Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have a pair of Mexican Hognose snakes from Troy Hibbits that I got around 10/18/07. The female eats unscented f/t pinkies right away even thought she was eating only scented pf/t pinkies before I got her. The male is a different story. I cannot get him to eat not matter how often or how little I try. Troy was scenting with cricket frogs which I cannot get here anywhere so I have been using tuna juice. He will not take scented f/t or unscented. I have left them in overnight in a paper bag with him and still no luck. I have placed them in his mouth...he spits them out. He is fast approaching a month without eating and for a hatchling snake, I would think that to be rather too long.

I am out of ideas. Does anyone else have any or is he just going to be one of those snakes that dies due to non-feeding? Unfortunately, I don't even get a replacement should that happen.

Have you tried anoles?
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Jenea
Guardian Reptiles

"When your memories are bigger than your dreams, you're headed for the grave" Author unknown

The ones I find seem really huge for this little snake. These are bigger baby anoles. I only have Petco around me

Get one and keep it for scenting. You can scent with it, use part of the tail, or my favoriate, when it sheds, take the skin and wrap the head of a pink in it. Better than just rubbing. My stubborn feeders finally went after the anole scent. Just make sure the little guy is staying hydrated. Maybe ask the seller if he could ship you some cricket frogs? Then you could freeze some and use them for scenting.
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Jenea
Guardian Reptiles

"When your memories are bigger than your dreams, you're headed for the grave" Author unknown

Take his water out for about a day or so! Take a thawed out pink, dip it's head in water and offer to the hoggie! They'll start to drink and then continue right onto the pink! It's MAGIC!

>>Take his water out for about a day or so! Take a thawed out pink, dip it's head in water and offer to the hoggie! They'll start to drink and then continue right onto the pink! It's MAGIC!

I will have to try that. I have three eating scented with anoles sporadically. Wish they were all easy like the other ones.

Okay. I did try braining and downright squishing the pinkies to death and nothing had worked before. I forgot to add that.

After further reading, I decided to try salmon water. Feed the salmon to my dog and used the water on the pink...failure. That was the last straw. I already had tried a frog which I now have as a pet and never wanted so I hadn't tried anoles because I didn't want them as a pet as well. I dragged my butt down to petco and got the smallest male anole I could find and brought him home secretly hoping I would have to feed him off. It was like magic! Two tiny rubs of the pink on that miserable thing and that snake took to it like crazy! So now I am going to play catchup feeding with this guy and slowly see if I can sneak him off scenting and get rid of this anole before my kids like him.

Thanks!!!!!! I am thrilled to death he won't die now!!!

It's good to hear that you found something that worked. In my experience, it's very rare that a snake refuses everything and dies from starvation.

Again, congrats on getting your snake to eat!
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Robert Charvat
1.1 het albino Western Hognose

I forgot to thank you Jenea. The Anole worked like magic with a western for me as well. I had tried just about everything including braining, live, tuna water, small dark container overnight, etc. until finally getting an anole and it worked first try!
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Joe

Glad it worked out!
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Jenea
Guardian Reptiles

"When your memories are bigger than your dreams, you're headed for the grave" Author unknown

>>Glad it worked out!
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>>Jenea
>> Guardian Reptiles
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>>"When your memories are bigger than your dreams, you're headed for the grave" Author unknown

So how many meals before you try to wean them off.

I always try unscented first. After and hour or so, I will scent. Some convert right away, others take a while. Each animal is different.
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Jenea
Guardian Reptiles

"When your memories are bigger than your dreams, you're headed for the grave" Author unknown

>>I always try unscented first. After and hour or so, I will scent. Some convert right away, others take a while. Each animal is different.
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>>Jenea
>> Guardian Reptiles
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>>"When your memories are bigger than your dreams, you're headed for the grave" Author unknown

Thanks When I got the albino he said it was eating live pinks with no scenting. I have been unable to get it to eat anything but thawed frozen with scent. I might have to get a few live pinkies and see if that will start her feeding. All the rest are eating fine on their own. But I have three that still seem to like the scenting. Todd

You might try this it worked with a picky female who turned her nose up at everything no matter what it was scented with. Instead of making it smell like something else, mask the smell by washing the pinky in unscented ivory soap.