My Corn Snake will not eat!! Please Help

[Chris Steele]

I have a corn snake about 4.5 foot long and I'm starting to get worried. She hasn't ate for 13 months now. What do I do?!? She is getting somewhat boney now.

[marisa]

You take the snake to the vet for an examanation. Corns don't fast for that long, and she needs to be checked to rule out medical problems.

Marisa

[vanderkm]

Definatetly agree with Marisa - this snake needs to be seen by a vet - there are too many possible causes of a fast that is this long. Corns may stop eating for a month or so during breeding season, but if there is weight loss, you are looking at there being an underlying problem that could only be diagnosed through proper veterinary examination,

mary v.

[Tim and Julie B]

I had been taking care of a friends albino corn and she refused to eat, she fasted for about 2 months. I became concerned and tried a method that was not too appealing, but many well known herpers say that this the the best option before a vet exam. ( but you will need to take her to a vet once, if, she begins to eat)Okay, take the food item, pinkie, mouse, rat, whatever, block out all your senses and using a VERY sharp knife you'll knick the brain. Yes I mean cut into it's head to expose brain matter. I know that this sounds horrible, but it's very effective. I did this once for the albino and she has readily taken fuzzies every week with no hesitation! I strongly recommend you try this immediately and let me know if it works.
Julie B.

[LdyDrgn]

Did you allow for a proper brumation?

[Chris Steele]

Im sorry i startled you people. It was late when I typed this post. I meant to put 13 days...So sorry!

[Emily-Fisher]

See a vet and follow Tim and Julie B's tips. That is about the best thing that I can tell you. I hope he/she gets better!

[vanderkm]

Chris,

13 days is nothing to be concerned about for an adult corn but won't result in the snake becoming 'bony'. Seems you made the same error of months for days on a couple other posts as well.

If it is 13 days it may simply be that it is during breeding season and males especially will go off feed. One of my young females refused food for 2 months and has just taken a mouse again in the past week, so it could be nothing to be concerned about. It is also possible that your snake is just coming into a shed, and depending on the color of the snake it can be hard to detect.

I would continue to offer on a weekly basis, although if there is weight loss at this point, the failure to feed may be the end stage of an underlying problem. Bony body condition is enough to justify a trip to the vet in my books,

mary v.

13 days and getting bony? must be some parasite inside eating her up cuz thats not really long enough for more that possibly a couple of grams to be lost if even that much.

[marisa]

Yeah whats up with that? Your snake should not be getting bony after 13 days. I don't fed my male snakes every 13 days, I fed them every 14 days! So if your snake is bony after two weeks with no food, the asnwer is still the same, see a vet.

Marisa

[Lisa]

our corns will skip a meal or two especially during shed. it's not a big deal.