Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I am 17 and have been taking care of various types of snakes for around 3 years. I had a problem with getting a baby boa to feed on frozen/thawed rodents before but after a week I got him to begin to feed.

Last Friday I traded my adult corn snake for a baby Arizona Mountain king snake. He was born 7/13/03 and the dealer said that he already fed once before. He defecated once in his display cup at the show and once yesterday morning. As soon as I got home on friday I handeled him for about 2 hours then placed him in the clean 15 gallon tank that has a heat pad, hide box and water bowl. He likes to hide under the newspaper. 2 hours later that day I placed a live baby pinky mouse in the cage which he didn't notice until i took him out from under the newspaper and placed him on the opposite side of the cage from the mouse. he seemed to be afraid of the mouse and would have nothing to do with even touching it. He went back and hid again (the pinky wasnt even that big, he's a pretty big baby snake). So the next day I gave him a frozen thawed pinky mouse that I had brained. I left the mouse in for about 3 hours and when it was apparent that he wouldn't eat it i threw it away. Yesterday I bought a 5 dollar anole lizard from the pet store. put him in my freezer in which he died in about 45 seconds... not very cruel so don't get on me for that. I cut off the lizards tail and smeared the muscle of the tail on a frozen/thawed pinky mouses head. then after warming the mouse I put it into the cage. the snake took notice but seemed uninterested in eating (all these attempts at feedings took place during the night with very little light on). I then took the snake and his water bowl and his heat pad and put him into a much smaller tuperware container (heat on one side cold on the other). I left him and the mouse in there with a screen top to prevent him from getting out over night (in total darkness). I woke up the next morning to find that he had moved the pinky mouse around but had not eaten it. the pinky had been on the newspaper that was over the heatpad to stay somewhat warm. I am almost out of ideas of how to feed this snake. He's great to handle and I would be so happy if he could just eat. I read in the wild that they go into a dormant period during the winter.. could this be the case? he still chills out on the heat pad side of the cage though. Should I just try to feed him a live anole today or what? The last time the dealer said he was fed would be around 5 days from today.

please help me out I'm open to any suggestions!
thank you!!!!!!!!!!

Kyle

Kyle, Don't panic. It's very normal for snakes to refuse to eat in a new place. Leave him alone for a week or so to adjust to his new home and see if he'll eat on his own. You're doing everything right...he just needs some adjustment time.

Usually, it only takes a week or two but I had a boa here that refused to eat for 3 weeks. If the snake was eating already, don't worry too much unless you can't get him to eat for 6-8 weeks...then, you'll have to try more drastic measures.

ok.. I have a live anole in there.. should i just take him out.. lol he saw it and just went back under the newpaper... can i still handle him daily or should i just leave him alone?

thanks!

Kyle

haha well I'm answering my own questions here... I freed that anole, since they are native to my area, and I'll just leave him alone for a week like you said. thanks for the help I'll tell you how it goes!

As soon as I got home on friday I handeled him for about 2 hours then placed him in the clean 15 gallon tank that has a heat pad, hide box and water bowl.

okay, I'm no expert on Arizona Mountain Kingsnakes, but I have one and I'm getting a hatchling sometime this fall. First off, you handled the snake for two hours??? I would never handle a snake that much, especially not right after getting it. Best thing to do when you get a new snake is put it in its enclosure and leave it be for a week. Also a 15 gallon is a bit large for a hatchling Pyro. My opinion of course. Moving him to the smaller container is good. What temps do you have him at? Pyros are a mountain species. I live here in AZ, and I have never provided supplemental heat for my pyro. I have her in the coolest part of the house.

The pyro I have was a non-feeder as a hatchling. She ate one meal, but refused any other meals. A lot of pyros aren't eating at this time of the year (tell that to my piggy pyro). When she refused to eat, the breeder cooled her for the winter. AFter she came out of brumation she ate without hesitation, and has never EVER hesitated since then. I'll be breeding her for the first time next year.

Post your concerns to the kingsnake forum, they'll be able to help you more than the feeder forum can.
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~Sasheena