Reptile & Amphibian Forums

My grey-banded king will not eat. This is what I have tried so far: scenting the pinkie with a green anole and putting the cage in pitch black darkness over the night.

Do breeders train their snakes to eat frozen mice? I only ask that because every time the mouse moves my snake will get away from it.

Scenting with a fence lizard or earless lizard. Try using the shedded skin from the Lizard and place it on the pinkies head.

If not that try washing the pinky and leaving it in the cage.
If that doesn't work try splitting the pinkies brain after it has been thawed out and leaving that in the cage. Also I have heard they eat better when you increase the humidity.

Hope this helps. The best thing is to be persistant and dont force feed unless you have to ... also you know that some people put hatchling Alterna into hibernation a month or two after hatching and then when they come out they start eating.

Best wishes,

Steven

Thanks for the tips I'm going to try washing the pinkie before trying the "split head".

when scenting wash the pinky first to get rid of any mouse scent to allow only the lizard scent to prevail. Use an unscented soap, such as ivory. If you use a scented soap then that scent will prevail and negate the lizard scent.

Thanks I didn't wash the pinkie yet because now he's starting to pay more attention to it. I now have my fingers crossed to not have to do the "split head".

I have washed the pinkie and it did not work. I recently read that you can use chicken or beef broth to scent the pinkie. Does this work for grey-bands? (It was for ball pythons that's why I ask)

First off I think it may be a good idea to wait a couple of days before making another effort. That wait would be a good time to find a spiny lizard or an earless lizard somewhere. And by find, maybe somebody here, or in your area has a spare in the freezer they can pack up for you.

Ask around... Or if you are in an area that they exist, hunt one up yourself.

Plan B would be to force feed, but that is an open invitation to injury for the animal, and stress for both of you. Plus there have been times that it worked, but it was the only way to feed the animal. Not a good long term plan.

As a last resort some breeders will give the animal away with a list of its issues. Nothing personal, but a slight change of venue can get a response too. Not that they will do anything any better, just a change.

I have gotten a GBK to eat pinks frozen/thawed or live washed and scented with house geckos. I only had half a gecko left, and I washed 10 pinks scented them with the gecko piece, and she ate a live one. I froze the rest just like they were but separate from other pinks. She has since eaten 2 more without even putting her in a deli cup. Before that, I had a hatchling GBK that drowned, I tried scenting and putting the snake in the enclosure, but no interest. There are people in the classifieds with house geckos for sale. Has yours ever eaten? I did have a hatchling eat a f/t pinkie minutes from the egg a few weeks ago, but it hasn't eaten since. Good luck, keep us posted. Derek

I've never seen a house gecko before at the local pet stores. I know that so far green anoles are worthless in scenting a pinkie. Around how much do the house geckos cost? Right now I'm trying a small cut in the pinkies gut. It's not working so well all he does is smell it then leaves it alone. If I do find the right style he likes his pinkie would he eat it right away or wait till it's dark?
Thanks for the tip.

Try putting a little whole in the f/t pinks head then squeeze a little. How are you thawing you pinks? Wash them a little with non scented soap, and make sure to rinse completely, then do the braining thing. I wouldn't even put it in his cage until almost dark or right before you go to bed. Then whatever you do, don't look in until morning. To thaw, just set a pink out for about an hour or 2, then wash it. Then do the braining. Let us know what happens. Derek

That's what I'm trying right now, the hole in the head method. Is the head supposed to leak a milky color? Also is braining just a hole big enough to see the brain?
I'll keep you guys updated.
Attempts so far:
Scent with green anole (still can't find any house geckos)
Cut pinkie in gut, nose (seemed to take more interest in)
Pitch black darkness(wothless)
Hole in head (no answer at this time)

How old is your snake? Where did you get it?

I'm not sure on the age but he is around 10 1/2 inches. I got him at a reptile show.

Do you know what the name of the breeder was? Sometimes if you talk to them after you get the snake home, you find out exactly how they feed them. There is no rush. Snakes can go along time without eating, so I wouldn't rush him. Did the breeder tell you it was eating pinkies?

The breeder said he had already eaten. The breeder also gave me a phone number to call him if the snake was not eating. My guess is he fed him pinkies.
I'm going to try to get him to eat next saturday.

I would give him a call to see how he does it. Sometimes it is just something simple. He gave you his # in case you needed help. Where do you live? Derek

I live in Ohio and I got my grey-banded king at a columbus reptile show.