Non breeding snakes going off feed during breeding season

Is this common? All my snakes (hatchlings, subadults and breeders) are kept in the same room. I began cooling and pairing around the beginning of October. There is plenty of breeding going on between my adult breeders... And the female breeders have gone off feed. However, my subadult females(around 1000g) who are not getting bred, and have always been chow hounds, have also started refusing meals. Is this normal?

My younger snakes (300g or less) are still eating as normal. The breeders and subadults are all in the same rack and the younger snakes are in their own, but they are all being kept about the same temp. (I dont lower my hot spot temps, just the ambient)

Any info?

maybe your subadults are at the point on their biological clock where cooling means its time to breed. i know that some females are ready to be bred at 1000g, just because you dont want to start breeding them doesnt mean their not ready.

I only have 7 snakes at the moment and I do have one non breeder girl that has refused meals for the past 7 weeks. All others are still going to town thankfully.

Maybe try not cooling at all. Your breeders are already in the mode to breed and it's possible the bump back up in temps will force the subadults into eating again. Alot of people have great success with not cooling at all, so this may work for you, or they may be stubborn and still not eat. I had a girl who was bred but didn't go last year and she didn't eat a single thing for 6 months last year, another who didn't breed and didn't eat for 4 months.

Of my snakes, the ones 500 gms and higher are fasting now and have been for a couple of weeks. None of them have been bred or are going to be bred this year, but the two 1500 gm females are wrapping their bowls.

The 125 gm baby is having a field day on the mice.

Your room is too cold. Keep at around 78 and they will eat. anything under 75 room temps could start winter fasting.


We see similar threads every winter