Will snakes go on "hunger strike" even if underweight?

[Zincubus]

Hi, I've checked the temperature and it seems all in order, I have a basking spot of 30°c and the cool end is normally around 25-26. He rarely leaves the basking spot in the day. Of a night, I drop the temperature down to 26°, with the cool end staying at about 22 at the absolute lowest.

He has two identical hides which he goes between but mainly he stays in the warm hide.

I don't know what he was previously fed on apart from large weaner rats (he is 1143g), the ones I am feeding him are white. I read that sometimes this might throw them off if they used to eat brown rats, not sure if that's actually true though?

I warm in hot water in a ziplock bag, then brain, and then blow-dry for about 15 seconds.

Something you have said has just made me think, I've always tried offering him the food while he is out and about exploring, I've never tried it while he is poking his head out the hide. Could this be causing issues if he is particularly shy?

I think, after reading your post and others, what I'm going to try is to wait til his head is poking out or just before to his normal night time activity (not fully exploring) and gently bob the rat up and down outside of his hide and then leave in the vivarium overnight. Does that sound like a plan or have I got something wrong?

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90% of the Royals I’ve had over the years would run for the hills whenever I dangled Mouse/ Rat in front of them when they were out and about .

I thaw the frozen rodents naturally in the snake room to get the scent circulating.. I don’t like the idea of thawing in water as it must wash away some of the vital rodent smell ..

Try feeding , evenings in dim/low lighting. ... wait until the snake is well settled under a hide then warm as you normally do .. have the viv /rub open and ready then dangle in front of the hide entrance INSTANTLY whilst it’s still warm ( the last bit is vital ).... if no luck just keep repeating and repeating ..


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