My little headache...

[Moose84]

She is VERY thin, she got here in April at 3 or so months out of egg and in the 7 months I've had her has taken 4 or 5 meals. She was sold to me by a reputable breeder as a female and I have been in touch with him about her, but she's just been a stubborn ass to me when she was pounding F/T rats for him. I do not doubt this person AT ALL.

I have tried everything, and I'd happily give a lot to get her to eating weekly. No matter what it was, even a mouse a week would be better than what she's had recently.

I do greatly appreciate the input, but between the brains on the forums and my friends who are breeders, we can't get much anywhere. Have even resorted to some of the old school tricks they used to get WC babies eating. Live male mouse in a brown paper bag with the snake? Nope...

Paul

It's terribly frustrating to be where you are.. Especially given the other animals are in the exact same environment and feeding fine.. I feel for ya man.. This is one of the times that people come to the forum and are truly in need of help and have exhausted pretty much all of their options... i am used to hearing "I have a 100 gram snake in an 80 gallon aquarium and it won't eat..."

I have heard of people re-homing the animal temporarily to see if another environment all together would work. Problem with that is a snake off food is always a red flag to people with large collections... I'm not implying the animal is sick at all.. Sounds like she is just very high maintenance..

[Bogertophis]

The only "red flag" to me is that it's a fancy morph, & with all the selective breeding for aberrant appearances, sometimes other abnormalities also occur that just
don't favor survival. Who knows what it could be or if it could be helped...many things could influence appetite, & snakes are so stoic.

[pbenner]

The only "red flag" to me is that it's a fancy morph, & with all the selective breeding for aberrant appearances, sometimes other abnormalities also occur that just
don't favor survival. Who knows what it could be or if it could be helped...many things could influence appetite, & snakes are so stoic.

The gal that gives voice to my deepest concern. That somewhere along the line being highly inbred to achieve the genetic combination she is broke something in her eating response. I am hoping, again, that it works out, but I am just very worried about her overall.

Time will tell, I will not give up on her and will continue as I have continued. Hoping one day she just decides that food is a good thing and wants to plow rats like they're going out of style.

Paul

[Bogertophis]

The gal that gives voice to my deepest concern. That somewhere along the line being highly inbred to achieve the genetic combination she is broke something in her eating response. I am hoping, again, that it works out, but I am just very worried about her overall.

Time will tell, I will not give up on her and will continue as I have continued. Hoping one day she just decides that food is a good thing and wants to plow rats like they're going out of style.

Paul

Yeah, I hope that's not it.

One other thing you could try...is to give properly-dosed Flagyl (metronidazole), as it tends to stimulate the appetite in snakes & seems pretty safe. In fact, it might even
be the right treatment for the source of her not feeling well enough to eat. I have used it before (not in very long time) & had no adverse problems, it did the job, actually.
It's also sold in pet stores OTC for tropical fish (aka "Fish Zole". Quick search > > >

Metronidazole (Flagyl). Used on intestinal flagellates and for amoebiasis at a dose of 100-200 mg/kg PO, repeated in 2 weeks. A dose of 40-50 mg/kg PO should be used in colubrid snakes since there have been some problems with the higher doses in some species. ... Dose is 5-8 mg/kg IM or PO repeated in 2 weeks.

Reptile Formulary - ACVC2001 - VIN

https://www.vin.com › apputil › content › defaultadv1

[pbenner]

Yeah, I hope that's not it.

One other thing you could try...is to give properly-dosed Flagyl (metronidazole), as it tends to stimulate the appetite in snakes & seems pretty safe. In fact, it might even
be the right treatment for the source of her not feeling well enough to eat. I have used it before (not in very long time) & had no adverse problems, it did the job, actually.
It's also sold in pet stores OTC for tropical fish (aka "Fish Zole". Quick search > > >

Metronidazole (Flagyl). Used on intestinal flagellates and for amoebiasis at a dose of 100-200 mg/kg PO, repeated in 2 weeks. A dose of 40-50 mg/kg PO should be used in colubrid snakes since there have been some problems with the higher doses in some species. ... Dose is 5-8 mg/kg IM or PO repeated in 2 weeks.

Reptile Formulary - ACVC2001 - VIN


https://www.vin.com › apputil › content › defaultadv1

Desperate times, desperate measures.

If she hasn't taken another meal in the next 30 days we will go this route for sure. Thank you for the thought.

Paul

[Bogertophis]

And I'm not trying to play "veterinarian" here, so by all means, don't take my word for it, you can always check with your vet on this. ^ ^ ^

Good luck, I hope SOMETHING works! Snakes with no appetite are so frustrating...& even worse when you've invested a lot for them.

[Zincubus]

He's WAY past all of this... hahaha..

Meaning you’ve tried everything I mentioned at once ?


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[Moose84]

The gal that gives voice to my deepest concern. That somewhere along the line being highly inbred to achieve the genetic combination she is broke something in her eating response. I am hoping, again, that it works out, but I am just very worried about her overall.

Time will tell, I will not give up on her and will continue as I have continued. Hoping one day she just decides that food is a good thing and wants to plow rats like they're going out of style.

Paul

What is the morph? I'm not sure it was mentioned.. Just noted that the animal was "expensive.."

[Moose84]

Meaning you’ve tried everything I mentioned at once ?


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If you are asking me if I do all that "dim lighting, stand on one foot, make sure they are in a hide, make sure it's past 6:30 EST, blast it with a hair dryer while doing a coordinated zombie dance with a dead frozen thawed rodent..? No.. I don't. I have found that after keeping multiple animals and making my own mistakes, if I place the animal in the best environment for THEIR species I don't need to do all that.

What I was referring to is that this gentleman has tried everything to include LIVE PREY.. If the animal doesn't eat live prey after all of the spot on husbandry changes he made then there is a slight problem... Blasting a FT rodent with a hair dryer will never, ever be as good as a live rat, mouse or ASF...

[pbenner]

And I'm not trying to play "veterinarian" here, so by all means, don't take my word for it, you can always check with your vet on this. ^ ^ ^

Good luck, I hope SOMETHING works! Snakes with no appetite are so frustrating...& even worse when you've invested a lot for them.

Taken under advisement obviously. I'm not going to go off half-cocked with any animal, a $15 normal or this little girl either one...

Meaning you’ve tried everything I mentioned at once ?


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Yes sir, have tried everything listed at least twice over the course of weekly feedings during 7 months with me here. She's only ever taken live for me at this point.

What is the morph? I'm not sure it was mentioned.. Just noted that the animal was "expensive.."

Super Banana Black Pastel (Pos. Pastel) het Hypo (Ghost/Orange Ghost Line)

Best,

Paul

PS - I figured out multi-quote!