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Snake active but not eating...

kevindeeley12

kevindeeley12

New member
Ok, it's been a while since I last logged onto this forum and I have tried searching a bit to find an answer but none really correlate exactly to what I am asking.

My snake is about 4 years old, full grown and active. But for the last 2-3 weeks he has not been pooping or eating. IT is the winter season and I have never had him in this season so I am thinking he could be hibernating in a sense.

What do you guys think?
 
Well, if he was brumating, he wouldn't be very active. However, males will quite often go on hunger strike in the spring (and spring comes early for cornsnakes!!) and get more and more active as their instincts tell them to search for a mate. I would continue to offer food every two or three weeks. He could stop feeding for several months and be perfectly healthy. It's very distressing when it happens to you for the first time, though!
 
Yeah i've been trying every week to see what's up but he hasn't been responding really. It is frustrating though.. Thanks though your answer gave me some information I was not too aware of (the early spring searching for a mate part :D).

Thanks for your reply.
 
I have a female 6 month old snow corn that is doing the same thing. Its been over 3 weeks with no food. I've tried making it dance, dipping in chicken broth, leaving over night. No dice. She is super active and really friendly right now. For the first time last week I didn't have to get her out of the cage. Just put my hand in and she crawled right out. How long can they go with out food before I need to worry? I've seen her drink. Also when I put the pinkie in her cage she checks it out and looks interested but then just moves on.

Any advice? Would a young snake go on a hunger strike as well?
 
I'd think that 6 months was far too young to go on a breeding season hunger strike, plus this behaviour is typical of males rather than females.

My first thought is to double-check the temperature at the warm side, on the floor surface. Too hot or too cold can mean problems with digestion and this can be enough to put young ones off eating.
 
Sometimes when a snake goes on a hunger strike, such as males during the breeding season, to make sure they get a little nutrition and to relieve my fears, an overly tempting morsel is usually not passed up. For adults, a live rat pink/fuzzy pup usually does the trick. For a smaller snakes, again, something small and live (pinky or fuzzy) often can't be refused.
 
I have a herpstat set up on the warm side that regulates the temperature constantly. I thought maybe a digestion problem so I gave her a bath which helped her use the bathroom. Only took five minutes for her to go.

I'm still feeding her the smallest pinkies. I've tried the bigger pinkies and she doesn't take them. Here head is still rather small and she's pretty slender.

I'll have to give the live pinkie a try if she wont take the F/T for now. I just don't want to get in the habit of using live. Seems a big hassle and a little sketchy for the snake. I guess a live pinkie really couldn't do any damage like an adult mouse.

How long can a young snake go before its a serious issue?

Thanks for all the responses.
 
Try placing your snake in a small container with two f/t pinkies and leave it in there. Worked for me when my lil guy had no interest in food
 
Thank you, I think that is my next move. I tried chicken broth last night and when I checked on her this morning it was still there. Did you heat the small container?
 
No problem. I would place the container in a warm area so the smel of prey is stronger and stays warm for a bit longer , remember place two pinks inside it's like they choose which one to eat
 
How best to weigh a corn snake? The vet said not to worry if she was not eating as long as my snake was not losing weight.
 
Get a container that your snake will fit into. Weigh the container, then put your snake in and weigh it again. The difference between the two is the weight of your snake. Do not put your snake on the scale. They are crafty buggers and if it is small enough to slither in, it just might.
 
By the way have you tried live? Mine still wont touch a fronze or even pre killed mouse. If she can't play with it there is no interest. I got a mouse from the pet store that ended up being rather lethargic and she wouldn't eat it. Alive and kicking is the only way she eats. Sometimes you get a picky cornsnake.
 
My baby(yes that is her name) hasn't ate or drank anything in two days. she is a 8 month old ball python and my first snake. Should I be worried
 
PLEASE if you have a question, start a new thread of your own; don't piggyback on to someone's old thread! THANK YOU!!
 
I have a adult corn snake who is very active but wont eat, it has been over a month now and all it does is pick up the head of the mouse and then just drop it!! Is it typical for this to happen?
 
I heat up the mouse in a bowl of hot water and when the mouse gets nice and warm I give it to my snake, and have fed it that way since I bought it as a baby. I am just worried because it wont eat
 
areostar5 said:
I have a adult corn snake who is very active but wont eat, it has been over a month now and all it does is pick up the head of the mouse and then just drop it!! Is it typical for this to happen?
Click to expand...

My male Corn snake does the same thing every year at this time ... It's the breeding season ... I haven't even got a female Corn snake in the house !
 
kevindeeley12 said:
Ok, it's been a while since I last logged onto this forum and I have tried searching a bit to find an answer but none really correlate exactly to what I am asking.

My snake is about 4 years old, full grown and active. But for the last 2-3 weeks he has not been pooping or eating. IT is the winter season and I have never had him in this season so I am thinking he could be hibernating in a sense.

What do you guys think?
Click to expand...

Breeding season -- that's what I've been told ...
 
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