Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have this young-of-the-year moccasin that I can't get to eat. I've kept numerous larger specimens in the past and never had any trouble getting them to take F-T rodents. This one has refused F-T / live rat and mouse pinks, both unscented as well as scented with frog, fish, and canned tuna juice. I recently offered a live anole and got the same result - bitten and killed then ignored. Anyone have additional ideas about getting this little one feeding? I may just have to brumate it and offer food again in the spring. Thanks for any advice.

WK

I've raised a number of neonate/juvie w/c cottonmouth and here's a few things you can try:

- small cottonmouth need to feel very secure. Choke the cage with various logs, bark slabs, small and secure rock piles with nooks and crannies, etc. It's a pain to maintain but it will help the snake settle in. use a sand/soil (more soil) mix and scatter dead leaves all over the surface. Provide a large, but very shallow water dish w/plants around the edge
- w/this semi naturalistic set up, make sure you have a bright, warm basking spot on one end of the cage so that temperatures in this small area reaches around 90 deg. F while also providing cooler spots.
- first try some live frogs; whatever you can get locally. You can also try a small live crawler mouse or something like that. I can usually get them to take frog scented fuzzies offered via thermostats. The key is to be very still and quiet when feeding. Leave the prey overnight if need be.
- patience is your best friend.....if it looks like this snake is just not going to feed, brumating it is certainly a good option to pursue.

Rob Carmichael, Curator
The Wildlife Discovery Center

>>I have this young-of-the-year moccasin that I can't get to eat. I've kept numerous larger specimens in the past and never had any trouble getting them to take F-T rodents. This one has refused F-T / live rat and mouse pinks, both unscented as well as scented with frog, fish, and canned tuna juice. I recently offered a live anole and got the same result - bitten and killed then ignored. Anyone have additional ideas about getting this little one feeding? I may just have to brumate it and offer food again in the spring. Thanks for any advice.
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>>WK
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Rob Carmichael, Curator
The Wildlife Discovery Center at Elawa Farm
Lake Forest, IL

I was going to add much the same response but am now just echoing Rob's response. It sounds like a stress scenerio to me.
Perhaps brumating this animal prior to it settling in may be a bad idea. Stress = compromised immune system.

Ian

Thanks for the advice Rob and Ian. I'll try a little longer using some of your ideas, but if no luck by the first of the year, I'll probably cool it for a few weeks. The snake is in a building where it gets exposure to the natural photoperiod only. Other formerly aggressive feeders in the same buidling have gone off feed so I suspect the little moccasin is also probably just ready to call it a year. It has good body weight so I think it will do well brumating as long as it has fresh water.

Regards,
Wasil

My girlfriend and I acquired a WC neonate this year. We offered live fuzzy mice and he usually took them but it would take a couple of days before he was interested in it. During the first couple of months he would kill the mouse but would not touch it until it until it became a "little funky." He's the only snake that we've owed that would do this and thank God he eats in a more regular fashion. If your snake is killing the prey item you may try leaving it in there for a couple of days. From what I understand, they can be very opportunistic in their feedings.

try a small piece of chicken gizzard.