Milksnake not eating

[Linda Landsman]

I have an almost adult Tangerine Honduran Milksnake that recently is displaying odd behavior when it comes to eating. After it's last shed, at the beginning of May, it started. I placed a thawed mouse in there , a couple of days after the shed, it was out moving, so I assumed it was looking for food. I put the mouse in there, I saw it move to the cup, so I assumed it would eat it. I came back an hour later, and it hadn't touched it. I tried introducing it again to him, and again , no luck. Threw the mouse away and tried the next day, same thing. A few days later, he finally ate one, so I figured all was ok. Last 2 nights, a week after I feed him last, the same thing is happpening. He'll go right up to the mouse, and just pass it up , yet he seems hungry and hasn't eaten for a week. I even have tried dangling it in front of him on tongs, nothing. I see no sign of any disease, mouth rot etc. He still hasn't eaten. I am really concerned. I have owned him for 8 months, and have never had this problem. Any ideas? Thanks!

 

[Hedorah99]

Two weeks is actually not a very long time for them to go without food. As adults may not be growing as fast as juveniles they generally will not eat as much. How large is the mouse you are feeding it? Sometimes snakes will refuse food based on the size. Whats the temp of the enclosure? Maybe you can try raising it a few degrees. Let us know and good luck

 

[Linda Landsman]

Hi, I have a 20 gallon long, with a 50 watt bulb at one end. The temp in the day is around 88 degrees at the hot end . I also have a nelsons milk for over 2 years, and I keep her the same, and she eats like a pig. The mouse is an adult mouse, but it isn't bigger around than the snakes body, ( when he eats one, there is really no lump to speak of) and he has eaten that size before, but I could try a smaller one maybe. Thanks!

 

[Hedorah99]

Its worth a shot. Do you feed frozen thawed or live and kill them yourself? Another possibility may be parasites. I am just giving you what I have had happen in my humble experience and not trying to alarm you.

 

[OldHag]

My male snakes (Kenyans) will eat like that. Off and on.. whenever.. If they smell a female around they wont eat at all!! Crazy males. They drive me nuts!

 

[Linda Landsman]

Since I have had him, I have given him frozen, thawed mice from a mice farm that only sells frozen, vacuum packed mice. It is a male, so maybe because it is a male, that's why he is acting like that, I was also told that today, that was a possibility, from the reptile store where I got him .I brought him in for them to look at, and they didn't see any signs of illness. I've never had a male before, my other snake is a female. That would be a weird cross, a tangerine honduran, and an albino nelsons! Should I try! Ha, Ha.

 

[JungleGuts]

i wouldnt worry about it yet, its not uncommon for snakes to change or have weard eating habits

-dan

 

[reverendsterlin]

could be in breeding mode, both male and females will go off food during that period especially the males.
Rev