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Female Snake Not Eating

pitzMike
06-26-2019, 12:35 AM
okay so ive been keeping snakes for almost 5 years now and already know that some cornsnakes will be off feed especially during breeding season. But, there is one particular snake that is bugging me. She is a 3year old creamsicle which I bred last April. 2 weeks after her successful breeding, she went off feed which I thought was a sign that she is having eggs. Unfortunately, a month pass but no eggs were laid. She ate again last May 20 then refrain from eating again until June 5 which she ate her last food. Now, I offer her a mouse every week but she only sniff them but will not eat them. Her body is still good although she have lost a couple of grams. Now im getting a bit concerned should she continue to refuse eating.
I know that it is very common for MALE cornsnakes to go off feed (I have several males that goes off feed for 1-2months) but this was the first time that I had encountered a female going off feed for almost a month now.
I know going to the Vet is necessary but vets that accept exotic pets here is so far in between. :eatpointe:eatpointe

Karl_Mcknight
06-26-2019, 11:09 PM
A snake can live a very long time without food. As long as the snake is not acting sick or losing weight, there's probably nothing to worry about. I've heard of some snakes not eating for several months and being perfectly ok. You stated your snake ate last on June 5th. That's only 21 days ago (3 weeks). I only feed my snake every 3 weeks. When he goes off food, he sometimes goes 6 weeks or more.

pitzMike
06-27-2019, 01:12 AM
Hi Karl, im aware of the off-feeding behavior of snakes but I believe it is more common in Male snakes (?). I had several case of Males going off food and being restless during the mating season but never a Female. I only have females refusing food when they are going to shed or is gravid so this baffles me. Have you also noticed this in your females?

MysticExotics
06-27-2019, 10:40 AM
Have you changed your rodent supplier lately? Maybe there's a scent she doesn't like with a newer batch of food.

Karl_Mcknight
06-27-2019, 06:22 PM
Hi Karl, im aware of the off-feeding behavior of snakes but I believe it is more common in Male snakes (?). I had several case of Males going off food and being restless during the mating season but never a Female. I only have females refusing food when they are going to shed or is gravid so this baffles me. Have you also noticed this in your females?

I don't currently have a female. But I have heard of all snakes (not just corn snakes, not just males) sometimes refusing to eat.

There are several reasons why a snake might not eat. If the temp is not right a snake may refuse food. If something in their surroundings changes (move the cage, new hides, change of decor...etc...) they may not eat. Mating season, they may not eat. Also, when a snake is about to shed it will sometimes go off food for a while. I've seen this many times with both males and females.

The main point I was trying to make in my above post, was that your snake had only gone 3 weeks without food and you were sort of acting like it's a crisis. I was simply trying to tell you 3 weeks is nothing.

pitzMike
07-01-2019, 04:31 AM
@MysticExotics - I already tried offering her from 2 separate batches of mice but to no avail.

@Karl_Mcknight - not really panicking but im just curious since most of my females never go off feed unless they are gravid or going to shed. No changes in the enclosure either. Tried again yesterday but still no success.