Adult corn snake hasn't eaten in 2 months! Please help!

I was wondering if I could get some advice regarding my corn snake who won't eat. He is a hypomelanistic cornsnake and will be 3 years old this coming August.

He's got me really worried. He hasn't eaten in 8 weeks. I faithfully attempt to feed him every week, except for last week, he shed, which was a perfect full shed. I see him drinking which is good. I'm giving him the same size thawed rats he's always eaten. He appears interested, will smell and move around it. I even think he's coiling around because when I go back to it it's quite floppy like he's been playing with it. I've tried putting him and the rat in a small feed box for a few hours but still nothing. I haven't tried a mouse instead of rat, fresh killed or live. I was hoping not to have to go that route. He's had frozen/thawed rats since he was born.

He did this last year around the same time but only for about 4 weeks then he was right back on his food.

His temps are good I think. 87 on the warm side, 72 on the cool. I think humidity is good since his sheds are always full, never partial. He's actually had 2 bowel movements since his fast started, which all appear normal. He appears to have possibly lost a bit of weight, I can pinch a small bit of skin but he appears bright, alert and still very strong.

And his behavior has changed somewhat. He is normally a very shy snake. Likes to hang out hidden, will wander on occasion but not very often or for too long. Lately he's been out and about alot, sometimes with part of his body in his water dish. I find him looking for a way out of his cage most of the time. He'll be running his nose along the wires on the top of cage looking for a weak spot. He is still very docile and gentle, has showed no aggression at all, just not himself.

The only thing different is on occasion I find my cat sleeping on top of his cage. I shoo her away and shut the door when I find her. I've make sure she's not in there when I feed him. Although he should be used to her, he's been around her since I got him on July of 2008.

I thought maybe he was in hibernation mode and now he wants to look for a girl snake but 8 weeks seems like a long time to me. I last tried to feed him on March 6th with no success. I'm not sure if force feeding is the way to go now or not. I've never done that and wouldn't want to injure him or stress him out more.

I'm worried about him. I don't what else to do with him. I was hoping to get your advice before I whisk him off to vet.

I'm going to attempt to feed him a mouse instead of a rat tomorrow night.

Any advice you can give me would much appreciated. Thanks very much.

Breeding season..... but you probably knew that...
Don't worry about it... It's normal...

I thought that might be whats going on. How long should I let him go not eating before I seek vet care?

I agree. Sounds like your boy's a man! Don't try force-feeding - you could just get him associating food with stress and put him off when he finally does remember that he has a stomach as well as... er... other bits!

If he's keeping to his usual schedule, one of my males is about to enter his annual three month fast. Once you get used to their patterns it's a bit less nerve-wracking. Just keep offering food at weekly or two weekly intervals. Don't worry - yours will start up again evntually.

Eight weeks and more without food is fine for a healthy adult male Corn. Does he appear to be losing any significant weight or muscle tone?

By all means take him to the vet for a checkup if you really feel concerned, but I'm betting that he'll tell you the same thing.

How long should I let him go not eating before I seek vet care?

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I'd only consider it if he appears to be losing a lot of weight or muscle tone, or developing an obvious health problem.

One of mine went through an extended phase of not eating - he ate twice in seven months (a stress-induced fast following a house move that merged into his normal mating fast). He's now a ripe old age and lived to tell the tale entirely unscathed.

Thanks for the advice. He appears to have lost a bit of weight but muscle tone is still very good. I feel much better now abou this refusal to eat. He was keeping me up at night worrying about him!

Yep, they do love to do that!

One of my males has been off food now for 48 days. He did the same thing last year and went 62 days. I wouldn't get too worried yet.

My male has not eaten since Jan 28, and the vet told me not to worry about it until another six weeks from now. Mine is in luv mode and is now in Blue for the second time in one month.

He too has stressed due to a move, a prior mite problem, and i am waiting for his upcoming shed to try and feed him again.

Cheers

Thanks, that puts me at ease. Hopefully he'll be back on schedule soon.

lbrown290, if your snake is whats in your profile picture, then this is quite eerie. mine looks exactly like yours, is only about a year older, and has been doing almost the exact same thing!

i was worried for awhile that the cold weather in florida (its odd saying that) was putting him off, but now i feel much better.

Yes, that is a pic of my snake. Hopefully they will both start eating again soon.

So did it eat yet?

One of my male corns ('07 Hypo) has been on a hunger strike for a while too - lol - Love is in the air! He last ate Feb 13 and has skipped the 3 feedings since... bonus for the female I am breeding this year. I had expected this and am not worried because he has always been a good eater. I must admit I figured he would eat after hooking up a couple times, but I guess he still wants more :licklips:

No he has not eaten yet. I tried him again this last Sunday gone by. He seemed very interested. Came right to it as soon as I put it the tank. I felt very optimistic but when I went back in several hours later it was still there. It's now been 9 or 10 weeks since he ate last. Hope he figures out he still has a stomach soon!

Try leaving it in with him overnight and see if that does the trick.

Thanks, I will try that. If he doesn't eat soon I think I'll feel compelled to take to the vet. I know they can go a long time without eating but it worries me. I think he may be starting to lose a bit of weight. His skin seems a bit slacker than it used to be. At what point would you take yours to the vet due to non-feeding?

mine has eaten very little since the beginning of january. but im not too concerned because he is in the process of shedding. as far as i know, that is a sign that he is still healthy.

is this true?

One thing that helps around here is only attempting to feed every two weeks. I used to have so many males refuse to eat this time of year, I would have to feed all my males first, and then a few hours later collect all the uneaten mice and give them to the females. Now I only offer every two weeks and vary rarely get refusals. Why they seem to refuse food for four weeks if offered every week, but take it if you skip just one week is beyond me but I have found it works. Maybe it makes them sense food is more scarce so they better take it when they find it.

My Corn Snake Wont Eat Neither For About 4-5 weeks

My Corn Snake hasn't Eaten in 4-5 weeks , We've had him since the 16th December 2014 he was eating fine until he shed about 2 weeks ago which was a good shed

He also moves around his tank like hes trying to get out and going up and around the viv going upside down and everything i'm new to all this .. this is my first ever snake and im just worried for him ive told my wife we need to take him to vet but really dont no !!!!!! PLEASE HELP ME !!!!!!

cjcaunce89 - Mine does the same, and has since I originally posted in here (has it really been 5 years?). Every spring, he seems to forget that he has a stomach. Given his behavior, I've written it off simply as "hunting for chicks." I just keep observing his behavior, and when he starts acting hungry again, I'll offer him a mouse and see what he does. If he eats, I'll offer another at the next feeding, and everything is business as usual.