Kova Progression Thread

[dakski]

Hmm ok
Kiva didn't eat this time either, I checked her weight today and its 9g again now? I double checked and she is truly 9g. Do you think the 30g was a misreading or was it legit? I haven't seen any signs of shed. Thanks!


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Misreading!

Small prey equals small growth. My 1,100G boa eats a medium rat (110-130G or so) every 3 weeks and gains 30-50G a feeding.

No way she went from 7G to 30G and then back to 9G.

If she went from 7G to 9G in 35 days, that sounds good.

My female Corn snake (baby), went from 22G to 28G in the past 30 days eating a meal every 5-6 days that averaged 4-5G each. I imagine you are feeding much smaller prey than that.

Either way she looks great and congrats on a wonderful little hoggie! I wanted one, but can't take the risk of a bite because I am immune suppressed due to a kidney transplant. I ended up with an Albino Carpet Python instead. Not too bad. However, I am still living vicariously through you and other Hognose owners. SOOOOO CUTE.

[GpBp]

Misreading!

Small prey equals small growth. My 1,100G boa eats a medium rat (110-130G or so) every 3 weeks and gains 30-50G a feeding.

No way she went from 7G to 30G and then back to 9G.

If she went from 7G to 9G in 35 days, that sounds good.

My female Corn snake (baby), went from 22G to 28G in the past 30 days eating a meal every 5-6 days that averaged 4-5G each. I imagine you are feeding much smaller prey than that.

Either way she looks great and congrats on a wonderful little hoggie! I wanted one, but can't take the risk of a bite because I am immune suppressed due to a kidney transplant. I ended up with an Albino Carpet Python instead. Not too bad. However, I am still living vicariously through you and other Hognose owners. SOOOOO CUTE.

Thank you so much! I figured there was no way, but I'm still getting used to her and I didn't know if maybe she could gain that much somehow? Thought I'd get an opinion lol. Thanks for answering so quick! I'll start posting pics and updates more often to help you survive
Why would she not be eating though? Seems like it's kind of early to be due to a shed, I haven't seen any signs at all. Hope she's not starting to get picky... Guess I'll just offer again in 2 days ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Thanks again

[MinniesBuggies]

Thank you so much! I figured there was no way, but I'm still getting used to her and I didn't know if maybe she could gain that much somehow? Thought I'd get an opinion lol. Thanks for answering so quick! I'll start posting pics and updates more often to help you survive
Why would she not be eating though? Seems like it's kind of early to be due to a shed, I haven't seen any signs at all. Hope she's not starting to get picky... Guess I'll just offer again in 2 days ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Thanks again

My female hognose (3 months old) went off feed before she got blue eyed and shed she ended up missing 5 meals (I offer ever 3 days) and hasn't eaten since that was 4 meals ago. So she's missed 9 meals total. So it's possible yours could be going into shed and you won't notice her blue eyes till like a day or two before she sheds .. or maybe weather change? I've read that the weather can have an impact on their feeding schedule

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[GpBp]

She didn't eat again Starting to get worried! That's 20 days no food
Should I do anything? Should I be worried? Thanks

[HannaKessler]

Most likely a misread somehow. Maybe your scale was zeroed wrong.

[GpBp]

Cmon Kova...

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[GpBp]

Nope This is the 25th day shes gone w/o food. Im really worried. I dont understand, im doing it the exact same as i was in the beginning when she was eating but now she just doesnt seem interested at all! She smells it and knows its there but just turns and leave, and if i try to press it further she starts hissing. Im leaving it overnight again, i doubt shell take it. Should she see a vet? Thanks

*i weighed her 2 days ago and she hasnt lost anything, still 9g

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[tttaylorrr]

Nope This is the 25th day shes gone w/o food. Im really worried. I dont understand, im doing it the exact same as i was in the beginning when she was eating but now she just doesnt seem interested at all! She smells it and knows its there but just turns and leave, and if i try to press it further she starts hissing. Im leaving it overnight again, i doubt shell take it. Should she see a vet? Thanks

*i weighed her 2 days ago and she hasnt lost anything, still 9g

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relax bby!!! have you reached out to @Deborah or @craigafrechette ? if i had a hognose issue, they'd be my #1s.

the lack of weight loss is good; that's not a bad sign.

good luck!!! you both got this.

[Craiga 01453]

Hey, sorry I somehow missed this thread til now, thanks @tttaylorrr for bringing it to my attention (as well as for the compliment )

Anyway, @Deborah is much more experienced and knowledgeable than I am, but here's what I would do...

I would switch her to a smaller enclosure and start from scratch, as if you just brought her home and she hasn't eaten yet for you.

No handling during this time until she's back to eating consistently.

Also, I wouldn't offer more often than every 5 days to start. Offering too often can further stress the snake and be counter productive, causing more refusals.

I would also stop trying to dig her out if she's burrowed prior to feeding. Simply open her enclosure and offer. She'll be able to smell the prey. Most hognose won't eat off tongs that young either, so I would just dangle and wiggle a little to spread the aroma and leave the prey. She'll smell it and find it when she feels it's safe to come out.

As for the huge weight gain, there's no way. Pinkies only weigh 2-3 grams and are primarily water since the mouse hasn't developed yet. So her intake hasn't been close to that. Hognose have a very fast metabolism too, so A decent amount of the intake is processed and "disposed of". So there was an error there somewhere.

Hope I helped out here. Good luck. Hopefully Deb will see this soon and correct me if I was wrong anywhere in my advice or reaffirm what I said and help you further.

[GpBp]

Hey, sorry I somehow missed this thread til now, thanks @tttaylorrr for bringing it to my attention (as well as for the compliment )

Anyway, @Deborah is much more experienced and knowledgeable than I am, but here's what I would do...

I would switch her to a smaller enclosure and start from scratch, as if you just brought her home and she hasn't eaten yet for you.

No handling during this time until she's back to eating consistently.

Also, I wouldn't offer more often than every 5 days to start. Offering too often can further stress the snake and be counter productive, causing more refusals.

I would also stop trying to dig her out if she's burrowed prior to feeding. Simply open her enclosure and offer. She'll be able to smell the prey. Most hognose won't eat off tongs that young either, so I would just dangle and wiggle a little to spread the aroma and leave the prey. She'll smell it and find it when she feels it's safe to come out.

As for the huge weight gain, there's no way. Pinkies only weigh 2-3 grams and are primarily water since the mouse hasn't developed yet. So her intake hasn't been close to that. Hognose have a very fast metabolism too, so A decent amount of the intake is processed and "disposed of". So there was an error there somewhere.

Hope I helped out here. Good luck. Hopefully Deb will see this soon and correct me if I was wrong anywhere in my advice or reaffirm what I said and help you further.

I've reread this a couple times, thank you *both so so much.
I'll go ahead and put her in a 5gal (she's in a 10). I thought she was going to be so much bigger when she got her, I would've started her in 5 if I knew she was this tiny lol.
I haven't been handling at all since she stopped eating, exept for the weighings of course, but those were short sessions.
I've been offering every 5
I'll stop waking her up/disturbing before she eats. Last time I didn't have too because she was always out, but I won't even if she's hidden away.
Thanks guys so much again