Coastal doesn't want to eat?

[rocboyz54]

Got my little girl last sunday.Breeder told me that she was fed on the 9th and shed the 11th.Suppose to be feeding on 2 Fuzzy mice.Haven't been in contact before than expect to change water Thursday.Low end temps range from 79-82,ambient is 84 ,warm side is 88,UTH 86-90,and Heat lamp with 88-90 spot.Infared during the night and regular blue bulb during the day.


Now tonight when I tried to feed her just lifted the hide off of her and dangled the mouse right in front of her.She was more interested in tagging my hand instead.She seemed interested in the mouse and even bit it a couple of times.She just didn't take it.They were defensive strikes but I would had thought once she bit the mouse she would be interested in the mouse instead.Tongue was flickering at the mouse but she didn't seem remotely interested in the mouse.Anything I'm doing wrong? Also I plan on switching her to rats but I had some fuzzies left over and decided to use them on her.Right now I just left one of the mice in the hide with her and hoping to see if she will eat.

[vangarret2000]

You shouldn't have taken the hide off. That could spook the snake or make it feel vulnerable which will stop it from eating. If it was my snake I would just leave it again for another week and try again. Make sure it's good and hot when you try feeding.

Why do you have heat lamps on the cage? You only need the UTH. With that you shouldn't be using any bulbs.

[rocboyz54]

Well I got her to eat.After talking to the breeder who told me she wasn't really a feed from tongs type of snake and just to leave it there she ate.And the reason for the heat lamp/uth combo was to give her more options to heat and to help with ambient temps.The temps were in the low 70s before the heat lamp.She'll bask on top of her log under the brushes and she uses her UTH when she wants too.