Help!! Western Diamond Backs stopped eatting!!

[Nokool]

Both ob my Diamondbacks have stopped eating. My big ones always been a good eater but i moved my baby one into the 75g with him and he got real aggressive and stopped eating. this behavior continued after i moved the baby out, they just kill them but no eat. any ideas? both are wild cought

[reptiledude987]

best bet is probably to seperate them. also whats the age? alot will go off feed during breeding season. Have they lost weight? how long has been since the last time they ate?

[Nokool]

Originally Posted by reptiledude987

best bet is probably to seperate them. also whats the age? alot will go off feed during breeding season. Have they lost weight? how long has been since the last time they ate?

i separated them right after i notices they weren't eating. not sure of the age seeing how they are wild caught but i know the baby isnt of breeding age and its not breeding season. the big one dont look like he lost any weight and is still active and hasn't eaten in 4 weeks now, the baby was a little then when i collected it and i have no clue when it last ate. never been able to get it to eat and its not very active.

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[inv3ctiv3]

What are the temps? The best thing to do like others said it separate them but seeing as it's November they may not eat and may try and hibernate seeing as they're wild caught.

[millertime89]

Some animals never take to captivity, I would release the little one where you found it if you've never been able to get it to eat.

[SSSSnakes]

Originally Posted by millertime89

Some animals never take to captivity, I would release the little one where you found it if you've never been able to get it to eat.

Agreed. Get some nice captive breds and you should have less problems.

[Snake Plissken]

Are you qualified to be housing and handling these reptiles? Do you have anti-venom on hand for these??

[sirtalis]

Its winter so That could be a reason? And i'd release these and buy captive bred...

[millertime89]

Originally Posted by Snake Plissken

Are you qualified to be housing and handling these reptiles? Do you have anti-venom on hand for these??

Qualifications may not be necessary there. Some states don't require permits. Also if he's bit he needs to go to a hospital asap and not try to treat himself. Hospitals will only use their own supplies of antivenin anyways, they (rightfully) don't trust supplies that they don't know the origin of. And if he's caught them nearby the hospital will keep supplies on hand anyways.

Originally Posted by sirtalis

Its winter so That could be a reason? And i'd release these and buy captive bred...

WDBs aren't typically found in places that experience winter. Their far northern range gets there, but releasing them most likely won't do them any harm if you release them where they were found on a warm day. They don't typically stray too far from a den sight.

[Nokool]

In Texas i do not require a permit to keep any native snake (endangered and protected excluded) and I've been handling snakes venomous and not all my life, these are just the first I've decided to keep. And I'm less the 10 miles from 3 hospitals and being here in south Texas where rattlesnake bites are most common all are stocked with their own supply so I never felt the need to keep any

[Snake Plissken]

Originally Posted by Nokool

these are just the first I've decided to keep.

Time to release them then!

[D Grade]

My C. Molossus is doing the same thing, kills but wont eat. Pretty sure were both experiencing den behavior and off-season fasting.

[Nokool]

G

Originally Posted by D Grade

My C. Molossus is doing the same thing, kills but wont eat. Pretty sure were both experiencing den behavior and off-season fasting.

Ya I think I triggered it by accident by housing both of them together

[D Grade]

Just an update, I upped heat to 80F and she ate tonight. Figured 75F was enough being she was higher altitude but the upped heat got her hungry again. Try upping the heat for your Atrox and attempt a feed.

[Nightflight99]

Originally Posted by millertime89

Hospitals will only use their own supplies of antivenin anyways, they (rightfully) don't trust supplies that they don't know the origin of.

Actually, hospitals will administer third-party antivenin, as long as it stems from a reputable source. If they really were to use only their own antivenin, then no hospital would ever be able to treat envenomations by exotic species, since U.S. hospitals usually stock only domestic antivenin.

I would also caution about releasing any snake that has spent a significant amount of time in captivity. Unless they're released exactly in the area that were originally removed from, mortality of released snakes can be extremely high--even in otherwise suitable habitat. In addition, this also carries the risk of releasing a snake into the wild that has potentially come into contact with other pathogenic agents.