Reptile & Amphibian Forums

My 1 yo Cali has eaten like a hog until about 6 weeks ago, he hasn’t eaten since. He has been hunting daily except for a week where he then shed. I had a boa skin I would rub the F&T mice. Maybe the skin just lost its scent at 9 month, but I’ve tried unscented too. I leave the mice in for about 2 days before I remove. He has smelled and even a couple times moved a little, but not the aggressive eat within a day he had 6 weeks prior.

I would really like him not to be dependent on scented, but how long should I keep going like this. I would think he’ll eventually get hungry enough and eat them unscented and then he’ll be use to it.

Experience? Thank you.

I'm not the most experienced keeper here but, being as it's a male it is probably hunting not for food but for love.

My WC Cal King is a total PITA feeder at about 2 years and but it seems to be a female. Anyways, she's always been that way but is very healthy and still growning on an average of about one meal per 3 weeks. Thing is, there's no way to tell when she'll it, cruising doesn't mean she's hungry.

I had a clutch of kings last year. I got all but three to start eating FT pinks. The three holdouts (I called them the three stooges) finally ate when I offered them fresh live pinks. The moment I put the pinks in they pounced on them. There was just something about the live ones that turned them on. After three meals of two live pinks they were switched to FT without a problem. I never had to resort to senting with any of the babys.

My sugestion is to offer your snake a live unsented pink or fuzzy, depending on the size of the snake. I would not offer an adult mouse even if your snake is large enough to take one. There is the risk of injury to your snake and adults are a much tougher target than a pink or fuzzy that will just wiggle.

Hope this helps, and best of luck in switching over your snake.
-----
1 BP
4 Cal Kings 3 alb 1 het
3 Alb Corn
1 Rev Alb Nelsons

I would also say he's probably looking for females. Keep his temps up, keep offering food. He'll be okay even if he doesn't eat for another few weeks. He will take it eventually, scented or un.
-----
Holly

1.0 Florida Kingsnake (Eddie Gein)
1.0 Bearded Dragon (Charley Manson)
1.0 Fire Skink (Peter Dinsdale)
1.0 Vietnamese Golden Gecko (George Chapman)
0.0.1 Blue Day Gecko (Joe Ball)
1.0 Orange Marmalade Cat (Oliver)
1.0 Black Cat (Shadowfax)
1.0 Tennessee Walking Horse (Durango)

2.0 Toddlers (Justice & Trevor)