Uhg! Frustrated!

**Minkness** · 11-13-16, 09:45 PM

I don't know if it's just just that time of year or what, but several of my snakes have been awful feeders lately!

2 of my new babies, the female ridleyi and the male mexican lined pit haven't touched food since I have had them. The male ridleyi ate last week but doesn't seem interested this week, and for all that pits are supposed to have killer feeding responses, my albino cape gopher has the worst feeding response I have ever seen! Most times she strikes, coils for 2 seconds, then is like...nah...nevermind....but it's usually gone by morning so at least I know she's eating. Just...UHG! And my 'MBK' is even worse....he went a month off food, then ate last week, now is off food again....WTF MAN!?!?!

Trying a few things with the ridleyi female. Breeder suggested extra busy stuff in her little tub. So it's been thoroughly trashed with fake plants, a PVC and a paper towel tube and lowered her temps. (Usually sounds counterproductive, but they are a cooler temp snake, so I guess it makes sense?)

I can't believe that my BPs are some of my best feeders!

Anyway, just wanted to blow off some steam.

In lighter news....yup...I have another special package arriving on Wednesday! Anyone wanna giess what it is? =D

**Tsubaki** · 11-13-16, 10:35 PM

It will get better! I had 2 naysayers as well this week (and they grab and coil for 10m, to then not eat it, coil again as i want to take it out.. ugh)... my boys are too interested in 'other things' to actually eat their food. I'm sure yours are testing your patience, but it will all resolve eventually.

MartinD · 11-14-16, 03:15 AM

I have 5 bp's and 1 bci and they very rarely miss a feed, they all fed last night, which was great. I normally feed around 8.30 - 9.00pm on Sunday's and my spider bp went through a phase of eating for say 2 weeks and then going 1-2 weeks not eating, then one week I thought perhaps he prefers to eat late at night so I left the ASF in his rub overnight and it was gone the next morning but last night he ate straight away.

Primal Rage · 11-14-16, 03:53 AM

Don't sweat it Mink! If they are healthy it's more than likely that they are responding to the reduction in the photo period out side and the cooler temps. Some animals will stop eating for a few months, while others might be totally unaffected. My Asian rats are hit or miss right now. My G.oxycephalum went completely off feed about 2 weeks ago but my O.coxi is still slamming them down. Just keep an eye on them and make they are not losing weight. Good luck and keep us posted!

**EL Ziggy** · 11-14-16, 08:57 AM

As others have said you're not alone Mink. It's just that time of year. My kings may not eat until spring and my coastal carpet has refused 3 of his last 4 meals. I've gotten used to it. I'm offering food every 2-3 weeks and only taking out food that I know my other snakes will eat in case the stubborn ones refuse. There's always hungry snakes at my place so no food goes to waste.

sattva · 11-14-16, 10:39 AM

My little BEL wouldn't eat last night... I gave the little fuzzy it to Fred this morning as a snack... But everybody else ate... It took a couple of tries for George but he finally ate...

**Aaron_S** · 11-14-16, 01:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Minkness

I don't know if it's just just that time of year or what, but several of my snakes have been awful feeders lately!

2 of my new babies, the female ridleyi and the male mexican lined pit haven't touched food since I have had them. The male ridleyi ate last week but doesn't seem interested this week, and for all that pits are supposed to have killer feeding responses, my albino cape gopher has the worst feeding response I have ever seen! Most times she strikes, coils for 2 seconds, then is like...nah...nevermind....but it's usually gone by morning so at least I know she's eating. Just...UHG! And my 'MBK' is even worse....he went a month off food, then ate last week, now is off food again....WTF MAN!?!?!

Trying a few things with the ridleyi female. Breeder suggested extra busy stuff in her little tub. So it's been thoroughly trashed with fake plants, a PVC and a paper towel tube and lowered her temps. (Usually sounds counterproductive, but they are a cooler temp snake, so I guess it makes sense?)

I can't believe that my BPs are some of my best feeders!

Anyway, just wanted to blow off some steam.

In lighter news....yup...I have another special package arriving on Wednesday! Anyone wanna giess what it is? =D

Welcome to the wonderful world of owning a large amount of snakes.

ThirteenRavens · 11-14-16, 07:02 PM

I fed my crew last night and my rubber boa came out and checked out her mice and never ate them...I left them in there for about 24 hours "just in case" and had to throw them out...she's normally a great feeder so hopefully next week she wont refuse but if she does I won't fret too badly as this time of year they're normally in brumation in the wild by now and she's gone off feed this time of year before (little stinker!)

toddnbecka · 11-15-16, 01:18 AM

Interestingly (to me at least, lol) my male thayeri king and male climacophora have gone off eating for weeks now, while both females haven't missed a meal aside from shedding. Two of my adult male Dominicans have been refusing food for 2-3 weeks while the oither 2 adult males and both females are eating every week, and my larger carpet refused a rat for the first time Sunday evening.

dave himself · 11-15-16, 02:32 AM

The only one who gives us any trouble is our BP but after over ten years with him we're used to the wee weirdo, the bigger three are like the seagulls from Finding Nemo every time you go near the vivs

**Andy_G** · 11-15-16, 07:09 AM

Makes sense, as a lot of coubrids know it's that time...normal brumation usually goes from the beginning of november through to the end of february or to mid march.

**Minkness** · 11-15-16, 08:28 AM

Yeah. I'm not as worried about the older snakes, but the 2 babes have me a bit frazzled. Never had baby snakes that wouldn't eat after 3 weeks....they are so little I can't get an accurate weight on them last time, and I am trying to be 100% hands off in hopes that helps settle them. I may just skip this weekends feed for them, let them get really hungry and undisturbed and see if that works.

Humble308 · 11-16-16, 08:28 AM

I hear your angst Mink. My little snow gopher was off food for about 2months at one point. He finally eats for me but I basically just open his cage throw the chow in his hide as he seems to fear tongs. My cape gopher is also a lazy fellow and almost never takes off tongs. Hope your package gets there safe

**Minkness** · 11-16-16, 08:49 AM

My male ridleyi is like your snow gopher. I put his hopper right inside the entranced and he won't touch it until it's super dark (aka, I turn off all the lights lol). The cape gopher will take off tongs, but is a really nervous feeder and one tiny move from me, and she will drop it. I just hope my little mexian lined pit has a better feed response once he's 100% settled.

Humble308 · 11-16-16, 09:12 AM

Did you start a thread for your Mexican lined? Been on a hiatus so I think I missed any pics.