fatty

[kingnoddy]

Weve had our corn over 2 years now & he used to eat 1 mouse every week. He then went a month last year without eating at all but he seemed ok. Now he has no real regular meal times....I got fed up of throwing mice away, so now I give him 2 mice (same time) every 2 to 3 weeks. Ive noticed he is very fat but the last few inches of his tail are very thin......ok or not ?

cheers

[PtDnsr]

Pics would help. Info on cage, temperature, hides, etc would be good as well. Do you know the sex?

~Katie

[Msterry]

Hi Kingnoddy
I might also help if you could remember the month it was off feed. It might correlate with breeding season. If thats the case its non feeding might have that as a reason and thats not unusal.
Like PtDnsr said a pic would be a help....

[bitsy]

Agree that a photo would help if you could manage it. Sudden thinning at the tail could be an indication of excess flab, but it's difficult to tell without seeing it.

Mature males tend to fast for a few weeks in the Spring, as they only have one thing on their mind - lurrrve! It does them no harm at all. My 19 year old has refused food for between four and eight weeks each year since he was three, and he's still a strapping chap. They don't tend to lose too much weight during this period as this is basically what nature intends them to do.

If you're worried, it might be worth going down to one mouse per feed. I tend to feed adults one mouse a fortnight and go down to one mouse every three weeks if Weightwatchers is beckoning!

[kingnoddy]

Thanks for the repys :)

I'll get a picture up asap to show what I mean.

[Rich in KY]

Good, it will be good to see him. And also see if the guy is fat.

[kingnoddy]

ok heres the pics....Ive no idea if male or female.

http://www.putfile.com/pic.php?img=6643413
http://www.putfile.com/pic.php?img=6643411
http://www.putfile.com/pic.php?img=6643414

He is over 5 feet long

cheers

[kingnoddy]

btw His viv is 4feet long.....his hide is an exo terra rock, Im not sure if its a bit small. He spends most days curled up in the hide.
Temp is average 80

http://www.exo-terra.com/images/shared/products/snake_cave_3models.jpg

[wax32]

ACK!

There is for sure something wrong with that snake. I am thinking a female with retained eggs or either sex with intestinal blockage.

Time for a trip to the vet IMO.

[wax32]

BTW, does it poop regularly, if at all?

[kingnoddy]

Ive no idea how often they should pooh, I just clean it out when I see it. The fat part of his body is very recent & he did pooh yesterday but only a little bit. His skin seens quite loose around the fat bit hence the creases that have appeared. Hes not bothered if I handle him or feel the fat bit (excuse my french)

I'll try to find a vet asap

[wax32]

It's possible he is just fat I reckon, but I doubt it.

Do you handle him much so he gets exercise? When you let him run thru your hands, does he feel "lumpy" at the fat end? In general, does he seem to have good muscle tone, or is he limp when you pick him up? All good things to know when you talk to the vet.

Good luck to you and your little buddy!

[kingnoddy]

He doesnt get much exercise as the kids dont seem to get him out much these days. Mostly he lies in his hide coiled up.

[PtDnsr]

How recent is recent though? Is it a "this was literally overnight" or a "I suddenly noticed it" fat? I just noticed the other day that one of my girls is getting slight hips even though she's been on a slower feeding schedule (not once a week). It could be that it's just fat deposits or "hips" and that they've actually been developing for a while. I would try getting him out more for exercise and feeding one mouse every two weeks. Keep track of poos as well as this will help to see if it's just fat or if there is an internal problem. A vet will ask you feeding, temperature, and pooing habits as well so be prepared for that if you bring him to a vet.

~Katie

[kingnoddy]

tbh I dont really look at him much. Its my sons snake.

This week ive been checking poo & hes done 3, so no prob there. Ive told the boys to get him out most days for exrecice.
He will only get 1 mouse every 2 weeks.

I think its just fat.....he seems happy enough & seems very healthy & strong.

[Corny Noob]

But it's lumpy...o_O That looks like a seriously gravid snake to me.

[diamondlil]

I think 1 mouse every 10 days and more exercise would help, that's a fat snake IMO

[bitsy]

Mmm. That certainly does look like a diet is in order - I'd be inclined to be brutal and go down to 1 mouse every 3 weeks (my males get that regime for a couple of months each winter and they're fine). But be warned that it could still take months (if not years) to shed the flab if he's not getting any exercise.

It's odd that he has uneven fat deposits though. Might be worth a trip to the vet just to be on the safe side. If he's feeling under the weather for a more sinister reason, that could be why he isn't very active.