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Male on Hunger Strike!

RedCloud

RedCloud

New member
Hello again everyone :)

So far the lovely snake and I have been doing just fine and I've been able to get back into my daily life without worrying about coming home to a snakey disaster. For those of you who don't know, I adopted a 3yr old corn snake about 2 months ago and he's my first ever scaled friend :) Since early March he's settled in quite nicely and was eating regularly. Then I had a regurge at the end of march, but he ate again Mid april with no problems. After that I went on a short 3 day vacation for Easter and he's been refusing food since then. Its now been about 3 weeks since his last mouse. I know this is the crazy breeding season, and he's been ALL over his tank the past few weeks. I've never seen him so active haha. When I put him in his feeding tank, he seems more interested in escaping then in the mouse. I've tried braining them and heating their heads with hot water but with no success. The closest he's every gotten is picking one up by the leg and playing with it for a bit before loosing interest. He doesn't seem to have lost any weight (I'm picking up a scale this week) and has been very active up to two days ago. Now he just pops his head out of his warm hide every once in a while. I've tried a mouse every week and so far he's refused 3. I don't have any other mouse eating creatures, so I keep having to chuck em and I hate wasting. Anything else I can do? Are there any signs that he's ready to eat? Should I try again this week? All temps are totally normal as well as the humidity. I've been over them like a hawk so I don't think thats the issue.

Chipotle and I thank you for your help in advance :)
 
I would not be worried at all after 3 weeks. Double check your temps and start offering a hot prey item every 2 weeks instead.

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Ignore me mentioning the temps above, I didn't catch the last part of your post.

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You could also try feeding him in his enclosure instead of moving him. Heat up the mouse in hot water before offering too

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TyeW said:
You could also try feeding him in his enclosure instead of moving him. Heat up the mouse in hot water before offering too

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I always heat the mice before feeding him, I just usually make sure the head is extra warm. I'm really worried about feeding inside his viv. First off, I don't want him to associate things coming into his viv with food, and (more importantly) I don't want him eating any of his aspen. I know people who feed inside the viv usually place the mouse on a feeding tray of some sort, but he sometimes pushes the mouse around before eating so I'm not sure if that would be effective in preventing bedding consumption.
 
I would say watch his attitude. My new guy had a mini-strike. I was worried at first, but he was very happy otherwise. I was handling him the other night and noticed he got way more defensive than usual(rattling his tail and getting ready to take a nip at me!). I thought "hey, maybe he's hungry! I've wasted three other mice so why not try again?" I put him in his eating box, watched some netflix, and when I checked up on him it was gone. One major change besides attitude is I put him in a very dark enclosure for feeding. He seemed to respond much better to that. Also, what time are you feeding your friend? They might do better at night/evening.
 
And how big is the place where you are trying to feed? IME the more room you give, the more likely your snake is to just cruise around and ignore its dinner. I restricted space so my snake and his dinner could be very close. ;)
 
Don't be worried yet! Many male snakes go on a hunger strike during the breeding season. A few of mine have this year, and it is annoying, but I just keep offering them food once a week.

It is too bad that you have to waste the mouse if he doesn't eat it, but to me it sounds like you need another snake. ;)

I would keep offering him a nice hot mouse once per week. The only change I would make to his normal feeding routine is to try offering him something smaller than he would normally eat. One of my males has been refusing food for about a month now, and he finally ate a hopper for me (he usually eats an adult).
 
elliotulysses said:
I would say watch his attitude. My new guy had a mini-strike. I was worried at first, but he was very happy otherwise. I was handling him the other night and noticed he got way more defensive than usual(rattling his tail and getting ready to take a nip at me!). I thought "hey, maybe he's hungry! I've wasted three other mice so why not try again?" I put him in his eating box, watched some netflix, and when I checked up on him it was gone. One major change besides attitude is I put him in a very dark enclosure for feeding. He seemed to respond much better to that. Also, what time are you feeding your friend? They might do better at night/evening.
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Oh really? Poop. Sweet little Chipotle has yet to strike or show any aggression towards me. In fact, I think he's been OVER tolerant of me haha I remember when I first got him (not long ago lol) I was afraid to take him out. I didn't mind *Holding* him but grabbing him out would sometimes take me 10min just to get up the nerve haha Unfortunately my 'feeding container' is a Rubbermaid SnappTopper which isn't very secure. It snaps shut on either end, but I've seen him push his head on the sides and the lid gives. So I can't just stick him in the closet for an hour and check up later. I tried covering the lid mostly with a blanket, and he just stops moving altogether lol I always feed him at night :)
 
hypnoctopus said:
Don't be worried yet! Many male snakes go on a hunger strike during the breeding season. A few of mine have this year, and it is annoying, but I just keep offering them food once a week.

It is too bad that you have to waste the mouse if he doesn't eat it, but to me it sounds like you need another snake. ;)

I would keep offering him a nice hot mouse once per week. The only change I would make to his normal feeding routine is to try offering him something smaller than he would normally eat. One of my males has been refusing food for about a month now, and he finally ate a hopper for me (he usually eats an adult).
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Hmm, when I got him, he was eating large mice. Now I'm offering him small adults. I would love love to get another snake. Unfortunately, I'm 18 and still live with my mother. I think if I were to bring home another snake, she would go through the trouble to get a gun license, buy a gun, shoot me, and then throw me out. :eek:

However.... If I were willing to brave said circumstances, any suggestions for a voracious feeder? Preferably something that could live in a 30-55gal and wont eat my family in the middle of the night :) Also would have to be something that doesn't require precise humidity. Actually I wouldn't really care if it was even a snake, as long as it will devour left over mice and isn't terribly hard to care for :rofl:
 
I would suggest another corn, but maybe a female because they don't usually go on hunger strikes. A king snake would be another option. They are usually overly enthusiastic feeders.
 
Maybe up the temp just a little bit if he's staying in his hot hide all the time. And I'm sorry but my iPod wont let me on to the chat idk how to ask a question elsewhere but maybe someone can help me I've noticed a slightly whitish spot starting to appear on Kestrel my corn snake and then I notice more along her body. I will post a picture tomorrow but like its not bright white it's just her scales are starting to fade into white in little sections. She's a year old in August... Could this be a sign of 'calico' syndrome or piebaldism? If so, are there any other harmful side effects of this, and is there any way to stop it? I don't want her to lose her beautiful colors! She's such a gorgeous snake!!
 
hypnoctopus said:
I would suggest another corn, but maybe a female because they don't usually go on hunger strikes. A king snake would be another option. They are usually overly enthusiastic feeders.
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I'd love another corn, as they come in such nice morphs and have such even temperaments. Not really sure 'bout a female though cause of the hold egg laying thing :/ I've had female birds with egg binding and it's a real pain!
 
Nanci said:
Florida kingsnake.
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I was gonna get a king snake as a first snake but heard they were a bit flightly/nippy. I've not seen anyone near me selling Florida Kingsnakes though :( The place I got my corn from has a few california kings, including albinos, and banana kings. Not sure if theres much of a difference between them though. They also have some milksnakes as well.
 
There's a huge difference between Cali kings and Florida kings. Florda kings can be bitey and musky as young snakes, and can also go through hunger striking phases in their youth. Florida kings are gentle to handle, but will eat anything. I have never been bit by one aside from when I was rummaging around in the viv of one, in blue. I just got a little warning tap, which scared the bejesus out of me! I _love_ my FK, Janine. You can probably find them at a reptile show.
 
Nanci said:
There's a huge difference between Cali kings and Florida kings. Florda kings can be bitey and musky as young snakes, and can also go through hunger striking phases in their youth. Florida kings are gentle to handle, but will eat anything. I have never been bit by one aside from when I was rummaging around in the viv of one, in blue. I just got a little warning tap, which scared the bejesus out of me! I _love_ my FK, Janine. You can probably find them at a reptile show.
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So my best chance is to get an adult Florida Kingsnake? Everyone is always recommending reptile shows lol But I've yet to see any near me >< I'd order one online, but the cost would be a fortune AND most places only sell hatchlings. I can't belive I'm considering another snake :p I mean....having one snake isn't THAT much different from having 2...? *cough* Right?

Anywho I'll be attempting another feeding with the little creep tomorrow. Hoping he eats. Ever since the regurg, I've been dusting his mice with Nutribac. He took one mouse with it fine, then went on hunger strike. Should I put nutribac on his mouse tomorrow?
 
I'd try him without. And I'd also try a smaller mouse, like a fuzzy or a hopper. And get it really hot, and even dry it with a blow-dryer.

I've got males here that have been on hunger strike for a month or two, though- it's that time of the year. None of them did it last year, but this year they are crazy!
 
I tried to feed him today, he didn't take it :( This time I tried a hopper and I blow dried it + brained it. He pushed it around with his face a few times, but didn't eat it. I left him in the container for about 2hrs. He constantly paced around looking for a way out. I took some photos of him after. ImageUploadedByTapatalk1399806972.415891.jpgImageUploadedByTapatalk1399806983.765045.jpgImageUploadedByTapatalk1399806998.317930.jpg

He looks ok to me, and he's very active but then again I have 0 experience. He's missed 4 feeds already. I'm still looking for a scale, so I don't know his weight but I don't think he's lost any. Any opinions?


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