Our hogs are at 78-90 DF so, hopefully she will be able to digest. She is also alert and active still. So again we hope she can digest.

Snakes do not carry on the production of gastric fluid when not needed, it does not matter what the temps are.



Normally when snakes are not feeding, they seek cooler temps, as soon as they feed, they head to high heat to restart the process, when back off to cooler temps as needed. This is how they work naturally. What happens in small boxes, has very little to do with snakes, please understandd, small cages are about people. And its the people who make that choice, not the animals. Please, this is not meant to be offensive, its just what we do. Not what they do.





We haven't tried moving her. It probably wouldn't hurt though as she is already not eating. We have just one year of experience with hogs. Although, we do have 50 in our collection. Our experience with moving them has been that they can tend to stop eating after a move. Especially, if the move is to a new bigger home. But like I said, It couldn't hurt at this point.



There is some misconception that snakes are picky and any little thing will stop them from feeding. That is wrong, naturally and all that means is, they can and do get the temps and other conditions they need,(in nature) they eat anything anytime. And feed super aggressively. In other words, they grab food and ask questions later. You know, is this something edible.

So to stop feeding from a simple move to another cage is way off base. They stop feeding because their conditions are not being met. Not fully and that is the important part. Whats important is, you understand that the conditions in small boxes is not going to reveal the real snake, its in most cases very limited. Our cages only give us little parts of these snakes.



On a side note, snakes scent make their home areas, a new cage is void of their scent and therefore not part of their home. Try moving all the cage furniture with them to a new larger cage.



In nature, they move from only a few feet, to many hundreds of feet a day. So why would a larger cage stop them from feeding. again, normally the long travels in nature are to feeding areas. Please consider, this information is to help you think.



I do agree that we should let them be and do what they will. We just really hate to lose one for not making the effort. All of our hogs are CB. They don't have any real world experience but instinct I am sure plays a part.



Thats not the point, in order to let them be, you must have what they need in your cage.



The problem is, the smaller the cage, the more difficult it is to include more choices for the snake to make.



For instance, you mention a range of temps, yet that is in a small area, so how does it work? How do they work that out. We use the term "usable temps", which means, the animal in question understands and has the ability to use those temps provided. Just because a probe can read a temp, does not make it usable. SImply put, to be usable, they must use it.



Please no offense, but folks like Rex say, not all will survive and would have died in nature. That is wrong. Nature has things that KILL you. That kill you if you make the slightest error. Its not about an individual does not have a feeding response. ITs more about getting hit by a ramcharger(dodge). Or a bird of prey. Or freezing to death because you picked the wrong shelter.



ALso snakes behave based on need. IF a snake has no need to continue feeding in marginal conditions, they stop feeding. Yet, its still about marginal conditions.



I do agree with Rex, if your animal chooses to stop feeding and your not going to change the conditions to something more supportive, then do allow it to conserve energy by brumating.



Of course I do not know this but, you seem to be wanting this particular animal to grow so you can breed it sooner. I am sure your smaller individuals are feeding fine. Maybe even others of this ones size and gender. Which does bring up the point, its an individual, and in nature, individual variation, is what allows species to exsist. If they did not have this individual variation, then one event would kill off the entire population.



pinky pumps were invented in the early 70's by this fella in the northwest(worked at Boeing). Then others make them. Its a syringe that you put pinkies in, and it liquifies them and injects them into the stomach of the patient. You do not have to force or trick a snake to do anything. Its also not assoiated with the actual prey item. An analogy is, I am sure if your Doc force fed you a chicken leg, you would not want to eat chicken legs later. Most folks avoid foods that have caused them problems, thats an inherent survival tool.



please understand, its natural to avoid tramatic experiences, And being force fed/ assist fed, is normally tramatic. Avoiding past bad experiences is how these animals work in nature.



About shoe box keeping, many here(Rex and such) think I am against it. I am not, what I am against is basing your thoughts on snakes as if shoe boxes(small cages) and a small temp range is NORMAL, optimal, right, etc. It is not. Its a human invention to make a task simple. Small cages are about people, limited choices are about people. Their marginal at best, and ok, if managed well.



Look outside, imagine rolling fields of grasslands and think how would your snake live there, not walls, no limitations. That is what they do.



AGain best wishes and PLEASE, no offense to anyone mentioned or not.

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