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I have had my western hognose since june now. The first 4-5 feedings of hoppers went perfectly. He would strike at the food as soon as he discovered it. However, at some point he stopped eating. It took 3 weeks until he ate a single hopper. It has been a month since then. I have tried braining the hoppers as well as locking him in a container with just the food. He still refuses to eat. Upon placing the food in the container he will investigate but not hit it. I bought another load of hoppers in case the first were no longer good. He has a fairly thin, gaunt look now and I have become concerned. At what point should I begin to REALLY worry about his refusal to eat. He is still very active and patrols his container constantly, but his loss of weight is disturbing.

If someone can provide some more suggestions either for feeding techniques(i have not yet been able to scent the food as no store in a reasonable area carries it) or just general information regarding this behaviour.

Thanks,

Andrew

Some things to try:
1.Turn the heat down. Try cooling the little guy off for awhile.
If you keep him at room temps or even a touch cooler, there's a chance that when you warm it up in 3 weeks or so, it will eat.
2.Thaw the mouse by simply leaving it out for a time. One of my snakes refuses to touch any food that has been warmed with water. Who knows why? Sometimes hogs are particular to nasty smelly beginning-to-decompose mice.
3.Try a live mouse.
Hognoses are strange. Sometimes, for no reason, they will stop feeding. Mine begins a self-imposed brumation usually in August, feeding again in around March. Sometimes in breeding season, another fast begins for a month or 2(even females). Its always unexpected.
Good luck.
-Jack
-----
...and I think to myself, "What a wonderful world."

My 3-4 month old male just started eating again after nothing for 2 whole months. I've been assist-feeding the female mouse tails, and she still isn't interested.

-cat

>>Some things to try:
>>1.Turn the heat down. Try cooling the little guy off for awhile.
>>If you keep him at room temps or even a touch cooler, there's a chance that when you warm it up in 3 weeks or so, it will eat.
>>2.Thaw the mouse by simply leaving it out for a time. One of my snakes refuses to touch any food that has been warmed with water. Who knows why? Sometimes hogs are particular to nasty smelly beginning-to-decompose mice.
>>3.Try a live mouse.
>>Hognoses are strange. Sometimes, for no reason, they will stop feeding. Mine begins a self-imposed brumation usually in August, feeding again in around March. Sometimes in breeding season, another fast begins for a month or 2(even females). Its always unexpected.
>>Good luck.
>>-Jack
>>-----
>>...and I think to myself, "What a wonderful world."
-----
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Get some turkey baby food and dilute it with water or pedialite at a 50:50 ratio and let the little suckers drink it out of the baby food jar lid. The baby food dosen't have preservatives so it is safe. If you live by a vet you can buy a can of hill's A/D wet food and do the same thing. It is real good stuff, just tell them why you need it or they may not sell it to you because it is a presciption diet. After doing this try offering a live pink the next evening....leave it in overnight if you have to.

THanks to all that replied. Been a little stressed about it lately, as this is my first snake. I wasn't overly surprised at this happening since all the reading I did prior to buying it suggested it would - however its a lot different when you actually witness it