Any other hoggie do this?

[Oleman]

My hog goes off food every year between December and march. I still offer once every 2 weeks just in case but always refuses. She maintains weight and attitude so no worries.
Just curious if others do the same?

[Minkness]

Yup. They do that. Some people say that if you bump their heat higher than normal that they stay voracious, but I see it as part of their normal biological cycle, so I don't push mine.

[Andy_G]

It's normal for some north american colubrids to go off food or eat less than usual from November-March no matter what you do.

[Albert Clark]

When it happens it should raise a red flag actually. Triple check your husbandry firstly. Secondly check for illnesses ( visual and listening) bc this may be the case. Lastly, consider brumation especially if it's been 2 weeks since their last meal bc their stomachs are empty and that is the time to begin lowering temps and keeping the lights off. Are you considering breeding ?

[Andy_G]

I respectfully disagree with the red flag comment. It usually is only an indication that it's winter and the snake thinks it's time to brumate provided no other changes have been made. It happens pretty regularly in some individuals but not with all individuals. As long as weight is being maintained then you're fine. I think it's much too late to consider brumation this close to spring as well. Also, when it comes to brumating, it's actually better to put them right into brumation when theyre ready instead of slowly lowering temps...the "slow cool" method is much more likely to cause respiratory infections.

[Albert Clark]

If you're considering breeding and there are breedable females in range is another reason a reptile (especially male) will stop eating. If that is not the case, a short cooling phase (brumation) can reset the reptiles feeding clock. A healthy, well adjusted animal will feed on a regular basis until enviornmental cues, pheromonal cues, or illness tells him otherwise. Make sure to offer a varied diet as well. Hognose are known to enjoy a amphibian and aquatic supplemented diet. F/t frog legs cut up is a nice alternative as is fresh thiaminase free fish such as croaker, ocean perch etc. Although a rodent based diet is considered complete nutrition, hog nose should have supplemental aquatics in their diet.

[Albert Clark]

Originally Posted by Oleman

My hog goes off food every year between December and march. I still offer once every 2 weeks just in case but always refuses. She maintains weight and attitude so no worries.
Just curious if others do the same?

As long as that is the normal pattern that you are familiar with and have been dealing with I say ok. Continue as you have been but for others who this happens to should first triple check their husbandry numbers and start playing detective to rule out other causes.

[chairman]

I have no idea if this has been studied, but I'd hypothesize that colubrids use barometric pressure as a signal for brumation. I bet that you could get a high percentage of breeding age colubrids to go off feed in the middle of summer solely by changing the barometric pressure in the room they are kept (ie raise pressure to winter levels). Of course, it'd take a bio lab with specialized equipment to pull it off...

There's nothing wrong with double checking husbandry at least seasonally or especially if a behavioural shift is observed. I just don't worry much about it around this time of year.

[Andy_G]

Originally Posted by Albert Clark

Although a rodent based diet is considered complete nutrition, hog nose should have supplemental aquatics in their diet.

I would strongly advise against this with western hognose snakes. It really makes me wonder what kind of experience you have with this particular species Albert. These are not garter snakes. There's absolutely zero reason to do this, and once you've offered aquatic prey you may have a hell of a time getting them to take rodents again as they are known to imprint feed on these types of prey (toads, frogs, fish, etc.) which is why you'll seldom hear anyone who has kept them and bred them for a number of years suggest it. It would be very inconvenient compared to a strict rodent diet...having to scent every time you feed...and issues with egg calcification in females that produce eggs has historically been the result wih individuals that are not on an all rodent diet...but...if you do try...good luck.

Chairman, the barometric pressure theory is quite a popular one and a lot of people believe it. One must wonder how can these animals just know what time of year it is, even if kept in constant darkness with no photoperiod and no temperature variance?

[Albert Clark]

Originally Posted by Andy_G

I would strongly advise against this with western hognose snakes. It really makes me wonder what kind of experience you have with this particular species Albert. These are not garter snakes. There's absolutely zero reason to do this, and once you've offered aquatic prey you may have a hell of a time getting them to take rodents again as they are known to imprint feed on these types of prey (toads, frogs, fish, etc.) which is why you'll seldom hear anyone who has kept them and bred them for a number of years suggest it. It would be very inconvenient compared to a strict rodent diet...having to scent every time you feed...and issues with egg calcification in females that produce eggs has historically been the result wih individuals that are not on an all rodent diet...but...if you do try...good luck.

Chairman, the barometric pressure theory is quite a popular one and a lot of people believe it. One must wonder how can these animals just know what time of year it is, even if kept in constant darkness with no photoperiod and no temperature variance?

@ Andy . Well , according to the studies at the University of Georgia herpetology department both the western and eastern species of Heterodon benefit from a varied diet of not only rodents but other small mammals including birds, eggs , invertebrates and toads and frogs which are their favorites. Of course the toads and frogs would be limited to none bc of the endoparasitic concentrations. They do eat fish and tadpoles. A solely rodent based diet is convenient but does cause liver problems and shorter life spans in hognose. Its more natural and healthy to offer a variety however problematic. As most literature and including Reptile magazines account of the diet including taxonomy and habitat. The reason to experiment with a variety of prey is at least twofold. It's a natural, healthy thing to do and it increases the longevity of the animal. One of the main reasons I suggested f/t frog legs which are easily available at the fish markets and are safer bc of the freezing.

[Andy_G]

Were they observing wild populations or captive populations? l would really like to know more about this study as well as how this data was collected? I certainly can't displace or disregard a study done by a well established and legitimate educational institution.

All I have to base my opinions on is my experience keeping and breeding them over 8 years in row and having holdbacks grow up to produce with almost perfect fertility consistently while feeding exclusively on mice hoppers and young adult mice very well for the (so far) duration of their lives. The people who took over my collection (14 adults and a few babies/sub adults as far as hognose go) a few years ago still have them and are doing the same thing. I guess people should take my advice as well as advice which was grandfathered to me that I learned from previous generations of great people keeping and breeding this species in captivity year after year with a grain of salt.

[Albert Clark]

I know you are experienced in the hognose species and are well traveled with them as captives and wild populations. I am not discounting that. This is just pertinent information that is in the literature and that is the only reason I presented it. I will get the exact references to these posts asap.

[Aaron_S]

Originally Posted by Albert Clark

... Although a rodent based diet is considered complete nutrition, hog nose should have supplemental aquatics in their diet.

Why should they if a rodent diet is complete nutrition?

I know you're getting some of this information from some papers published so I look forward to reading it, however, I don't see why they SHOULD have a variety other than for their keepers feeling better about offering "different options".

Originally Posted by chairman

I have no idea if this has been studied, but I'd hypothesize that colubrids use barometric pressure as a signal for brumation. I bet that you could get a high percentage of breeding age colubrids to go off feed in the middle of summer solely by changing the barometric pressure in the room they are kept (ie raise pressure to winter levels). Of course, it'd take a bio lab with specialized equipment to pull it off...

There's nothing wrong with double checking husbandry at least seasonally or especially if a behavioural shift is observed. I just don't worry much about it around this time of year.

I am a firm believer in the barometric pressure behind breeding cues for snakes.

[RAD House]

God darn it not another husbandry factor I have to keep track of and constantly fight mother earth on. I am curious how you would change the pressure with out changing the temps as changing air volume would be quite a task.

[Minkness]

Internet sarcasm is lost on me...

Why would you atempt to change air pressure? Why not just let the animal cycle as nature intended?