Eeden troubles (my rescue pueblan)

So Eeden has stopped eating again. I have no idea what is going on. He is in a 20L. 2 hides, plenty of things to climb and lots of plants. Temps sit between 78-85 depending on where he is in the enclosure. He is wanting out again. Just roaming. He ate a big meal 3 weeks ago and. Now refuses to eat but roams like he is hungry. I'm worried. He is 11 years old.

That's not much of a temperature range, & I'd lower it. Try for 70* at one end & about 82* on the other. How long is he now? (wondering if a 20L has enough
length compared to his)

I'd drop the temps down too. I'd personally shoot for loser to 72 & 82ish, but Bogertophis has much more colubrid experience than I do, so I'll defer to Boger on this one.

And yeah, please remind me of his size?

When I got him he was 31" same length of the tank. Now he can stretch the front and wrap almost to the back. So maybe 41-42"

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Originally Posted by Sunnieskys

When I got him he was 31" same length of the tank. Now he can stretch the front and wrap almost to the back. So maybe 41-42"

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I'm thinking that a 20L (30" long tank) is not enough room for him to get away from the warm end of cage, & I think he's over-heated. I don't think 2* will matter much-
as far as the low end being 70* or 72*- mainly his cage temps. need to come down & that he may not have had enough room in a 20L to thermo-regulate as he should.
It sure seems like he's been trying to tell you something is amiss. Also, is this heated by UTH? What size is it?

I wouldn't be worried just yet. He's middle-aged, his metabolism isn't as fast as when he was a growing youngster, and he had a huge meal recently.

My adult milk/king snakes all are on a 10-14 day feeding schedule over the warmer months, and a few won't eat while in shed so they'll miss a meal periodically. Plus over the winter while I don't brumate them, they sense the season change and back themselves off to feeding every 3-4 weeks. I would give him another week and offer a smaller feeder, just to see if he's interested.

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Originally Posted by bcr229

I wouldn't be worried just yet. He's middle-aged, his metabolism isn't as fast as when he was a growing youngster, and he had a huge meal recently.

My adult milk/king snakes all are on a 10-14 day feeding schedule over the warmer months, and a few won't eat while in shed so they'll miss a meal periodically. Plus over the winter while I don't brumate them, they sense the season change and back themselves off to feeding every 3-4 weeks. I would give him another week and offer a smaller feeder, just to see if he's interested.

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Yes, I agree with this too ^ ^ ^ and maybe that recent big meal is sending him into a shed, who knows? Don't panic.

Don't have any wisdom on the matter but would like to see a photo or 2? :P:D:):O:rolleyes:

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

I'm thinking that a 20L (30" long tank) is not enough room for him to get away from the warm end of cage, & I think he's over-heated. I don't think 2* will matter much-
as far as the low end being 70* or 72*- mainly his cage temps. need to come down & that he may not have had enough room in a 20L to thermo-regulate as he should.
It sure seems like he's been trying to tell you something is amiss. Also, is this heated by UTH? What size is it?

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Uth is small. Little bigger than his hide. Red heat lamp on the hot side. And a thermostat regulates the uth

Quote:

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Originally Posted by bcr229

I wouldn't be worried just yet. He's middle-aged, his metabolism isn't as fast as when he was a growing youngster, and he had a huge meal recently.

My adult milk/king snakes all are on a 10-14 day feeding schedule over the warmer months, and a few won't eat while in shed so they'll miss a meal periodically. Plus over the winter while I don't brumate them, they sense the season change and back themselves off to feeding every 3-4 weeks. I would give him another week and offer a smaller feeder, just to see if he's interested.

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His previous two owners only fed him 1 fuzzy his entire life. He was small, the size of a bubble tea straw and 30" long. I have him up on hoppers because he refuses to eat an small adult mouse.

Ok just did a cage clean. While I was moving things around I took his uth temp with a heat gun. 85.2. Reset his hides, water dish, plants, ect and put his accurite temp/humidity gage at his warm hide under the lamp. Whoa! Holy schmoalas! 90! So I moved down to a 40w bulb to see what readings we get on the warm side. If it goes above 80 I'm buying a new lamp itself with a dimmer. This is the one he came with. He also looks to be a little darker so he "might" be starting a shed. Looking at his feeding charts he shed 5/31. He ate 3 hoppers on 6/2 (I weighed them and made sure they were total 10% of his body weight). He did eat all 3. He hasn't eaten since and just roams the cage like I'm starving him. His average shed is every month to month and a half.

Here is his feeding chart.
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...717be9cd94.jpg

I'm wondering if you really need that overhead lamp for added warmth? (especially this time of year?) In any event I ALWAYS run overhead lamps (if any) on
a dimmer, as they generally make tanks WAY too hot...& unless your house is really cold (?) I'm betting you'd do better with a 15-25 watt bulb, especially for a
tank this size. (and dim down even that wattage) I think he's been getting over-heated...he's a ground-dwelling snake that will burrow & use the UTH warmth,
it's not as if you need to warm all the air, as you might for a BP. "Cool it" as they say...:cool:

Also, this is a desert snake...and deserts get quite cool (cold) at night...so you don't need that overhead basking warmth at night, only by day.

Ok. Temp is down to 82 now so I will get a dimmer lamp. I will also turn off the lamp at night and see if it makes a difference. Thank you!

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Originally Posted by Sunnieskys

Ok. Temp is down to 82 now so I will get a dimmer lamp. I will also turn off the lamp at night and see if it makes a difference. Thank you!

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During the day, if it gets to 86* between the UTH & the lamp, that's OK as long as he can get a LOT cooler at the other end of his tank. In a 20L, it's a challenge
because the heat builds up to where the "cool" end just isn't cool enough. A 40 gal. "breeder" tank would be preferable...you'd have a better separation of temps.

Ok, so I bought a smaller dome (5.5") with a dimmer. I did this so it really only heats his hot side and doesn't spread to the cool side. 40w red heat bulb. Dimmer is at max right now and temp is sitting steady at 79. He is in shed since he is not coming out of his hide at all right now. The lamp is sitting over his hot hide only and his heat mat reads 85.

Does this sound good?

Sounds fine. I assume he's in his cool hide now? That's typical for shedding, probably don't need the light on at all if he's deep in shed, but won't hurt.