Snake is rejecting food, appears healthy

[TehIzFactor]

http://i563.photobucket.com/albums/ss79/GekkouOujou/100_2421.jpg?t=1243389268 This is my little sweetheart, Takoda, I just joined this forum, may possibly be more actively participating . She's still a juvenile, barely eighteen inches and I have a bit of a problem with feeding her. I know she's not about to shed, she just did last week, she seems by all signs healthy, active, yet she's refused a fuzzy two days in a row, and she's normally an aggressive eater. She refuses to even be near the food, and I haven't changed my feeding methods at all, so I'm just a bit confused as to why she could be rejecting her food. She's never had a single feeding problem before. Any ideas?- Iz

[medusacoils]

Try waiting until after she sheds. Also, when you have a snake that refuses, you should wait until the next scheduled feeding day to offer food. Offering too much will do nothing but stress them out. Just to let you know that a snake can go for a period of time without eating, so no worries.

Good Luck,

Wayne

[RobbiesCornField]

I'm guessing that photo is from the last actual feeding?
Try holding off for at least 4 days between attempted feedings. Trying to feed too often can stress them out, and condition them to believe that mice = stress, and not want to feed again.

[TehIzFactor]

Well that's the thing, she's already shed. Last week was her last shed, so she's not even close to shedding again. I feed her every monday, and I've never had any problems. I tried feeding her again today, and she seemed uninterested in the food. I've put the fuzzy in her tank, and I'll see if she eats it by the morning. I only feed her frozen food, and this has never been a problem since she was raised on it. By next scheduled feeding day do you mean next monday? - Iz

[RobbiesCornField]

Try using tongs to dangle the mouse and make it "dance". It might entice her to eat.

[TehIzFactor]

I'm guessing that photo is from the last actual feeding?
Try holding off for at least 4 days between attempted feedings. Trying to feed too often can stress them out, and condition them to believe that mice = stress, and not want to feed again.

Actually this is a photo is from a couple of weeks ago, but it's the most recent photo I have of her. But what you're saying makes sense, if she doesn't eat the fuzzy overnight I'm taking it it out of the tank and just waiting until next monday.

[TehIzFactor]

Try using tongs to dangle the mouse and make it "dance". It might entice her to eat. I've always used the feeding tongs and dancing technique to entice her, and every other time she's eaten she's followed it, struck, then coiled around it and swallowed her meal, this time she was completely ignoring the food, even turning away from it.

[cornspot]

Are your current mice from the same source as the others? Maybe they smell or taste different?

[TehIzFactor]

Are your current mice from the same source as the others? Maybe they smell or taste different? I've been using the same brand of frozen rodent from petco, where I originally purchased her. I've never had a problem with the brand before. I'm finding a vet tomorrow and seeing if maybe they might shed some light on it.

[BobbyHill]

You really don't need to take the snake to the vet yet. There's nothing to worry about for the time being. Just try feeding again in a week or so.

[TehIzFactor]

Well, I put it in her tank for awhile, she still wouldn't eat it, even when introduced to it. So I put her in her feeding box with it again, after once again soaking it in hot water, and still, nothing. Though when I put her back in her tank, intending to leave her with it overnight she ate it, swallowed it completely and then immediately curled up to sun. I've never had her fuss over eatting in her cardboard box before. Is there a reason for her strange behaviour recently?

[Tracee]

Honestly, probably not one you can identify. Sometimes they refuse food just "because". Sometimes a change inside their vivarium or another kind of stress, or of course shedding, just puts them off.

Do you feed at dusk/night? If not, try doing so, to help her feel less vulnerable. You can also try leaving her in the feeding box (inside the viv) overnight next time, in case she is getting a bit shy - mine did as he grew older.

But yes, Robbie did mean that you should wait until the next Monday (if you always feed on a Monday) to try again if she refuses a feed. You don't want to condition her to refuse by offering it day after day.

I'm sure everything is absolutely fine but it is always worth checking your temps to make sure it's warm enough for her to digest properly and that isn't why she refused. You're doing everything else right but it's always good to check! :)

[TehIzFactor]

Well I've always fed her roughly right around or just after sundown. These are the times when she's seemed most eager to eat. Her temperature is in the normal zone, and she has plenty of shade , her cave if she wants to cool off (honestly she loves that cave to death), I really appreciate all the advice. I'm a first time snake owner, so I think I might have just over worried a bit when my baby didn't eat. Actually, I was phobic of snakes until I handled Takoda, now I'm absolutely in love with them. She's got a very distinct personality that's starting to show, and I suppose part of it is being finicky about her food sometimes. Again, thanks for the advice everyone- Iz