Multiple Snakes on Fast (Rant)

So last winter I had around 8-9 snakes and only one (my 8 year old male) decided to quit eating he went from 10-31-13 to 03-13-14.

But now that my collection has grown to 17, and most of my males are within the 600-1000 gram range almost half of my collection has stopped eating. I know its normal its just the first time its happened to me.

After last nights feeding, the tally is up to 5 males, and 1 female who didn't eat (shes 1,480 grams too).

I'm on here ranting to let out my frustrations, its just annoying although I do love the only feeding 6 rats instead of the 12-13 I would need in a week. (The rest are still on large adult mice until they are a wee bit bigger, and one is a mouser for life.)

So anyone else on here have a large portion of their collections not eating? Make me feel better about my situation!!

Right now out of 13 we have 5 that have been off feed and a couple others that are eating intermittently. Does that help?

Does it help that I'm also feeling a bit nervous for my feedings tonight? I don't have anyone in shed, so this morning I pulled out 14 rats to feed 16 snakes (1 eats only live, the other is on a different schedule) after having a "less than successful" feeding week last week. I've always had enough mouths that want seconds to not worry about it. That didn't happen last week. I'm hoping it doesn't happen again.

Here's to wishing us all luck!

3 of my 4 have stopped, too. Stressful!

Of my four snakes only two are eating normally. One is hit or miss and the other has only eaten twice in three months. Yes it's very frustrating :).

Let's see... 25 adult BP's, 10 are on live but half of those are males so if they don't eat then one that normally eats f/t gets a live.

Once the live feeders are gone I thaw half as many f/t feeders as I should need if all the snakes ate. If those all get eaten I can always thaw a few more. Males get offered first, then picky females, then building females.

Any leftovers go to my boas.

After lastnights feed I have 5 out of 11 that refused .... One of those 5 is my pastel female that I am to start pairing on Monday with my bumblebee fella and this is the second week in a row she refused just so happens that it is also the first two times this particular female has EVER refused a meal for me, so I'm a tad stressed over that but the pairing will still commence as she is well within weight requirements

Thanks for all the responses! And thanks for sharing all of your stubborn snakes who wont eat!

I eases my mind for sure.

...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.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Eric Alan

• 5 f/t rats wasted

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This morning, I found a silver lining. One of those 5 became a meal in the middle of the night. For the first time in her life my Sugar actually ate a rat I left in with her overnight. Good girl. :)

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:

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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.

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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


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Quote:

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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.

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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:

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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??

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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

3/9 of my snakes haven't eaten in over a month. One of them hasn't eaten in more than two. You can always tell winter is coming when they stop eating.

Today is day 10 since last unsuccessful feed........going to try and feed tomorrow...fingers crossed

Again.....nothing......blah darn snakes!!

I only have one but has gone on total strike. This sucks.

Luckily my BP doesn't seem prone to hunger-striking now that I've got her on live prey. The worst is when one of my older snakes hunger-strikes; he's so old that he can't keep weight up when he's not eating regularly.