Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have a young female sinaloan milk that initially took thawed pinkies for the first couple months, but then started to refuse meals and has only accepted live for several months now. Its sibling has no problem accepting f/t. Does anyone have any advice on how to get it back eating f/t? I have tried teasing, braining, leaving in overnight.

Thank you
Zach

Mine sometimes do that when they are not really hungry. As long as it is a healty weight, not showing signs of dehydration or skinny let it go for a few weeks without eating. You can offer it f/t if you want, but dont with live. It may not be that hungry and getting spoiled.

Best,
Vinny

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“There is a grandeur in this view of life, with its several powers, having been originally breathed into a few forms or into one; and that whilst this planet has gone on cycling according to the fixed laws of gravity, from so simple a beginning endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful have been, and are being, evolved.” -C. Darwin, 1859

Natural Selection Reptiles

I've let it go for over 3 weeks without eating, only offering it frozen thawed, still no luck...should I hold out for longer? I'm thinking maybe the pinkies I'm using are maybe a bit old. I plan experimenting and offering it pre killed as well as "fresher" frozen ones.

I had a yearling female do that to me last year...it was a little bit later in the year though. She had been eating great, then only would take live then stopped altogether. I ended up hibernating her last year and she came out eating like a champ.

Try soaking the mice in hot water and putting them in the cage wet. My sinaloans in particular seem to prefer wet mice. Give it a try.

Good luck.

Dave

DNS Reptiles

My GBK did the same thing to me. He started out eating f/t, which is unusual for a GBK, then stopped after a shed. He would only take lizards for over a month. I was so frustrated and worried, as he was a very small hatchling (10.5 inches) and the supply of hatchling anoles was running out. What finally worked was I descented the pinkies with normal bath soap (Ivory, etc.). Rub the soap in your hand, then rub the pinkie around in the soap for a minute or so. Rinse all the soap off. Then offer it. You may try both forceps and leaving the mouse for the snake to find, especially right outside the snake's hide area.
Another thing I noticed is that some of my hondurans would start out great after I acquired them, and then stop eating after a week or two. After much frustration and trying different temperatures and other tricks, I discovered something that has made a huge difference: a small humidity box. The humidity is so high here in Southwest Louisiana that I didn't think I needed to provide them with even more, but it turns out that some of them need it. I fill a deli cup with shredded paper towels soaked with water. I cut a hole in the side (careful not to leave any sharp edges) and replace the lid. Sometimes I place the food item inside the cup with the snake. I've had really good results with this and the snakes seem much calmer with a choice of hide spots.
Good luck!

I have a 2 y.o. male Sinaloan that has pulled the switcheroo now a couple of times on me w/ regard to feeding. He went from eating hoppers to small adult mice to rat pups back to small adults then to not eating @ all for 2 mos, back to hoppers and recently he took a rat pup. That said, maybe try to play around w/ his diet and see what he'll accept w/ regualrity. Be thankful that he's still eating also.

reako45