Not Eating, HELP!!!

I did a few times feed them in another container...but then realized thanks to alot of folks here who live feed IN the snakes cage and feed multiple snakes at a time that that many people couldnt be wrong...I started feeding our 6 in the tubs and havent had a problem. I also house the rats/mice in the same room as the snakes...We have a couple on fast's right now and one that just broke a 6 month fast...no one has lost weight...are all acting normal..shedding etc...temps are right on and so on...


So just wait it out...no need to keep offering her the rat or a rat back to back after she refuses...she wont starve to death in 1 week...she will only become more and more stressed..and inturn not it...so if your roomates cared they would listen to the people on here who havent been wrong yet and follow some good advice...they havent let me down yet :D

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Originally Posted by bearhart

interesting... I've been using a seperate enclosure due to warnings that you run a bigger risk of getting bit when sticking your hands in their main enclosure. I a big rubbermaid storage tub that is similar in size to his 20 gallon tank. I put him in there and give him about 30-60 seconds to orient. Then when I feel like he's at least looking somewhat in the right direction I drop the mouse in on the opposite side. He's usually looking up the walls and then suddenly he turns his head and you know he's seen it. Then he lowers down, gets in strike position, and waits. The mouse eventually bumbles his way into strike range and bam! its game over. Its been working well but I'm concerned about my guy being in a bad tactical position initially. Eventually I'll have to move to rats and I hear they are more formidable foes...

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If you're going into the enclosure to clean the enclosure, refreshen water, etc, then he's not going to associate his enclosure with food, because you're not going in there to feed every time you're there.

I personally would not want to handle any of mine on feeding day, they are locked and loaded!

Rats are not more forbidable, and since your snake will never need anything larger than a small/small rat (4-5 weeks old approximately), their teeth are softer than adults and quite honestly, I've personally not met a rat or mouse yet that even has a chance to figure out that the snake is even a predator.

I have to admit its always a bit scary reaching into the tub to pull him out after he's done... But, since I reach into his normal enclosure and pull him out for handling daily I'm also comforted by the fact that he has never seen a mouse in his cage. Hmmm....

I agree that the mice are usually clueless. The most I've ever seen them do is kind of avoid the snake - but then they'll eventually bumble over there. I can't smell my snake at all. It seems like the mouse has only his vision to go by (say versus a cat which would have a definate scent signature)

I duh know to me it just made more sense...why it had never crossed my mind before to feed in there homes is still a mystery... in the wild they eat where they live..there not air lifted to another location to eat lol.

And if its done same time..same day each week they wont assume your going to feed them every time you reach in there...I've never gotten a bite from our 6...I take that back...I have one that is a complete maniac...and when moving her to her new tub I got a snap a couple times...that was sweet of her.

Although for me atleast and I know alot of people disagree...I do have to remove the hides and water from the tubs on a few to get them to eat...I drop the rat in and it goes into one hide while the snake sits on the other just hanging out...but once I remove the hide it pounces and were done...never had any problems with it. Where as another will grab the rat without coming out of her hide and before it hits the ground *shrugs* to each his own...the goal is to have happy and healthy snakes and so far so good. :)

I just didnt like the idea of moving them around after they ate (to get them out of the feeding container and back into the cage) they get stressed easy and I had alot refuse to eat that way...now I know better for sure...I know I would much rather eat where I'm comfy...not in some sterile environment thats new to me...

Usually those ive talked to that feed in tubs, leave them in there till the next day. But i am with you, i think they are more confy eating in a familiar place that they know, and can go sit in there hide white hunting, and after eating. Ive been thinking of things to do, so he maybe can associate the difference between, just taking him out or cleaning, to when its feeding time, like takeing him out for a few min, pre scenting the tank ect. Plus, who has the room for an extra set of tubs for each reptile?


oh, make sure your hands dont smell like there food, that will usualy help save from a bite :)

rabernet, OMG that girl is huge!! mind if I ask some measurements for comparison? they are lovely though. the yellowish one is beautiful

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Originally Posted by Gurgie

rabernet, OMG that girl is huge!! mind if I ask some measurements for comparison? they are lovely though. the yellowish one is beautiful

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You'll need to ask Adam - that's his post and his animals! I think he's said the size of her in other posts, the yellow one is a lesser.

Like many here I feed live and I feed in their home enclosure. We've never had a feeding accident, never had a rodent nail the snake and never had a food related bite. Like Robin, we have routines we follow and the snakes pretty quickly figure out what is going to occur. They are creatures of habit so they catch on pretty quick when you do something the same way over and over and over again. We have a routine for handling, another for cage maintenance and a third on feeding day. Usually on the day of feeding (we feed in the evening) they are all primed and ready to go by early afternoon. Some are lurking, peeking out of their hides, others are on top of the hides waiting for a rodent to wander by, others are out in plain sight and coiled in a very alert posture. A few of them spend awhile staring at the exact place they know that I unclip their lids from LOL. Smart snakes!

A few things to consider when you live feed. Don't feed an overly large live prey item, smaller is better....feed a prey item that is itself well fed and well hydrated, they tend to be less aggressive and make a healthier meal for your snake....consider buying live feeders a few days early and feeding/hydrating them yourself....never put live prey directly in your snake's face, introduce it furthest away from your snake so the snake has time to set up it's strike....monitor but do not hover over the snake, that tends to put them off as you are in "predator" position over them which scares them especially the young ones...never leave a live prey item with your snake for more than 20 minutes, if they haven't struck by then, they probably aren't going to.

hey everyone! i just switched up the rats at the pet store, and got a much smaller rat than the one previously purchased...Aurora took it in literally less than a second :) i'm sooo happy right now...one thing, she seemed to have taken in a lot of substrate this time...she usually isn't this messy, but i was just wondering if it's okay?!?! please get back to me, so i can do something if it needs to be done, thanks...oh, and it's ECO EARTH by zoo med...(compressed coconut fiber expandable substrate).

Congrats!! I know what a relief it is when they finally eat again!!

I wouldn't worry about the bedding. Her stomach acids are gonna break down the bone and fur and gristle of that rat....so a little coconut fiber isn't going to bother her. ;)