Reptile & Amphibian Forums

My 6 foot female northern pine ceased eating regularly around three months ago. All I've been able to get her to eat are live rat pinks and fuzzies. She used to happily eat f/t medium rats but now will not even give them a second sniff. It is very hard to find pinky/fuzzy rats here in NYC and the rare times I do find them I have to buy all of then at $2 a piece. Last time she ate 9 in one sitting. I've been thinking about trying raw chicken. Anybody have any luck with this? Any suggestions on getting her back to normal?

I feel your pain..... I have 8 npines it seems that every year, some, not all like to change the menu. I held back some 06 hatchlings and they were raised on rat pinks ,up to fuzzies, I put them down and when they came out half hearted ate rat fuzzies [24 inch snake] I tried mice of proper size and they killed them my big breeder female goes from birds to mice to rats. in my years of keeping and breeding snakes [30years] it is best to have a supply of different food items my big breeder female wants mice right now I would try some adult mice on your snake.if that dont work try some chicks to get them jump started dont feed a steady dietof chicks they will make the snake have runny stools ...... hope this helps GOOD LUCK Joe

Thanks for your reply Good news, I finally got her eating F/T yesterday. So far she will only eat crawler rats but at least she downed 6 of them before getting full. Won't be cheap feeding her such small food items but it will do, I'm just glad she's eating. Her future mate is just the opposite. He's an 06' male and still he downed 3 rats the same size as she ate in one sitting.