Reptile & Amphibian Forums

OK. I know I need to relaxe and face the fact that some snake hatchlings just aren't meant to make it, but I want to give it my all. My 08 jani female that I've had since aug. 16 has now stopped eating. She ate one fuzzie on aug.21 and aug.28, then not again until sep.19. The last one in sep. was regurgitated on the 23rd of sep. She is now refusing all frozen(haven't tried live yet). Any suggestions on what steps to take next? Temps are in mid 70's with a high end of 80, which she rarely goes on. At what point do I consider force feeding or do I concider that at all(I hate to do that)? Since colder months are approaching, should I consider brumating her before she losses any more body fat? I have an 08 male and a pair of 08 deppei that are doing very well. I know this is like the third post I've made about her, so bare with me. Thanks.
-----
Matt Kauffman

just my opinion and limited experience, i like to have a little bit more of a temp difference in my enclosures. i keep the room in the low 70's and the hot spot (uth) at the upper 80's. that way they can control their temps a little bit more. i know the deppei are supposed to be like a little cooler than most pitts. i respect that and have mine on the lower racks. 2 out of my 4 must not have got that memo because they seem to hang towards the warm spot :0) and they are doing very well. i would try leaving f/k or live pink in the hide overnight. if that didn't work, i've have had success placing the snake in a paper bag with a pink and leaving it overnight or in a dixie cup if it's a hatchling.

as far as the regurging goes, hopefully someone with more knowledge than me will pipe up there. i would probably look for a good herp vet. my advice there is ask around and see who some local herpers recomend. take care....

jonathan

Matt, please keep us updated on this. One of my brothers has a gopher that just started doing the exact same thing. Ate fine at first and then refused. It's been about a month since he ate. They haven't had any luck yet either, but I'll let you know if anything changes. They live in the Lake area, too. I have a gopher from the same clutch as his and no problems at all.
-----
---

1.1.0 Hondurans Het Amel
1.1.0 Hondurans Anery, Het Hypo
0.1.0 Honduran Hypo
0.1.0 Honduran Hypo, Het Anery
0.2.0 Pueblans
1.0.0 Pueblan Hypo
1.0.0 Thayeri MSP
0.0.1 GBK Blair's Phase
1.0.0 California King
0.1.0 California King Blue-eyed Blond
0.0.1 Speckled King WC
0.0.1 Jungle Carpet
0.1.0 Ball, Normal
1.0.0 San Diego Gopher, Poss. Het Applegate
0.0.1 Sulcata
0.1.0 Girlfriend, Caucasius Mexicana, Fiancee Phase

http://www.cafepress.com/shedz

With my pair of d. deppei. The room temperature is 69 to 73 and the hot spot is in the low 90's. The pair was originally kept in my snake room at an 81 to 84. They ate good in the room and how I keep them now. I do feed them small meals every 7 to 10 days.
-----
1.2 Black Pines
2.2 Northern Pines
1.2 Kankakee County Bullsnakes
1.1 Albino Northern x Southern Pinesnakes
1.1 Deppei Deppei

1.1 Cornsnakes

Matt,

Do not force feed! This can actually reduce the feeding response! Also, it is easy to harm the snake physically and create more problems.

Go buy a live pink from a local pet store and put that in the cage. An experienced breeder recently told me that washing a pink with ivory hand soap could induce feeding in problem cornsnakes! Try splitting the head of a frozen thawed pink with a razor to expose brain tissue. Although you are dealing with a young snake that may have fewer nutritional reserves she is a snake and snakes are very capable of going unbelievable lengths of time w/o feeding! I once had a hatchling male hognose go for 9 months w/o feeding before I realized that he wanted lizard scented chow.

Try as many different techniques as you can but do not force feed! I sense that you are really anxious regarding this animal's status so as I said to you before, "remain calm, do not stress out and overwhelm the animal". You should actually "ignore her" for her own good. Just leave her alone. She is in no immediate danger so take it slow and keep trying new tricks. You have plenty of time. Focus on husbandry. Research where this subspecies is found in the wild and what conditions it might encounter in the wild.

Again, try live pinks, etc. Once she does start to feed again for you again, avoid the urge to double up and over feed her to make up for lost feedings. Take it slow and easy, you have plenty of time.

jg

Thanks for the suggestions. I will not force feed, never have. I just threw that out there. I have tried live(not recently though) and that seemed to stress her out. You are right, snakes are capable of amazing things. I have done research(although there always more). Any good references for Pituoghis species? I've read Pit page and the German one, and the one(I can't think of the name) with pictures of your specimens John and Lemke's. I'll try some more tricks at appropriate intervals and experiment with temps.(but not to much). I just want them all to be doing well, but when you acquire more and more animals your bound to have a couple problems. Thanks again everyone. I'll keep you posted.
-----
Matt Kauffman