Multiple Snakes on Fast (Rant)

Only have 3, all males and all are eating. 4 multis between the adult males, and two small rat pups and a multi for the little guy. They ate twice last week, the 16th & 19th, as the first lot of multis were on the smaller side.

Think the odds were in favour as the week before last the freezer was turned off for defrosting. Put a delivery in it and I forgot to switch it back on....couple days later I remembered! Surprisingly it didn't smell too bad. I did have to throw away a large rabbit, multiple mice, rats, multis and some raw cat food though.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by OodlesOfNoodles

Only have 3, all males and all are eating. 4 multis between the adult males, and two small rat pups and a multi for the little guy. They ate twice last week, the 16th & 19th, as the first lot of multis were on the smaller side.

Think the odds were in favour as the week before last the freezer was turned off for defrosting. Put a delivery in it and I forgot to switch it back on....couple days later I remembered! Surprisingly it didn't smell too bad. I did have to throw away a large rabbit, multiple mice, rats, multis and some raw cat food though.

---

Oh noooo that sucks! D:

Rather than waste refused prey items does anyone re-freeze them? I'll usually re-feeeze once but I always discard after a second refusal.

My adult male went 2+ months without eating and finally ate last Sunday. I'm not holding out hope that he will eat again anytime soon, though I will offer again next week or the week after.

I re-freeze once then throw away. When we are noticing a pattern of picky eating behavior, we feed my daughter's sub-adult male first (small rat vs med rat for my adult) hoping to avoid wasting a rat. :D

We have nearly 50+ and maybe 12-15 aren't eating. But it's mainly because of breeding


Sent from iPhone 6 using tapatalk :)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Eric Alan

...sigh...

Out of the 14 snakes that I pulled 14 rats out for:

• 7 snakes ate - 2 of those had two
• 7 snakes refused
• 5 f/t rats wasted

I've never had a feeding day go so poorly.

After the last two weeks, I'm going to try splitting my feeding day into 2 feeding days next week. I hate wasted rats.

---

This exactly. I feel your pain.

What I end up doing now, is thawing out the amount for the ones that are eating, and try feeding the difficult ones first. If they eat, great! I'll de-thaw a few more for the great eaters. That way I don't waste any.

As for refreezing after trying, as much as I would like to, to save money, I just don't see it being healthy. That and after unthawing them the second time they tend to be really squishy and like to explode when constricted.

Just tried feeding my two again tonight. This is Jacks third time refusing and Rocky's second time in a row....now I am sooo frustrated. Neither one has ever refused a meal......until this past month.

It's winter. Some snakes "fast" in the winter.

Lol how do they know? It's still the same temps and humidity in their enclosures....they were both active and I just knew they were going to eat tonight......seemed interested..but no go.....I hate wasting all these rats......could I start trying every 10 days or 14 days instead of 7??

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by BrandyL1193

Lol how do they know? It's still the same temps and humidity in their enclosures....they were both active and I just knew they were going to eat tonight......seemed interested..but no go.....I hate wasting all these rats......could I start trying every 10 days or 14 days instead of 7??

---

IIRC changes in barometric pressure can trigger fasting. It also triggers mating behavior - put the pair together right as a low pressure system comes in, and they'll go at it...

If these are adults you can put them on a 10-14 day feeding schedule.

Or you can buy a boa to eat the leftovers. :D