Reptile & Amphibian Forums

A local wildlife center has a WC timber rattlesnake that refuses to eat. I believe it has been in captivity for at least six months, though I cannot say for certain. It is being kept in a glass aquarium with few hides. I do not know much about the other conditions it is being kept in. The snake has been taken to a local veterinarian so that it can be force fed, but it is preferable that it eat voluntarily. Is anyone experienced with timber rattlers?

I have had 1 WC northern, a gorgeous black male. It was given to me because it would not eat. Wouldn't eat rodents anyway. I tried just to be sure - correct, it wouldn't eat rodents, live, dead, rat, mouse, hamster, nuh-uh. The snake's owner (a dealer and a friend) was too busy to put much time into the animal. I think he'd gotten it as part of an entire collection he bought.

The animal was dangerously thin, so I tube-fed it several hopper mice once. Luckily however, I discovered the snake fancied frozen/thawed chicks and quail (which I'd purchased for another fussy feeder). After I got weight back on it, this timber switched over to rodents pretty easily (frozen/thawed adult mice).

I then gave it back to the former owner, who promptly turned it over to another friend here in FL with a small collection of black timbers. I understand it still feeds great. Hopefully it'll pass on its pretty genes...

I'm not even going to address all the basic environmental needs - I'll just assume those are already being well-met, and this is an honest case of "snake just won't eat", not inept husbandry. The 1 timber I had was a little nervous, much more so than the "canes" I'm much more familiar with. He did well with security (is "yours" on display?).

Best of luck,
Jimi

I believe the animal is on display, and so stress is probably a big factor as to why it will not eat. I have not seen the snake in person, so I can't say for certain what kind of condition it is in. All of the information comes from a colleague who has worked with the snake. Hopefully, I will be able to visit the wildlife center sometime this week. Thank you for your help.

In my experience, rattlesnakes will frequently go off feed during the time of year when they would normally be in hibernation. Their biological clock tells them they should be asleep, even though the temperatures may be warm. Be patient, hopefully in a few weeks it may eat.
Wild caught timbers sometimes take a while to adapt to captivity. Some feed right away, I had one that went a year before it fed. I have had luck with getting reluctant feeders to eat by using wild caught deer mice or white-footed mice. This is what they normally feed on in the wild, and what they are used to. Often, they can switch to domestic mice after a few meals of wild mice. Hope this helps, and good luck.

No hides....start there. This snake needs to feel secure first and foremost; particularly in a glass tank where he can be seen from several sides. You didn't mention temps - that's a critical factor with horridus - too hot or too cool and you'll have a very unhappy snake. Force feeding will only compound the problems. There's no replacement for good husbandry.

Rob Carmichael, Curator
The Wildlife Discovery Center

>>A local wildlife center has a WC timber rattlesnake that refuses to eat. I believe it has been in captivity for at least six months, though I cannot say for certain. It is being kept in a glass aquarium with few hides. I do not know much about the other conditions it is being kept in. The snake has been taken to a local veterinarian so that it can be force fed, but it is preferable that it eat voluntarily. Is anyone experienced with timber rattlers?
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Rob Carmichael, Curator
The Wildlife Discovery Center at Elawa Farm
Lake Forest, IL

Thats very interesting Rob. I have and still keep Timbers/Canebrakes, I have had wild caughts and captive born here at my house and at the zoo and they have never utilized hides. (and I have offered them multiple hides, but they always stay in the open)

I would also suggest using hides for wld caught rattlesnakes or any wild caught snakes as it does make them feel secure. That we agree on.
I guess what I'm saying is, I never saw one (Timber) in a hide in captivity. Maybe other folks have.
Temps of course do play a large part in aclimating Timbers.
I would leave it alone and not offer food for awhile until it settles in. I have caught large (5' plus) Canes in northern Arkansas, and the trick I found or works for me, is after trying f/t rats, is trying fresh killed gray squirrels, worked everytime for me and it's easy to switch to rodents.
My two pennies.
Randal

I've had them do both Randal. I had a black phase, about 15 years ago when i was in college in PA, that needed a hide, but it acclimated rather quickly and after a while, rarely used it. They seem to be that way. The ones that use the hide, tend to mellow out rather quickly, those that don't use a hide, seem to be nasty and never calm down.

As for feeding, a wild rattlesnake prefers its natural feed. Chipmunks or deer mice. I would catch white-footed deer mice in traps and feed them to the wild snake. Live or dead, it would eat them, but it was the scent that dictated what the snake would eat. Later, it would take lab mice that were scented with a dead white-footed deer mouse.

It worked.

MH

Randall, I agree in that most of my timbers stay out in the "open" but they still feel secure either due to subdued lighting, or, objects in the cage (such as snags and dead logs) where they can hunger against and have the feeling of being hidden). Even a thick layer of leaves helps them feel secure so "hiding areas" may be a little misleading. Some of mine actively seek them out while others don't.

>>I've had them do both Randal. I had a black phase, about 15 years ago when i was in college in PA, that needed a hide, but it acclimated rather quickly and after a while, rarely used it. They seem to be that way. The ones that use the hide, tend to mellow out rather quickly, those that don't use a hide, seem to be nasty and never calm down.
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>>As for feeding, a wild rattlesnake prefers its natural feed. Chipmunks or deer mice. I would catch white-footed deer mice in traps and feed them to the wild snake. Live or dead, it would eat them, but it was the scent that dictated what the snake would eat. Later, it would take lab mice that were scented with a dead white-footed deer mouse.
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>>It worked.
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>>MH
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Rob Carmichael, Curator
The Wildlife Discovery Center at Elawa Farm
Lake Forest, IL