confused first owner

[misty/pandora]

Hello,I really need somebody's help,my cornsnake I have had for about seven months does not want to eat since she shedded 2 weeks ago,and before the shedding there was no troubles,she ate one big mice every week,and she is very active since the shedding but doesn't want to eat her mice,what can I do?,or is something wrong please help me,I can't loose pandora,we have a special connection

Thank you
Concerned owner

[Shiari]

1- How certain are you that she is a she?
2- Has she been housed with any other corn snakes?
3- Can you use gentle pressure as she slithers through your hands to see if you can feel any eggs?
4- Do you have any photos of her?

[misty/pandora]

I don't have other snakes and this guy I got her from breeded with them,and he said she is a female and the reason why I got her is because my first snake was a 2 meter long red tip boa constrictor and it was to big so I gave the other one to my parents and they got me pandora,and I don't know how to feel for eggs on her,its just if I touch her at a certain spot,close to her tail she looks very uneasy

I just took a photo ,but don't know how to attach it yet
Do you have a email adress I can send it to,please.
Normaly the food dissapears within 10 minutes,and now its just not working

[misty/pandora]

And I was wrong with the date,it must be 3 to 4 months if had her

[ceduke]

If she has been bred in the past (I would ask the breeder you got her from) she could have retained sperm and be about to lay a clutch of eggs. They'll probably be mostly duds if it's a retained sperm clutch. You should put a lay box in with her just in case: a shoe-box sized plastic box filled with damp sphagnum moss.

[ZiggysMom]

Double check your temperatures. If the seasons are changing where you are, the snake may be feeling the difference in temperature or light levels. Some will go off feed going into winter or spring.

[misty/pandora]

That's the thing she,was eating well during winter and summer came and no eating,and how do I check the BOI or get it tested,? Thank you

[Shiari]

It's spring where you are now, yes? That's breeding season for corns. Most likely this behaviour is related to breeding. Two weeks without eating is also nothing of concern for a healthy corn snake, even if it's a baby. I've had an adult go 6 *months* without eating without significant weight loss (admittedly, he was fat beforehand) until I realised that what he wants to eat is quail.

[misty/pandora]

It does make sence,because if heard of peoples snakes going without food for long periods,and it is spring,where in the begining of spring ,we have very cold winter and very hot summers,and se is looking for something,but its not food,but is there any sighns I should be aware of?

[Shiari]

IF she's female and IF this is breeding behaviour, it sounds like she's looking for a spot to lay eggs. My girls get really restless right before they lay.

IF she's actually a he, then he's looking for females to breed with.

[misty/pandora]

Do they still lay eggs even if there is no male?,and thank you I feel a bit better about it,

[misty/pandora]

Where would be a good place for her to lay eggs?

[smigon]

Yes, females can lay "slugs" even if they have never been bred. Mine do. Watch for unusual behavior in the spring, and put out a "lay box" in the viv. You can make this out of a regular plastic shoebox (maybe even wrap it with something so it is totally dark) with a hole cut in for her to enter and exit, put some damp sphagnum moss in it and leave her alone. You can check every few days, but otherwise don't worry about it, they are non-viable eggs and you can't hurt them.

I am not sure but if there is a male present in the room or nearby, his pheromones may trigger this response from the females.