Snake not eating

[pilbers999]

I have two corn snakes which are kept apart in their own Viv's, one is eating fine and has no problems. The other has stopped eating for nine weeks now and I am starting to worry a little, before the snake stopped eating it was on two medium to large pinkies. The first week it stopped it had a complete shed with no problems. The Viv is set to 80 degree F. I have seen the snake drinking its water. Both snakes have been kept in the same room but I have tried placing the non eating snake in another room to see if this helps. But it has not. The pinkies are warmed using hot water and i have tried braining, cutting in halve, slitting the back etc, but this snake is still showing no sign of eating. I have tried placing in smaller cage and covering for a few hours and over night, but still no pinkies have been eaten. I have tried teasing the snake by moving the pinkie but the snake is not bothered by it and will totally ignore it. The snake is still active when held and when its in its Viv it will find somewhere to hid and spend days in the same spot until it decides its wants to change its spot.
I am not sure if the non eating snake is a male snake and this is the reason for its non eating. At the time I got the two snakes it was the biggest snake and was eating it food really well, now it is the smaller snake and seems to be losing weight. At the time I got the snakes I was told by the shop that they were six months old, this was back in March 06, The snake is approximately a foot and a halve in length.
Please Help
Many Thanks Pilbers999

[Chris Olson]

Try leaving it alone for a week. Sometimes in a panic, people will relentlessly offer a food snake when it refuses, but this can actually reinforce the non-feeding response by stressing the animal. Give him a week with no unnecessary handling and without offering him food. After a week, put him in a deli cup overnight with the thawed mouse.

Good luck, Chris

[pilbers999]

Thanks for that Chris the snake has been left alone every week in between feeds but is still refusing to eat this week we left the snake 10 days but he is still not eating we are very worried he just has no interest in the food we just don't know what else to try as we have done everything we can possibly think of and read in books. Many thanks pilbers999

[CMatt2157]

Have you tried feeding live? Sometimes that sparks the snake to eat. Just a thought, have you tried raising your temps to around 85F on the warm side and having the cool side around 75?... so as to have a gradient of 75-85F

[Chris Olson]

so as to have a gradient of 75-85F

....excellent advice. Often overlooked.......snakes need temperature options....


Chris

[Silvergrin]

Things to try maybe;
Feeding live,
feeding lizard scented (or possibly even lizard bits)
feeding in a paper bag

I've never had to try lizard-scented, but it's a trick I've heard about. Some hatchlings seem intimidated by live mice, others get annoyed enough at them that they eat them.
I have one Kenyan Sand Boa that only eats in a small brown paper bag (like, the kind you might pack a lunch in). Not in a deli cup, not in his home, nowhere but a paper bag. Often will only take live too. Maybe that trick would work for a reluctant corn...

I also have a corn or two that have taken to turning their noses up at mice, and eating only rat pups and quail chicks. That's way too big for a baby, but perhaps could also be useful for scenting?

[pilbers999]

Many thanks for all your suggestions i will give them all a try apart from feeding live as in the UK this is illegal so therefore would not be able to buy live pinkies . the snake is still very active even though he has missed 9 feeds i am just keeping my fingers crossed that its down to him been horny ( as men are ). Can anyone tell me how long the mating season lasts so i can have a rough idea of when he should start eating if this is the problem. Many thanks pilbers999

[dwyn127]

Can anyone tell me how long the mating season lasts so i can have a rough idea of when he should start eating if this is the problem. Many thanks pilbers999
Your snake seems alittle young to be wanting to mate, but then again, I'm not a snake; what do I know. I know breeders in these forums have been posting that some males are just starting to eat again since the beginning of March. Hopefully you've got an early bloomer and he'll start soon. Let us know how he does.

[pilbers999]

Hi Just Thought I Would Update You All I Have Today Tried Lizard Scented Pinkies He Still Will Not Eat .we Have Been Putting Avipro Plus In His Water For The Last 7 Weeks . The Temperature In Viv Is Ok And He Still Quite Active And Drinking . Can Anyone Tell Me How Long A Young Snake Can Survive Without Food I Am Starting To Think He Has Just Give Up On Life . Please Help

[albinoscooby]

Hi Just Thought I Would Update You All I Have Today Tried Lizard Scented Pinkies He Still Will Not Eat .we Have Been Putting Avipro Plus In His Water For The Last 7 Weeks . The Temperature In Viv Is Ok And He Still Quite Active And Drinking . Can Anyone Tell Me How Long A Young Snake Can Survive Without Food I Am Starting To Think He Has Just Give Up On Life . Please Help

have you tried braining yet? That may work. Or gutting. He is a foot and a half. Can't you try something bigger than a pink? Try at least a hopper so it will be alive. Are you allowed to buy hoppers in the UK?

[diamondlil]

Pilbers, it's not illegal, if you can prove you are doing it to save the snake, not for kicks or to cause suffering to the live vetebrate prey, I have approx 7 pink/peach left in my litter of feeders here in Kent, you're welcome to pick one up to try if you're near enough

[WRATHCHILD798]

have you tried feeding it a lizard my corn prefers live house geckos over pinkies i think it is because the geckos are really hyper and they bump into the snake then BAM!he takes it down and eats 'em.
hopefully hell eat soon

[0TG.]

Update? My new snake has refused the last two times and I'm looking for a happy ending. It can be really frustrating.

[tgebert]

My one year old (which was cohabed eith brother, my bad) quit eating for three weeks and had a clutch of ten eggs

[pilbers999]

just updating the post he still has not eaten it been 13/14 weeks now he is looking so thin he is still quite active and still drinking . i also noticed he had a small poo today surly he should not have anything left in him please help. i have tried all suggestion's i just don't know what to do now . i really don't want to loose him. please help

[debcash]

Try getting some chicken skin (just peel it off a piece of chicken from the store) and then put a frozen pinkie in the chicken skin and defrost it - if he hasn't eaten in that long, make sure it is a small pinkie. Defrost the pinkie and then take it out of the chicken skin and put it and the snake into a deli cup. I have tried this with 5 long-term non-feeders last year and it saved 4 of the 5. I hope it works for you.
Deb

[pilbers999]

we tried a pinkey with the juice from a baby chick yesterday would that be the same he really just is not interested in anything i worried sick . i wondered if he should still have poo in him after this long (14 weeks) or does that indecate a problem thanks for all help and support through the weeks

[debcash]

I tried the chicken broth too and it didn't work. I think the scent from the fat in the skin must be much stronger.
I am so sorry, I know how hard it is when they do this. I hope your little one decides to eat.

[Mike Pinkston]

I am sure no government in the world would insist that you let this snake starve to death versus offering it a live meal. As Diamond stated that it is not illegal if it is an attempt to save the snakes life. Luckily I live in the US where feeding live is very common. If you have doubts you could probably contact your version of the ASPCA, or an organization like that, in regards to this problem and receive some sort of exemption until the snake is eating again. I feed all F/T here except for one hypo. Lavender that just will not eat anyting but live.

I wish you all the luck in the world.

[diamondlil]

All you have to do is google live feeding reptiles uk, and there is all the info you need. It's generally believed that it's illegal in the uk, due to propaganda by animal welfare organisations who are more concered with fluffy pets.
The problem is that no petstore in the uk will sell a pink for feeding purposes. (except by private arrangement, my local store that I've used for years agreed to help when my mice kept eating their litters, because one of the employees used to keep balls)
So the best option for difficult feeders is to have your own mice. My 3 females are producing regularly now so any people in the kent area who need a pink can pm me and come pick one up now and then!

[elliott54321]

ok tack it to the vets they can help normle
good luck :cry:

[pilbers999]

last resort
We force fed him last night with a very small pinky after 15 weeks of not eating and up to now he has kept it down hopefully he might start to eat again . If anybody has been in this situation before could you please tell us your outcome ? I am really sorry for all the questions but this has been a really difficult few months. We really appreciate all the help and support given thank you all