My Snake Needs Help!

Hello,

I found these forums and hope that you can help me out, i'm worried about my snake, ive had him for almost a year now and got him from someone @ work who was relocating. I knew nothing about snakes so did a few google searches, found out the basics, everything seemed to be going fine, Sam was a good regular eater, really friendly, Sam would not be very scive in his viv, just seemed to chill under his bark and occasionally come out for a drink or poke his head out, we would sit chilling watching tv together with him wrapped round every now and then. He was about to shed just before Christmas so had not eaten for just under 2 weeks, Sam then shed and has been acting odd ever since, Sam has not eaten since and has been constantly active, always on the move round his viv and seems to try to get out by pushing his head against the viv glass sliding door! I let Sam out round the house for a wander almost every day and seems happy enough, but seems really hyper and the 'head against the glass door' thing makes me feel terrible for keeping him.

:shrugs:

Hmm well he seems like hes on hunt mode? Have you tried cutting open the mice so he can smell them easier? How old is the snake?

I was told he was a year old when i got him but always suspected he was a little older as he's quite large, I have tried cutting the mice. I am planning to buy him some small rats this weekend as i was thinking some diff food might make a diff, am i thinking along the right lines?

Yes you are ive heard dipping the mice in tuna water helps the snake recognise it ??

Well i wouldn't get too worried yet, ive heard that sometimes snakes do go off food for a while some go a couple of months without eating for no reason. You could try scenting the food with something like tuna or even anoles (small lizards). As long as the snake seems healthy I wouldn't worry too much yet.

its more the behaviour that worries me the most, any thoughts on that? It does seem like he's in hunt mode. Like hes trying to get out of the viv at times by pushing his head against the glass. Never just chilling in hides

Maybe for some reason he isn't recognising the food? Does he sniff it at all or just ignore it completely?

Have the temps changed in his viv?

temps are normal and have always been the same. He just stairs the mouse out and never moves towards it, he would usually circle the mouse with his head a few times before going on for the bite, or snatch it and constrict as soon as it got near him

Maybe he doesn’t recognise it? Do you feed in the viv or in a separate tub? If you feed in the viv he probably doesn't realise its there, im assuming you feed f/t since your from the UK? So slit the mouse and move it around in front of him he may smell it and strike this way? Idk. He may just generally not be hungry. Have you noticed any weight loss, do you weigh him? If not have you noticed that he has become any slimmer?

Lee Roy Brown said:

its more the behaviour that worries me the most, any thoughts on that? It does seem like he's in hunt mode. Like hes trying to get out of the viv at times by pushing his head against the glass. Never just chilling in hides

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He does seem kind of young to be in hunt mode, but I would say he is on the hunt for a girl snake. Many people will say there sanke is in constant motion, won't eat... Mine did this last spring always pushig at the lid, trying to get out, roaming around the tank and he only ate twice in around 6 weeks.
Letting your snake roam in the house may not be a great idea, as corns snakes are very fast and can slip into some place you can't get him or harmful to him.

I would agree with Susan. If he is two - three years old or older, it may be that spring is coming and he is looking for a mate.

Iv always fed him him in the viv, thats the one thing i think ive done wrong as ive read on here its safer for him to eat somewhere without the bedding, , he has a large rock that i feed him on so that there is less risk he ingests the bedding. I feed him mice that have been frozen/thawed, i feed him with tonges and wiggle it to make him think its alive. I have already tried the cutting of the mouse. He looks healthy he's big and powerfull, fatter than ever. Its not the lack of eating that worries me so much, its been a month and a half and i guess he'll eat eventually, its the extreme change of behavious since his last shed

Yeah like the other users have said he’s probably looking for a mate then. Don’t worry too much if he seems happy and healthy he will eat eventually.