Not eating, when to worry?

[erikamc]

So Lana hasn't eaten for about 6 weeks now. I understand it can be common this time of year, but how long do I wait before I worry? She has had some changes, but she was still eating three weeks after the changes. I moved her to a different room of the house, all her temps are the same, she still gets the same amount of light, humidity is the same. she's alert and active, she gets excited on feeding day, she just doesn't eat. Today is feeding day, so if she doesn't eat today, it will be 7 weeks.

[daddio207]

Changes?
Is Lana an adult ?

[erikamc]

yes she is, she was reported to be 12 when I got her and I think that was last February or so, that makes her at least 13. The change was moving her to a different room of the house. Although, another change is the damn cats broke the 10 gallon cage I used for feeding her so I started using a rubbermaid bin. But I have also tried feeding her in her tank (which was something I have done in the past when pressed for time) with no luck.

[erikamc]

funny enough, my ball python had stopped eating also (something they are known for), the day he started eating again, Lana stopped.

[Rich Z]

Is she prowling the cage a lot? She might be looking for something you haven't offered her. Like a male corn snake. :)

[Dragonling]

My unfriendly subadult lava blood is on a two month hunger strike now. She was a picky eater before, but now she seems to only like hairless mice. I ordered some weanlings just for her and another that has been refusing for three weeks. I might have force fed her by now, but she's a pain to handle. Fortunately she still doesn't look thin, she just hasn't really grown at all. She'll still be plenty large enough to breed next year if I get her eating again though. Wish me luck if she doesn't eat the hairless...she is rather important for a project of mine. :/ Though if her babies come out hissing and spitting like their mama, she's getting a very early retirement.

[daddio207]

Yeah, that's why all our BP's are in my daughter's collection LOL
This time of year it is usually related to mating season.
An adult corn can go along time without eating. Even 6 months or more can have little effect on the snake's health. An elderly snake like yours can have detrimental results if it goes to long but NO WORRIES at 7 weeks. I would monitor her weight. If she starts losing weight quickly then there is a health issue.
Right now still no worries :)

[Rich Z]

Try rat pups if you can get them. But be warned. I had a few corns that once they had rats, I had a devil of a time getting them back onto mice.

[erikamc]

Prowling? hells yes! I have no clue what her life was like before she came here (as far as previous hunger strikes), except she was once a much loved pet, the owner developed dementia and no one noticed her neglect for ages (her spine was prominent when I got her). I seriously considered trying a rat. I literally just ordered food for my BP but screwed up and I'm waiting to hear if I can alter my order. Tonight, I left the mouse in the cage with her. She was live fed (two hoppers a week) before I got her. (Trying to avoid that) I was elated when she easily took F/T. My friend jokingly suggested breeding her with her BFs albino male, but I wasn't interested in doing that. No clue what I'd do with babies, so sorry Lana, no nookie for you!