Reptile & Amphibian Forums

So I broke down and bought some aspen bedding and some pre-made hides for my snake today, and I was wondering how long I should let adjust to it before I start feeding him again. It's been 5 days since I last fed him and I was preparing to feed him again today, but since he is still getting used to the aspen bedding (He loves to burrow!) he didn't accept the food. It was really easy to feed him on the newspaper bedding, since he couldn't burrow away from it, but will he smell it as soon as I put it in the cage and come to it even from under the aspen if he's well adjusted in his new surroundings? Any ideas?

Find out where he is under the bedding and gently poke until he starts moving. Once a head is visible, show him the mouse. If it's anything like my king, once he sees that mouse he's gonna be excited and will start coming out of the bedding toward it.

Or you could place the mouse on a 4" or so diameter "plate" and leave it for him to find on its own..........but he may never even "surface" to discover it.
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2.4.0 Leopard Geckos
0.1.0 California Kingsnake
0.1.0 Copperhead
1.1.0 Eastern Box Tutles

I'm not suggesting they hunt by site. However, visual stimulation certainly gets my snake's attention right off the bat.
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2.4.0 Leopard Geckos
0.1.0 California Kingsnake
0.1.0 Copperhead
1.1.0 Eastern Box Tutles

Yes, he'll smell it and come out for it if he's hungry... Mine are always burrowing and I never have trouble with them not eating, sometimes it takes them an hour or two, but most times they're right on top of their food...
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~Maggie~

"Not one shred of evidence supports the notion that life is serious."
1.1 Cal Kings (Spot and Fry)
1.0 Florida King
1.0 Ball Python (Mitch)
0.1 Red Belly Piranha (Fluffy)
1.0 Australian Shepherd (Spooky)
1.0 Springer Spaniel/Beagle mix (Snoopy)
0.1 German Shep mix (Shadow)
0.1 Cat (Echo)

You don't have to "show" the snake the food.A snake can find food for hundreds of feet away.I had a sinaloan milk snake escape from my basement years back and I later found him on top of my mouse colony 10 gal tank in the detached garage 100 feet away from my house.He wanted to get in that tank and get a mouse or two.Last year I found my neighbors speckled kingsnake in my basement where I keep mostly milk snakes and I may be the only guy that ever found a Arizona mountain kingsnake in New York,again this was my neighbors snake that had escaped and ended up in a pile of wood shavings that was used as mouse bedding 300 feet away from his house.I have had snakes caught in the wild that,when placed in a tank in my house ate right away.If they are hungry they will find the food and eat it right away they don't need to adapt to new furniture.
I guess some snakes are more nervous then hungry but don't assume that because it wont eat its because of the bedding or the housing.
This snake ate his first day in captivity

Same day

I am sure your snake will eat this week if the temps are right.
As snake keepers we tend to over feed our snakes. I know I'm guilty of this.
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"Wake me when its April"
Doug L

You're a brave man. My king's aim is horrible.
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0.1 Banded California kingsnake - Zorro
1.0 Betta fish - Billy
0.0.3 White Cloud Fish
1.0 RES - Chopstick
0.1 Australian Shepherd - Jet
0.1 Domestic Shorthair Mix Cat - Pirate

If they feed right away feed them,they dont need "an adjusting period" Ive fed many snakes that have been shipped to me ,feeding them the same day with no problem,so just changing cages and substrate is not anything to worry about