Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have a male and female wc bullsnakes. This is my first winter with them and one of them has gone off feed. I am assuming it is because winter is approaching. Is there away to entice her to continue feeding through winter. I am not a breeder so I have never brumated my kings. The snake in question is not more than two years old. Has the brumating habit been imprinted already and is there not a way to reverse it?

Thanks
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0.1Florida King
1.1 Eastern Kings
1.0 Black Milksnake
0.1 Honduran
1.1 Kankakee Bull Snakes
1.0 Chow Chow (2003 Papi)
0.1 Cats (Shug)

Well, try different food types. How big are they? Brown-paper bag her, your best bet is to try and find some wild mice... good luck, she just wants to hybernate...

Clay

they have more than doubled in size since I caught them. They are probably right at 4'. She has been eating fine up until the last couple of feedings. I know it is just a seasonal thing, so I don't know if the wild mice would trigger a feeding response? Her appetite has been fine until now. do you think keeping her temps normal would induce her to start feeding again or should I just let her brumate?

Thanks for the response,
Miller
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0.1Florida King
1.1 Eastern Kings
1.0 Black Milksnake
0.1 Honduran
1.1 Kankakee Bull Snakes
1.0 Chow Chow (2003 Papi)
0.1 Cats (Shug)

Different species, I know, but my largest WC Glossy has done the same thing. I thought it was a bit early for her to go off feed. Checked last years records and she stopped @ the end of October. If the snake wants to brumate, the snake wins let it rest.

reako45

i agree, it'll only stress out & lose weight if you force it to stay awake. you may even end up losing the snake. almost everything i have has stopped eating by now & i'm glad, now i can brumate!

Thanks for all the replies and insight!

Thanks.
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0.1Florida King
1.1 Eastern Kings
1.0 Black Milksnake
0.1 Honduran
1.1 Kankakee Bull Snakes
1.0 Chow Chow (2003 Papi)
0.1 Cats (Shug)

Because they smell better and taste better. Insintive for the snake. I've gotten snakes that have gone off feed to eat after offering wc mice... I raised them tho for this purpose. But nontheless the issue at hand is not feeding the snake, it's letting it cool down.

Clay

I had the same experience with a WC rat snake. He fed fine from the time I got him in Auust through late October, then simply began refusing mice. I tried once every couple of weeks through the winter -- did not actually brumate him with lower temps -- and he continued to refuse until late march, when he took a mouse, refused the next one a week later and then resumed regular weekly feedings. The second winter he ate every week right through the cold months. I expect he simply adapted to a year-round feeding schedule after that first year. Did him no harm at all and he's now coming into his third windter with me and still feeding right along.

Yea, I think I will turn the temps down and let her remain at room temperature and see what happens. don't think I will do a full brumation. Plus it would be hard to let my apt get to that low of a temp. Glad yours had a change of habit, I will continue to work with mine.

thanks for th reply.
Miller
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0.1Florida King
1.1 Eastern Kings
1.0 Black Milksnake
0.1 Honduran
1.1 Kankakee Bull Snakes
1.0 Chow Chow (2003 Papi)
0.1 Cats (Shug)

Brumate them. It sounds like temps are the issue. I wouldn't try to change their diet.

Temps are not the issue I keep them at 85 during the day and 78 at night. I thinks she is just accustomed to going off feed in the winter. Her temps have not changed since i got them and feeding was never an issue. Maybe the light cycles are what attributed to her feeding response change.

Thanks for the reply
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0.1Florida King
1.1 Eastern Kings
1.0 Black Milksnake
0.1 Honduran
1.1 Kankakee Bull Snakes
1.0 Chow Chow (2003 Papi)
0.1 Cats (Shug)