Corn snake refusing to eat

[texasreb]

Hello,

I have a 14 year old, seemingly healthy corn snake that has now refused two meals in a row. I'm unsure of what to do.

"She" is active and cruising all over her cage, but isn't eating. I assigned her a gender. I have no idea how to tell one sex from the other...

She is about 5'5" long and is a very light yellow with light orange markings and red eyes. She has a 40 gallon terrarium, two water bowls, two half log hides and lives on aspen--not the reptile kind, but the rodent kind.

For the two years that I have owned her, she usually eats 1 large mouse/week or 1 small rat every other week.

Here is her eating/shed schedule since the beginning of the year:
Jan 12 Shed
Jan 13 Ate small rat
Jan 27 Ate small rat
Feb 11 Ate large mouse
Feb 26 Shed
Feb 27 Ate lg mouse
March 5 Ate large mouse
March 12 took but didn't eat large mouse
March 24--Refused small rat

She has never refused before (except just prior to shedding when I didn't know the pre-shed signs). She has never reguritated.

Should I take her to the vet?

HELP!!!

A pic or two of the corn in question....

http://http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj95/texasredreb/sleenkie/2013-09-19153540_zpsf33f7656.jpg

http://http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj95/texasredreb/Facial_zpsovtaj7nk.jpg

http://[URL=http://s270.photobucket.com/user/texasredreb/media/lap%20top%20snake_zpsqrmnidky.jpg.html]http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj95/texasredreb/lap%20top%20snake_zpsqrmnidky.jpg

[hypnoctopus]

I would guess that her behavior is due to the time of year. Males often get restless and go on feeding strikes during the spring as they look for a mate. It isn't unheard of for females to do that, as well, although it's not as common. Usually when females do that, it's because they have developed infertile eggs.

Since you aren't sure of the gender, I would put a lay box in with her in case she has developed infertile eggs. You can make a lay box really easily out of a plastic tub with a lid that has a big hole in it (big enough for her to get in and out easily). Fill the tub with damp sphagnum moss.

You can also try feeling for eggs by letting her slide through a thin fabric, like a sheet or pillow case, and putting gentle pressure on her back and belly with your thumb and index finger.

Welcome to the forum!

[HVani]

Sounds like a boy looking for love :)

No need for a vet visit, snakes can go a loooonnngggg time without food. Pretty normal this time of year.

[texasreb]

Ok, thanks for the replies. I'll get the peat moss into a container for "her" just in case. I sometimes put a spare chinchilla dust bath house inside the cage for some extra enrichment--would it be okay to use with moss or is the hole too big? It looks like this:

http://www.amazon.com/Kaytee-Chinchilla-Bath-House-Colors/dp/B0002AS5M8


I tried leaving the f/t rat pup in there for a while and covering the tank with some towels, but the silly thing just kept looking out around the gaps in the toweling at me. I knew it wasn't going to eat, but I left the food in there for several hours just in case.

How long should I wait before offering another meal? I'm guessing that I should ixnay the rats and stick to mice for all future feedings? I've been reading other threads...

I also noticed that "he" ("she"??) has a loose scale sticking up on the top of the head, but doesn't appear anywhere near a shed; in fact, just recently shed. Since the last shed; she rammed herself between the glass door of the cage and the wall and got fairly stuck. I'm sure that's when the scale got ruffed. It's been a while since that happened and she has successfully eaten since. At the time, I didn't notice any damage, but the loose scale is showing today.

Thanks for all the help! I'm really not a "snake" person, but this creature is in my charge and I care about its well being. I'm learning.

[hypnoctopus]

I think that container would work as long as she can completely fit in it.

I would try offering her a very hot, small meal once a week. Sometimes when they're being picky, they will accept a smaller meal than what they normally would eat. If you have access to smaller mice, you could try offering a weanling. If she doesn't take it, just toss it out. This is one of the times when it's beneficial to have multiple snakes - so the refused mice don't have to go to waste. At her age and size, she can go quite a long time without eating, so you don't need to worry about her starving. And yes, I think it would be to his/her benefit to switch to mice permanently once she's eating normally again.

I wouldn't worry about the loose scale. Sometimes the scales can get a bit pulled up by rubbing the wrong way, but I've found that it always fixes itself after a shed.

Also, if you feel like taking a clear picture of the underside of her tail, we can take a guess as to the gender of your snake. You could also find a breeder, reptile vet, or reptile store that may be able to sex her for you.

[texasreb]

Thanks again for the replies. I'll try to get that picture tomorrow when I have my snake wrangler available to help me. I'm not too keen on holding it myself.

Since you suggested a picture, I'm assuming it's okay to handle the snake when it's looking for love?

She seems to tolerate (maybe even enjoy?) handling by her favorite handler and she's never offered to bite. Sometimes she's really in "escape and explore" mode and other times she's content to wrap and hang on. She particularly loves to hang out on and around my laptop.

Yeah, throwing away the snubbed meals is a bit wasteful, but I only have the one snake. Mice are less expensive, so that won't be so bad--especially if I buy some mediums her next couple of offerings.

[Lasairfina]

This is one of the times when it's beneficial to have multiple snakes - so the refused mice don't have to go to waste.

Or a monitor. My Sav got a treat any time the snakes refused a rodent. I knew they"re bad for him, but figured he could have some junk food once in a while.

[hypnoctopus]

Yes, it's fine to handle her. With my males, sometimes they will act all jerky and twitchy while I'm holding them in the spring, which is what they would do if they found a female to breed with. It's pretty funny.

[smigon]

Yes, it's fine to handle her. With my males, sometimes they will act all jerky and twitchy while I'm holding them in the spring, which is what they would do if they found a female to breed with. It's pretty funny.

And your husband is okay with this? :roflmao:

[texasreb]

Well, my effort to take a picture of "his" vent failed miserably. I didn't get anything usable at all. My phone is ancient and my photography skills are no bueno.

I did get a picture of his roughed up head and a picture of him in his container on the scale. I never thought to weigh him before. He is 701 grams. I did zero out the scale with the container on it--so the weight is all snake.

http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj95/texasredreb/Scale_zpsimyxzi9g.jpg (http://s270.photobucket.com/user/texasredreb/media/Scale_zpsimyxzi9g.jpg.html)

http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj95/texasredreb/701%20grams_zpspkij38os.jpg (http://s270.photobucket.com/user/texasredreb/media/701%20grams_zpspkij38os.jpg.html)

[hypnoctopus]

Wow, he's a big boy! (Or girl!) That scale doesn't look like anything to worry about.

[texasreb]

A couple of quick questions, please!

I'm fixing to offer the beast another meal, probably on Thursday because the place will be quiet. That will make it 9 days since the last refusal.

It was suggested that I try a small hot meal. I purchased a medium sized frozen mouse. He was eating small-to-med rats ans large mice before. So, does a medium sized mouse sound about right?

How to I get it extra hot without cooking it? How hot is extra hot? I usually thaw in the refer 24 hours prior to feeding and then warm it up in a glass of warm water until it feels room temperature or above..

...and lastly, just for grins: what is the color of my snake?

Thank you all so much. I'll post whether or not I have success. I'm thinking not because he's still in full out escape mode, but we'll see.

[lynda]

I'm having exactly the same feeding concern with my 5-foot male. He usually grabs and coils around the mouse instantly (I use tongs to hold the mouse to him, so he doesn't accidentally get my hand. Maybe he thinks mice drop from the sky!) He has ignored the last two, absolutely no interest. I have left them with him for awhile, and he actually slides on top of them as if they weren't there.

He is extremely, almost continually active right now. He is active every spring - that's how I concluded he is male. Seems even more active than usual this year.

My question: How long can they go without eating? Responders say a "very long time," but I would appreciate more specific. It has been 3 1/2 weeks now, and he usually eats once every 7 to 10 days.

Thanks!

[hypnoctopus]

A couple of quick questions, please!

I'm fixing to offer the beast another meal, probably on Thursday because the place will be quiet. That will make it 9 days since the last refusal.

It was suggested that I try a small hot meal. I purchased a medium sized frozen mouse. He was eating small-to-med rats ans large mice before. So, does a medium sized mouse sound about right?

How to I get it extra hot without cooking it? How hot is extra hot? I usually thaw in the refer 24 hours prior to feeding and then warm it up in a glass of warm water until it feels room temperature or above..

...and lastly, just for grins: what is the color of my snake?

Thank you all so much. I'll post whether or not I have success. I'm thinking not because he's still in full out escape mode, but we'll see.

Sorry I missed this.

The way that I would heat up the mouse is by thawing it in very hot water, and then pour a bit of boiling water over top of it. And yes, if he's used to eating rats, a medium mouse probably would be a good 'small' meal. He probably does not need to be eating rats. Even large adult corn snakes will do fine with a large or medium adult mouse.

And for color, he looks like an amel to me, but maybe could be a butter.

[hypnoctopus]

I'm having exactly the same feeding concern with my 5-foot male. He usually grabs and coils around the mouse instantly (I use tongs to hold the mouse to him, so he doesn't accidentally get my hand. Maybe he thinks mice drop from the sky!) He has ignored the last two, absolutely no interest. I have left them with him for awhile, and he actually slides on top of them as if they weren't there.

He is extremely, almost continually active right now. He is active every spring - that's how I concluded he is male. Seems even more active than usual this year.

My question: How long can they go without eating? Responders say a "very long time," but I would appreciate more specific. It has been 3 1/2 weeks now, and he usually eats once every 7 to 10 days.

Thanks!

Three and a half weeks is nothing to be concerned about yet for a healthy adult. 'A very long time' is at least several months.

[lynda]

Thank you! Sounds like I can relax about it. I'm just unfamiliar, because I am new to this.

[texasreb]

Yes. It sounds like we are in the same boat. Mine refused another meal on 4/2--making 3/6 his last meal.

I think mine is in blue now. He went from being hyper active to suddenly inactive in about 24 hours. It seems accelerated to go from on phase to another so quickly. He had some roughed up scales on top of his head that needed repair and now he has a spot on his side that is concerning.

I attached some pictures of the spot in question. I don't know if it's some excrement (he hasn't gone in a long while); a parasite of some sort, an injury or what. Hopefully the shed will repair it. I'm doubly hopeful that the sudden blue phase will jolt him out of breeding mode and make him hungry.

Here are a couple of pictures of the spot in question--I'm no photographer and I have a grumpy model so I'm not sure if they will do any good. It's funny how pink he turns when he's in blue...
http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj95/texasredreb/snake%20spot%202_zpsglilxva3.jpg (http://s270.photobucket.com/user/texasredreb/media/snake%20spot%202_zpsglilxva3.jpg.html)
http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj95/texasredreb/snake%20spot_zpsqpeepgic.jpg (http://s270.photobucket.com/user/texasredreb/media/snake%20spot_zpsqpeepgic.jpg.html)