Problems with Natrix natrix (grass snake) juvenile

[dfelix]

Some weeks ago i got a grass snake (natrix natrix) juvenile...

It was keept in very poor conditions.
It appears to be in stress, and looks very thin and unhealthy.
(see picture)

I placed it in a small terrarium (60cm aquarium) with garden soil, some rocks and wood.
Also placed a water recipient buried. (small plastic turtle terrarium)

The biggest problem is to feed the snake...
We putted some small aquarium fish in the plastic turtle terrarium, but the snake doesn't seem interested in it.

It looks starved, but doesn't look interested in food.

In the last days we tried to feed it artificially with fish... but most of the times she spits the food out.


Can anyone give some information in how to feed this snake?



Thank you so much,

David

[siylas]

Im no expert but.. here are a few of my sugestions, it might be in shed (in shed it will loose appitite, do its eyes/body look foggy?) , you might want to try pinkie mice, get some indoor catgrass and try that in the enclosure. , my friends seemed to eat crix (not as a base diet but an additive) do NOT handle it for about 4 days after its eaten,,, this can cause it to spit up...grass snakes are naturaly on the thinner side, from the picture it appeared OK to me... (not to say it does look ok just my opinion) hope this helps... and if any more experianced people want to pick at what my sugestions are, feel free...!

[dfelix]

Originally Posted by siylas

it might be in shed (in shed it will loose appitite, do its eyes/body look foggy?)

I don't think that is in shed.
This snake is new born.. May be some month or two old!

I live precisely in this snake habitat (Portugal/Europe), and it's summer here.

Originally Posted by siylas

.. and if any more experianced people want to pick at what my sugestions are, feel free...!

It would be great!!!

I've searched for experience snake keepers everywere to get some clukes, but no luck yet!

[kpeters]

A healthy grass snake will eat fishes. Many years ago I worked in a fish hatchery in Germany and we always caught them catching trout fry from our ponds in summer.

Small ones will eat large earth worms and tadpoles, too.

And all should eat newts & frogs - but typically not toads. They will usually *not* eat mice unless you scent the mice with frog scent or such and thus get them used to them.

It doesn't look super thin to me. Maybe you should just leave it alone, instead of handling/force feeding it, esp. if you have just managed to force feed it.

Do you have a dry basking spot in your tank? They love to bask every now and then. Do you have hidings place in there where it can completely hide from view - one on the cold side of the tank and a second one on the warm side?

Hope this helps!

[dfelix]

Originally Posted by kpeters

Do you have a dry basking spot in your tank? They love to bask every now and then.

Do you mean a place to catch some sun?

The tank has a small turtle tank, lots of garden soil around, and a hidding place made with fireplace wood and rocks.

I don't have a light yet, so we placed the tank near a window... but the snake doesn't seem to like sunlight.
She hides under the woods..


Thank you so much!

[Hilde]

Hihihi funny to see you keep this snake in a terrarium !!! Here in Holland is it prohabitid te keep this snakes in captivity because they are protected here

[nimsu]

yep same here (in UK) i really want to find one though- are grass snakes found in us/canada too?or do you buy them from pet shops?

[kpeters]

Natrix natrix is strictly a Eurasian species - the few in Canada have been imported

[oscar]

its biggest problem just might be stress. as someone else mentioned, bother it as little as possible for at least a week. make sure he has fresh water and sufficient heat. be very careful of placing the aquarium in from of a window cause he could overheat very easily. dont worry too hard over him not eating so soon, snakes can fast for what seems like ages and be ok.

Scott

[Bram]

My suggestion is maybe a whole diverent way which you had in mind. But some North-European snakes don't feed before hibernation. Friend of mine had vipers who rejected food and put them in the refrigorator for 2 weeks and after that they ate fine. Maybe you should try to cool him down for a small period of time. I don't know the english word at the moment but you may try undeveloped frogs. those who look like qiant spermseads . maybe he would like that!

Bram

[JKadikoff]

i think maybe the food you're feeding it is too big, it might have been spoiled and such, so maybe it got lazy. I had the same problem with my snakes. My baby Jessi wouldn't take fish that were a pain in the butt for her, pretty much, even though she could clearly eat it, she never made the effort. Another thing is, because you just moved it to a new habitat, it might need to adjust. give it a few days or so, and make sure there is plently of fresh water and places for it to hide. It needs to adapt to its new surroundings. Tarantulas are the same way. If there are still problems, I'd say change the diet regularily to find what it seems to go for best. It looks perfectly fine in the picture, trez cute : )

[JKadikoff]

i think it might be a bit too young and malnourished to start hibernating, I'd wait before doing that.

[hog-nose-harry]

From what i can tell you should not be let around snakes un-supervised. once the snake has eaten you MUST be VERY quiet and leave it alone. do not go in the room where the snake is housed for a good couple of hours also do not handle ot for a while 5-6 days but kep the water clean and cage clean and please for the sake of the animals do not buy any more animals that u dont know how to take care of. the might be in bad shape at the pet store but you have probbably just made it worse, sooner or later someone like you (but with experiance) will notice that it is in bad condition and pick it up, take care of it and make it healthy again.

[boa+python]

i think the simpliest answer is to take it to a experienced reptile vet