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Interested, but not actually eating?

Alli_Draggy

Alli_Draggy

Wadjet's family
Wadjet has been occasionally refusing a mouse-she'll pick it up, and then drop it. She did this earlier, and I assumed the mice we had had gotten freezer burned or were otherwise unappetizing, so I got some from a breeder friend. She took one, and then, today, picked up the mouse and dropped it. She's very active and cruising a lot, and definitely ACTING hungry-but refusing mice like she thinks she's a ball python!

Temps are OK, humidity is quite high right now because it's raining frequently.
 
How old is she?
Springtime is known for causing corns to go off food because they all have 'spring fever' (breeding drive) But if this also happens at other times of the year, _ I don't know. She may just be a picky eater, have you tried switching where you get your rodents from? maybe there's some other odor on them from the 'farm' that she doesn't like...

If she refuses one week, does she eat normally the next?
 
She's about 6-7 years old. We've had her about 2 years, and she was supposedly 5 when we got her.

She refused two weeks ago, we got new mice, ate last week, refused this week. The only thing I can think of is that these new mice are black in color, while the ones we got previously were white. I think some of these were breeding females as well. They certainly LOOK more healthy and like a better meal than the ones we'd gotten previously from repticon!
 
Other people here have a lot more experience than me so maybe one of them can chime in. But what you describe, and she's old enough, sound like 'spring fever'. Mine are all over their cages, right now.. they'll 'wreck' their setup - shoving hides and water dishes around and upturning their bedding.

I have read of snakes having a color preference in their mice, but never heard it directly from an owner, but it's certainly possible. Do you feed in a separate container? If it has black/dark sides, the mouse might blend in more, but you say she picks it up, then drops it (distracted?) So she has no problem finding it.

You don't have any boy snakes around now, that you didn't before, do you? If she smells a male, and it's 'spring' that might also be changing her behavior.

You could try warming up the food more than normal ? (close or more than 'live' temperature may make them more appealing -just don't cook them!!) Have you tried to wiggle it with tongs and tease her with a little to get her to strike it? (as she latches on, continue to wiggle it a little to keep her focused on 'killing' it until she wraps around it.

If she's in otherwise good health and weight (which I"m sure she is) missing a meal now and then won't hurt her. But I'd be worried just like you if it were mine. Everything else has been good? Normal poops?

I don't know if this would work, but the next time she refuses, give her a few days then try giving her a long handling session just before you feed.. Drape her around your neck, have her crawl along your arms and generally get her moving around a lot.. She'll be getting warmed up good from your body heat and the activity may stir up her metabolism and appetite.
 
I would cover her feeding container with something dark and give her about 2 hours to make up her mind. If she doesn't want it, just try again at the next feeding time. It is most likely a spring thing as mentioned already.

I believe that mouse colour preference is a superstition!
 
nancyg said:
I have read of snakes having a color preference in their mice, but never heard it directly from an owner, but it's certainly possible. Do you feed in a separate container? If it has black/dark sides, the mouse might blend in more, but you say she picks it up, then drops it (distracted?) So she has no problem finding it.
Click to expand...

I started feeding my big beasties black large adult mice about the same time spring fever rolled around, and not one of them ate the black mice. I don't know if they are racist or not, but no one has eaten in over 2 months.

Tomorrow (although not technically their usually 2 week feeding day but since they haven't eaten in months...) I will try white large mice and see what happens.

I will let you know what happens.
 
Tonight, although being a non-feeding night for the big beasties, I had an extra white mouse from Vader who's eyes are bluer than anything!

I offered it to Bootsie who hasn't eaten in over 2 months and he slurped it down. So maybe it is the color, or maybe the black ones are no good. They came in the same package from RodentPro, but who knows. I will feed everyone the slightly smaller white mice next week and will see what happens then.
 
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