Penelope isn't eating :(

[Trollbie]

It's gonna be 2 months soon that Penelope (Red Milksnake) hasn't eaten... She ate a mouse pinky once within these almost 2 months but that's it. My dad even tried live but she wasn't interested at all. Since I weighed her like 4 months ago she lost 5 grams, but from my understanding that's not alarming yet?

She's active, still urinates, and seems healthy. I know snakes do this sometimes but I'm still worried. I'm out of the country at the moment and will not return till the end of this month, but I should probably plan a vet visit as soon as I get back. Till then my dad is keeping an eye on her.

ANything I should try doing? And if I take her to the vet, what should I take if she's not pooping since she's not eating? Is a urate sample enough?

[rmfsnakes32]

I would take anything you can to the vet they can swab thr read end for infection. How big is she? Also how big a viv is she in my pueblan milk will only eatvin his small toyevin the tote in the rack he did notvlike big enclosures its worth a try!

[Gungirl]

Look at the set up.. what could be causing her to not eat. She is in a new place... heating still ok? Is she in a busy room? How was her last shed? Think of the basics before you take her to the vets. Nomally with non eaters its either just time of the year or something simple wrong with the set up.

[Trollbie]

Look at the set up.. what could be causing her to not eat. She is in a new place... heating still ok? Is she in a busy room? How was her last shed? Think of the basics before you take her to the vets. Nomally with non eaters its either just time of the year or something simple wrong with the set up.

She stopped eating before anything changed. When I moved her to my parents house it was already a month that she hasn't eaten. She's shed twice since she stopped eating and both sheds were beautiful. Her heat is still okay too.

She's in a 25gal long viv. She was a regular eater until 2 months ago.

[Gungirl]

Could just be the time of year.. Idk.

[Trollbie]

Could just be the time of year.. Idk.

When should I really start worrying?

[Gungirl]

Depends on the condition she was in to begin with. If she was healthy I would say 4-6 months. Unless a lot of weight loss happens...

[Trollbie]

Depends on the condition she was in to begin with. If she was healthy I would say 4-6 months. Unless a lot of weight loss happens...

Ok thanks! Cross your fingers for her please!

[BarelyBreathing]

You may hate me for saying this, but considering the circumstances with other snakes, I'd be worried now.

[Trollbie]

You may hate me for saying this, but considering the circumstances with other snakes, I'd be worried now.

I know, but my other snakes are doing well and aside from her not eating, she seems to be doing well.

[Gungirl]

Ohh thats right BB I forgot all about the other issue... ugh

[BarelyBreathing]

It could be nothing, it could be something. All I'm saying is I would be worried.

[Trollbie]

It could be nothing, it could be something. All I'm saying is I would be worried.

I am worried, but I also know how milksnakes can be so I'm just hoping she's being a milksnake since all my other snakes are eating great and all including Penelope appear healthy. She's only lost 5 grams since I weighed her 4ish months ago. I'll weigh her as soon as I get home and see.

[rmfsnakes32]

My baby pueblan quit eating for like a month then I moved him to the rack in a smaller tub and he eats perfectly every time now!

[TremTricolors]

I am worried, but I also know how milksnakes can be so I'm just hoping she's being a milksnake since all my other snakes are eating great and all including Penelope appear healthy. She's only lost 5 grams since I weighed her 4ish months ago. I'll weigh her as soon as I get home and see.

Trollbie, does she get natural photoperiod (can she see the sun come up and go down)? If so she might be ready for a brumation period. Here's what I would do, take a stool sample to the vet and have him check to see if there are any internal parasites. When that comes back negative(which I am just guessing at) put her in a cool dark place for 60 - 90 days. Make sure she has water at all times and the temperature doesn't fluctuate more than 10 degrees. Any large fluctuation could cause respiratory problems. The ideal temperature to keep her at during this period is 55 F but you don't want the temps to fluctuate above 65 or so. Warm her up slowly in 60 - 90 days and and resume feeding when you have her back at regular temps. I am thinking she has shut down for the winter and knows that it is getting cool/cold outside and doesn't want to get caught with food in her belly. Which in the wild would rot in her stomach and kill her. Just my thoughts. Good luck.

PS I have a L.t.gentilis that ate her last meal on August 17th.

[Trollbie]

Trollbie, does she get natural photoperiod (can she see the sun come up and go down)? If so she might be ready for a brumation period. Here's what I would do, take a stool sample to the vet and have him check to see if there are any internal parasites. When that comes back negative(which I am just guessing at) put her in a cool dark place for 60 - 90 days. Make sure she has water at all times and the temperature doesn't fluctuate more than 10 degrees. Any large fluctuation could cause respiratory problems. The ideal temperature to keep her at during this period is 55 F but you don't want the temps to fluctuate above 65 or so. Warm her up slowly in 60 - 90 days and and resume feeding when you have her back at regular temps. I am thinking she has shut down for the winter and knows that it is getting cool/cold outside and doesn't want to get caught with food in her belly. Which in the wild would rot in her stomach and kill her. Just my thoughts. Good luck.

PS I have a L.t.gentilis that ate her last meal on August 17th.


She is in a glass tank so she can see day and night but I don't think she sees the sun directly come up and down. I am worried that I don't have a place that stays that cool and won't fluctuate :( Plus I will be moving her at least twice within the next 90 days... I'll ask my dad if we can figure something out that I'd leave her at his house. Is there any way I can snap her back out of it if she is indeed getting ready for brumation? And is a urate sample enough for the vet?

Thank you for the advice!

[Trollbie]

She has lost 11grams in the last month... I don't have a way to provide her with good brumating conditions right now. So I'm gonna try to isolate her from natural light and give her artificial light. And raise her temps. And I'll try to feed her something other than a mouse.

Any suggestions? Please?

[rmfsnakes32]

I would take her to the vet our milksnake quit eating again this time he didnt make it in hindsight I should have taken him to the vet :( keep us posted

[KORBIN5895]

Isn't she a he? Pm term tricolors as he is quite experienced with them.

[Trollbie]

Isn't she a he? Pm term tricolors as he is quite experienced with them.

I took her to get checked and for now she's still a she. They didn't probe her though so who knows -_-

[rmfsnakes32]

What did the vet have to say

[Snakeman8]

put her in a plastic container with only the mouse and is big enough for her to move around in, she'll eat sooner or later .