Reptile & Amphibian Forums

just got a new female this weekend, but my male has gone three weeks without a meal! I have tried scenting with both blue bellies and a tadpole, both live and dead pinks, feeding in his cage, feeding in the dark, and pretty much everything except split brain ( I buy live, and just don't have the heart). Anyone have any tricks? How long should I wait before attempting to force feed? Any help you can give will be much appreciated. Thanks!

p.s. their cage is a ten gallon, with a heat pad attached to the bottom on one side. they have a log to hide under, and a dish of fresh water. ambient room temp is about 80F, and around the heatpad it probably hits about 90F.

>>just got a new female this weekend, but my male has gone three weeks without a meal! I have tried scenting with both blue bellies and a tadpole, both live and dead pinks, feeding in his cage, feeding in the dark, and pretty much everything except split brain ( I buy live, and just don't have the heart). Anyone have any tricks? How long should I wait before attempting to force feed? Any help you can give will be much appreciated. Thanks!
>>
>>p.s. their cage is a ten gallon, with a heat pad attached to the bottom on one side. they have a log to hide under, and a dish of fresh water. ambient room temp is about 80F, and around the heatpad it probably hits about 90F.

How long have you had your male? If you've had him a while, check your records from last year and see what he was doing this time last year around/near this time. He just may be slowing down for the winter.
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mk
In Hog Heaven

only had him a month and a week. he's only a couple of months old.

>>only had him a month and a week. he's only a couple of months old.

I shall defer to the old hands at Hoggy rearing. They've more experience than me and there's so many things that can cause a Hoggy not to eat. Some as simple as not being hungry.
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mk
In Hog Heaven

Hognose are different than any other snake/reptile ive kept. They are rewarding and easy to care for, yet at times I found mysef wondering about my husbandry methods.

Now that I have about 3 years of under my belt keeping this awesome species I have learnt that they will eat when they want to eat. Most of the time you can feed them everything other day for until they get to the point when they are bigger. This time of year they tend to like to slow down, but having said that ....

If you keep them in a suitable size cage(if its a hatchling) I would reccomend something smaller than 10 gal.... more like a 6.5 qt sterlite with aspen, hide and small water bowl at the most. You might even want to try a small deli cup if its a smaller hatchling. If it was eating from the person you got the snake from it should still be eating if heathly, but sometimes they are just weird like that.

The best advice is to just be patient.

Good luck,
Derek

I had a little male go off feed for four months. He never lost any weight and one day he just decided to eat again. I thought it was something I was doing, but I just kept offering him food and now he eats regularly.
You would be surprised at how small some male Hogs mature. If there are any adult females around coming into season the male might go off feed.

should I consider force feeding? these are my first hogs, and I've only had them a bit over a month. they are only a few months old.I know that everything is done correctly for the cage, and both of them have eaten for me. I guess I just don't know when I should start to worry. It's been three weeks now since his last meal. would the size of the cage have anything to do with it? They are together in a ten gallon (its half as tall as a normal 10 tho). I'm just new to hogs.When do I worry? He hasn't lost any weight.

>>should I consider force feeding? these are my first hogs, and I've only had them a bit over a month. they are only a few months old.I know that everything is done correctly for the cage, and both of them have eaten for me. I guess I just don't know when I should start to worry. It's been three weeks now since his last meal. would the size of the cage have anything to do with it? They are together in a ten gallon (its half as tall as a normal 10 tho). I'm just new to hogs.When do I worry? He hasn't lost any weight.
>>

If I'm understanding correctly, it's not the putting of the two together that put your male off feed because he quit eating prior to you getting your female. Yes? Am I correct?

If that's the case, the putting together could exacerbate your male not wanting to take food but I don't think that would be a HUGE factor. Just probably contributing.

Also, do you feed in medium or so deli cups so that your snakes don't have to compete? This would also give them a measure of security and allow them to eat unafraid. And do you leave your snakes in the deli up, on the hot spot, over night if they don't eat right away? If not, you may want to try this to see what happens.

Are you able to contact your breeder and talk to him/her? They're your best resource.

I'm new to this Hoggy-bit myself and have read Hoggies will just turn up those WAY CUTE little noses and quit eating sometimes for no reason. However, at this time of year... I think your guy's slowing down.

I think I'm correct on what I'm about to tell you - and if I'm not I bet the old salts will jump in and help.

Continue to keep your temps even and as they are - mid 80's high end/hot spot, room temp at other end. And once a week continue to offer a pinkie to your male. He may not eat for months, then may eat one week, then may go two weeks w/o eating, eat two weeks, not eat for three more weeks and then WAMM! He's back to eating weekly.

Please note the above is my experience with a 15-year-old bull snake that's not brumated but allowed to let room temps and the sunlight dictate what he needs. But I'm thinking it shouldn't be that much different with a Hoggy getting through the winter.

My little Hogglette, born in July and that I've had... Oh, about 1.5 to 2 months now, has not eaten in two weeks. However, I'm not worried [yet, remember I am a noob!] because he did gain weight and is just the cutest fat thing you ever saw! He's out and about and all over the place, so I know he's healthy and happy.

Just not hungry. I'm thinking he's slowing down for the winter - I'm not going to brumate - and has pooped twice [at least, because I saw him!] since his last feeding. So, I'll continue to offer him a pinkie once a week, keep records, watch his color, eyes, activity, over-all snake-ness and not worry for aobut four months.

Or at least try not to worry.

It's always the first year with a Hoggy that's the hardest for a noob.
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mk
In Hog Heaven

>>should I consider force feeding? these are my first hogs, and I've only had them a bit over a month. they are only a few months old.I know that everything is done correctly for the cage, and both of them have eaten for me. I guess I just don't know when I should start to worry. It's been three weeks now since his last meal. would the size of the cage have anything to do with it? They are together in a ten gallon (its half as tall as a normal 10 tho). I'm just new to hogs.When do I worry? He hasn't lost any weight.
>>

I forgot to say, don't even begin to think about force feeding!

You're new to Hoggies... Are you new to snakes in general? Because if you don't know what you're doing and how to force feed properly I think you could do great damage to your snake!
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mk
In Hog Heaven

Agreed on the force feeding- don't do it. I'm no expert on these guys as hatchlings, but I've kept a couple adults. One of the things I would do when one went "off feed" was to remove the water dish from the tank for a few days. When you're ready to try feeding again, (get a frozen pink) soak the pinkie until it's dripping wet, then place directly in front of hoggie's nose. Usually they come up and start to sip the water of the pink and kind of automatically start to eat it. Not every time, but it's worked for me about 75% of tries. Again, I'm no hatchling expert, so if one of you more experienced guys/gals wanna chime in, feel free. I'll take no offense to anyone calling me an idiot. Good luck!

Joe

>>Agreed on the force feeding- don't do it. I'm no expert on these guys as hatchlings, but I've kept a couple adults. One of the things I would do when one went "off feed" was to remove the water dish from the tank for a few days. When you're ready to try feeding again, (get a frozen pink) soak the pinkie until it's dripping wet, then place directly in front of hoggie's nose. Usually they come up and start to sip the water of the pink and kind of automatically start to eat it. Not every time, but it's worked for me about 75% of tries. Again, I'm no hatchling expert, so if one of you more experienced guys/gals wanna chime in, feel free. I'll take no offense to anyone calling me an idiot. Good luck!
>>
>>Joe

You're NOT an idiot! Maybe new or untried or unsure or not positive, but you're NOT an idiot!

Hatchlings are so wonderful. I hope you get to have one some day.

I shake in my boots and worry like nobuddy's bidness. Besides being a hatchling, it's my firstest evey Hoggy. Well, both my boys, Kenabec and Niizh.

I'm SO LOOKING FORWARD to watching them grow up. Right now Kenabec is back with the breeder, so I watch Niizh, my pride and joy, he's SO SMALL AND SWEET! And wonder what he will be like when he's a grown man. I delight in his baby-ness and dream about what I see now and what will be.

I could take on an adult Hoggy, for rescue purposes. But... I'm so excited and happy to have baby Hoggies to watch grow up and learn their 'personalities.'
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mk
In Hog Heaven

Hi,
Please don't force feed. You say it is a few months old, and has eaten for you once maybe? Does he flare and fuss or just ignore the food? If the breeder had gotten just one meal in before you bought him and you also got him to eat once. He is not used to a lot of food yet. I try twice a week at the most on hatchlings, and less often if they get fussy. I am not sure but the repeated attempts to feed him might be disturbing him from eating. Let him relax. I feed F/T, my experience is better then live. I would not worry yet. The other idea sounds like it would work too.
Amanda

I would definitely separate them. I never keep two hogs together unless it is breeding season. I have heard too many stories of hogs eating hogs. Other than that just wait it out. Force feeding is the last result when the snake is about to die.

I will be patient, and I won't try to force feed. I have never heard anything about hogs eating each other...I asked the breeder that I bought my female from if it was ok to house them together, and he said that it was fine, and that he kept all of his together. Thanks for all of your help!

When you are feeding them if you put the male in with the female(which usually she is much larger)after they have eaten, it is a possibility that she might eat him. There was somebody on the forum who posted about a female who ate one of his het males. I personally have better success with feeding, keeping all my snakes in separate enclosures.
Have a good day,
Brian

My hatchling hog went over 4 months without a single meal. After that, she just decided to eat one day, randomly.

Don't worry. They can go a LONG time without even loosing weight.

>>My hatchling hog went over 4 months without a single meal. After that, she just decided to eat one day, randomly.
>>
>>Don't worry. They can go a LONG time without even loosing weight.

Thank you so much for sharing that. My littlest hatchling, Kenabec, went back to the breeder for 'reconditioning' on live pinkies and transitioning to f/t because he'd not eaten for me (f/t - I CAN'T DO LIVE) in three weeks. Nervous Nellie mother.

But... He is SO MUCH smaller than his 1/2 bro that was hatched just 9 days later... Who HAS eaten here twice. I'm far less nervous about Niizh - he's bigger, fatter, and WAY MORE ACTIVE - who now has not eaten in 2.5 weeks. I think I can deal with him better.

Gods bless breeders that are there for noobs and stand behind their snakes for their entire lives. Else I'd have an ulcer. It will feel good to get this first year behind me and under my belt.
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mk
In Hog Heaven

>>I will be patient, and I won't try to force feed. I have never heard anything about hogs eating each other...I asked the breeder that I bought my female from if it was ok to house them together, and he said that it was fine, and that he kept all of his together. Thanks for all of your help!

I don't want to rain on your parade, but folks had a canpition fit when they found out I was keeping my two BOYS together because it's USUALLY the females that tend to be cannabilistic.

I only kept them together about 2, MAYBE 3 weeks - and they were hatchlings, and I fed them seperately, waited at least an hour and then WASHED them prior to putting them back together again. And the MINUTE my breeder learned I'd gotten a second 10g tank, he pushed like you'd never believe me seperating the boys. And I did.

I don't know who your breeder is but if s/he's keeping mixed Hoggies, male and female together, I wonder why we've not heard about this? This ability and success to keep Hoggies together? You'd think they'd crow about their success and let other people know what they'd accomplished...

Please don't keep your Hoggies together unless you are doing so to breed. And once your female is bred, get the male out.

Hope this helps.
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mk
In Hog Heaven

For hatchlings, I use tuna right out of the can, to scent the pinks with. I have three stubborn little Hoggs that would not eat the tuna scented pinks. They are 7 weeks old and thinning so I actually ground up some cooked salmon which they ate readily !
I don't think there is a desert tuna fish or a great plains salmon that hoggs would typically prey upon in the wild,..but they love these two types of fish. I have even heard of fish oil capsules being used for scenting but I have not tried that. I have never had to force feed a hog.