my analog says 40-50%, and this thing says 25%!!!!I immediately sprayed the tank, but it seemed like it would take alot of water to get up to 45%. I didn't want to soak the substrate, as I read that can cause skin issues. the only other devices humidity wise i have is a de-humidifier, which is set to 65%, and a indoor/outdoor thermometer/hygrometer combo, which i know the sensor for the outdoor thermometer is off by 2 degrees, so I do not know if i trust its indoor reading of 40%. i tested the de-humidifier by turning it down until it kicked on, and it turned on when I lowered it from 40 to 35(I turned it back to 65 when I was done testing.) I know 25 is WAY too low for a snake, so I need to know which I should trust, as to follow one is to completely ignore the others.

[marvelfreak]

I use these. Walmart.com: Acurite Digital Humidity and Temperature Monitor: Patio Decor (http://www.walmart.com/ip/Accurite-Digital-Thermometer-with-Humidity-Monitor/16888914)
You can get them at Wal-Mart for around $10.00. I have one in each cage. Tells temp and humidity they also have them with probes. The one you link looks pretty good.

[lady_bug87]

has it eaten yet?

[airman_miller]

has it eaten yet?
unfortunately no.

[lady_bug87]

yikes. Have you managed to find live feeders?

[airman_miller]

yikes. Have you managed to find live feeders?

i looked on craigslist, but nothing even close to here. i will have to expand my search, but I think it would get mighty expensive at those distances.

general snake update: the snake is more active in the tank, not just sitting in the same spot all day! hopefully that is a good sign. it seems every time i go in there it is in a different location.

[airman_miller]

attempted again, had the mouse to 105 degrees(it got down to about 100 by the time it made it to the cage), brained it, wiggled it around a bit, then left it near the snake. it looked over for a minute and readjusted.guess we will see what happens by tomorrow.

[Gungirl]

Good luck , I hope he eats for you!

how long has it been since he last ate?

[airman_miller]

Good luck , I hope he eats for you!

how long has it been since he last ate?

it shipped around the 16th of august, so the latest it could have been fed would be 8/15. Could be longer, I haven't pinned an exact date. I will be contacting the seller again to get that info.

[lady_bug87]

it shipped around the 16th of august, so the latest it could have been fed would be 8/15. Could be longer, I haven't pinned an exact date. I will be contacting the seller again to get that info.

has it pooped since you've had it or since in its shipping container?

[airman_miller]

has it pooped since you've had it or since in its shipping container?
I have seen it urinate i believe(yellow/whitish fluid). the book I had said if the snake is not eating that was normal. I assumed I haven't seen poop because it hasn't ate. I did not look very closely at the shipping container.

[lady_bug87]

If the snake didn't poop after its last feed it could be having some digestion issues, if they don't poop they may not accept food.

I'm not sure if snakes are like lizards, but when my beardie was impacted we gave him warm baths to help relieve the constipation. I'm not sure if since you've seen it urinate if that makes a difference or not

[airman_miller]

general update: contacted breeder, he will be contacting local breeders he knows in my area and see if they have any live pinkies, to see if we can at least get him started. attempted a feed using a cup and a moist napkin. did not eat.

[airman_miller]

i decided what the hell and went to a non major chain pet store and asked if they had any live pinkies. they did, so I purchased one and attempted a feed. as soon as the box went in the cage the snake was racing over, but as soon as it saw what was inside it slowly lost interest. it wasn't constantly looking over the box so I assume the initial excitement was a new smell? anyway long story short, didn't eat it. going to wait about 5 days and try again. snake still looks healthy, and has been drinking its water.

the pet store gave me the number to a local reptile breeder, so I will be getting in touch with him during the week to see if he can think of anything that may be making him not eat, besides simply not wanting to.

[lady_bug87]

keep at it

[Aaron_S]

I read through all this and I found the problem from the get go. You bought a snake that has only eaten three times! To me that's not consistent enough to sell a snake, let alone ship a snake! I know you're new at this so you didn't know but if you plan to buy another snake ever in the future try to find one that is more established.

I am kind of shocked that the snake didn't eat a live pinkie. I would attempt that again but without any box. Just drop it in and go away for the night.

[airman_miller]

I read through all this and I found the problem from the get go. You bought a snake that has only eaten three times! To me that's not consistent enough to sell a snake, let alone ship a snake! I know you're new at this so you didn't know but if you plan to buy another snake ever in the future try to find one that is more established.

I am kind of shocked that the snake didn't eat a live pinkie. I would attempt that again but without any box. Just drop it in and go away for the night.


i already told myself if this doesn't work out I will probably just save up the money again and get one that is at least around a year old and eating well on f/t. I was shocked as well with the live pinkie! so leaving it alone overnight with the pinkie is ok? I know I didn't explain well, but i tried without the box first, but when i put the box near the tank, the snake showed interest, but only for a moment.

[Nismo89]

Pinkie mice don't have teeth or nails yet so they can't harm your snake so yes it is okay to leave it overnight

[airman_miller]

Pinkie mice don't have teeth or nails yet so they can't harm your snake so yes it is okay to leave it overnight
i kindof did that last night, and figured it would be ok but left it in the box with the top open to be sure. tonight will be an all night, no box affair.

[airman_miller]

didn't eat. this is starting to get old.....attempting a f/t thursday or friday.

[lady_bug87]

damn stubborn thing

[airman_miller]

well up to today the snake has not eaten. this has been 3 MONTHS! took it to last month, talked to some breeders, all noting no reason for the snake not to be eating. decided to tell the breeder about the situation and to ask about getting part of my money back i gave to cover a mis-shipment he made, and he told me then that "i know it eats anoles, feed it one of those." :angry: ARE YOU KIDDING ME!?!?! went to the pet store, found a long-tail lizard. brought it home and fed it to the snake AND IT ATE IMMEDIATELY!!

I am beyond pissed, how can this breeder tell people a reptile eats mice, but then wait 3 MONTHS to tell them that it was eating lizards the whole time? The breeder made NO mention that it EVER ate lizards, adding to my frustration. I feel absolutely awful that I practically starved the poor snake and it just wanted a lizard....

overall i am happy that the snake ate, and now will develop a game plan to swap him over to f/t: I cut the tail off of the lizard and froze it. I will try just rubbing the tail on a f/t mouse and see if it eats it. if not, i will cut a bit off of the tail and put it in the mouse's mouth. hopefully he can be switched peacefully...

[airman_miller]

"took it to last month" whoops! it was supposted to say "took it to the vet last month"

[Gungirl]

Glad it finally ate. Hope you can get it to switch over to f/t mice fairly soon.

[millertime89]

try the same techniques people use to switch from mice to rats to switch it from anoles to mice. worth a shot.

[airman_miller]

try the same techniques people use to switch from mice to rats to switch it from anoles to mice. worth a shot.

what are these techniques of which you speak?

[alessia55]

Here are 2 techniques that might help switch your kingsnake from anoles to mice:

1. Scenting. Use an anole to "scent" a f/t mouse. You can do this by rubbing the anole on the mouse so that the mouse smells like an anole. It'll help convince your kingsnake to eat the mouse if it smells like an anole.

2. Braining. Take a f/t mouse, thaw it, and then cut open the head of it a bit to open up the smell of the mouse. Sometimes the strong smell of a mouse can entice a snake to eat it.

Good luck! Hopefully someone on here has more ideas for you.

[airman_miller]

Here are 2 techniques that might help switch your kingsnake from anoles to mice:

1. Scenting. Use an anole to "scent" a f/t mouse. You can do this by rubbing the anole on the mouse so that the mouse smells like an anole. It'll help convince your kingsnake to eat the mouse if it smells like an anole.

2. Braining. Take a f/t mouse, thaw it, and then cut open the head of it a bit to open up the smell of the mouse. Sometimes the strong smell of a mouse can entice a snake to eat it.

Good luck! Hopefully someone on here has more ideas for you.


i have tried braining with mice and that was a no-go. snake doesn't care. I am going to try to do the scenting next feed. thanks for the encouragement!

[Gungirl]

Another Idea to get him to switch over would be to feed him anole then as he gets the last bite in his mouth you start putting in a small pink. I had to feed my BP small mice and then right at the end of him eating it place a rat in his mouth. After a few times he started taking rats without the assistance of a mouse.

Good luck to you!

[alessia55]

Another Idea to get him to switch over would be to feed him anole then as he gets the last bite in his mouth you start putting in a small pink. I had to feed my BP small mice and then right at the end of him eating it place a rat in his mouth. After a few times he started taking rats without the assistance of a mouse.

Good luck to you!

I'm in the process of doing this with one of my ball pythons and it seems to be working wonderfully. Try that with your kingsnake if all else fails

[scooper]

It probably is just stressed so you should not stress about it as well. It can go on for weeks and some say even months without eating so you should not be worried about it that much.

Do not force it to take in food or you will just worsen the situation. Just leave it there or better, leave food lying and see how it would react. But I am guessing that you should try it at least 3 days in between.

[Gungirl]

Good rule of thumb is to never offer food more than 1 time a week. offering it every 3 days or so can stress it more...

[shaunyboy]

imo your best bet is scenting mice with lizards mate

there used to be a product made by t rex called lizard maker,but we can't seem to get it over here anymore

it was a great product,2 drops on a pinkie and the snake smelled it as a lizard

get a lizard and rub it all over the mouse then offer the mouse to the snake

the breeder really SHOULD have told you it was only feeding on lizards

cheers shaun

[lady_bug87]

Holy that was a long process contests and good luck on scenting you can always cut the anole a rub the pink in anole guts

[airman_miller]

Another Idea to get him to switch over would be to feed him anole then as he gets the last bite in his mouth you start putting in a small pink. I had to feed my BP small mice and then right at the end of him eating it place a rat in his mouth. After a few times he started taking rats without the assistance of a mouse.

Good luck to you!

pretty interesting idea. if the scenting doesn't work i will give that a shot.

imo your best bet is scenting mice with lizards mate

there used to be a product made by t rex called lizard maker,but we can't seem to get it over here anymore

it was a great product,2 drops on a pinkie and the snake smelled it as a lizard

get a lizard and rub it all over the mouse then offer the mouse to the snake

the breeder really SHOULD have told you it was only feeding on lizards

cheers shaun
I agree Completely. my original plan with the lizards was to just get some of this spray, but it seems like the stuff has been discontinued for YEARS, and most likely expired and lost it's potency by now. hopefully this tail i cut off will still have enough scent to do the trick.

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Good rule of thumb is to never offer food more than 1 time a week. offering it every 3 days or so can stress it more...

It probably is just stressed so you should not stress about it as well. It can go on for weeks and some say even months without eating so you should not be worried about it that much.

Do not force it to take in food or you will just worsen the situation. Just leave it there or better, leave food lying and see how it would react. But I am guessing that you should try it at least 3 days in between.

I do apologize in advance, and furthermore appreciate all of the help, but information such as this has been repeated MULTIPLE times in this thread. for the sake of eliminating repetition please make sure to read the entirety of this thread. I know there is ALOT there, but It makes sure we are not going in circles. I know when reading topics in computer repair forums It becomes a pain when people do not take the time to review what has been tried and keep suggesting the same thing.

[airman_miller]

Holy that was a long process contests and good luck on scenting you can always cut the anole a rub the pink in anole guts
tell me about it :wacky: If he would have told me all this in the first place i would not be in this mess!

[airman_miller]

any good resources on switching from lizards to f/t mice?

[lady_bug87]

you may have to use lizard guts....