Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hoping someone can help or advise here. My girlfriend has an adult female MBK (45 inches long) who has stopped eating. I try over see how she cares for it and there have been zero changes to her situation that she tells me apart from the season going from summer to fall and now almost to winter. So I would say that there has probably been a drop in the temps in her room most likely. She does have a room heater and a UTH that keeps a nice warm spot for her to stay in, but so far she stays in the cool side of her cage. I thought at first maybe she was attempting to go into winter hibernation, but she comes out alot and cruises around as she used to do when she was ready to eat. So that kinda makes me think something else then. I have checked her over for any signs of parasites or problems, but she looks terrific and is in perfect condition. Body weight is holding well too. She usually takes f/t small rats, and before that f/t adult mice. We have tried to feed both items now, but get no response. We have had her almost a full year and she had been eating like a machine up till the beginning of September. Any thoughts would be great if anyone knows if this may be a normal thing for females come winter time, or if we should be further concerned. Thanks again for any info!
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~Markus Arelius

Ok fine just Markus.

The very existence of flamethrowers means that sometime, somewhere, someone said to themselves..."You know, I really want to set those people over there on fire...but I'm just not close enough to get the job done!

She is sitting on the cool side.

Whether she moves around or not is no indication of her being in brumation mode. She is just choosing cooler temps. She is just conserving enery and burned calories. A lot of snakes shut down this time of year but act naturally like they always do. So a snake that cruises could be in brumation. they don't, and should not, be frozen stiff.

No need to worry about her (she is a "her" cotrrect?). Just make sure and turn down the heat strip a bit and let her continue choosing the cool side. Offering food once in a while will not hurt eaither. If she eats she will simply lay on the warm side until she digests and then she will move back to the cooler side.

the biggest mistake people make is keeping the snake in to warm a room and thus the snake burns up its reserves. If the room is around 72F and you can have a little warm on one side. if the room is, lets say..82F, and you have the heat tape on then you should turn it off. The last thing you want is a snake that is off food and burning calories.

just undertsanding what the snake wants is the key. try and not make the snake do what you think and listen to what the snake is telling you and wants to do.

Same goes for feeding. When a snake wants to eat FEED IT! Then it can properly cycle and have the reserves it need to ovulate and develope eggs. Starved snake usually have a hard time during spring because of reserves.
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www.Bluerosy.com

"They that can give up essential liberty, to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty or safety." -Benjamin Franklin

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"a snake in the grass is a GOOD thing"

Thanks Doug
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~Markus Arelius

Ok fine just Markus.

The very existence of flamethrowers means that sometime, somewhere, someone said to themselves..."You know, I really want to set those people over there on fire...but I'm just not close enough to get the job done!

Okay that helps a ton and I suspected that was the case but really wasnt certain of it for fact there. So thank you VERY much!!! I would say the room stays in the lower 70's right now by day, and the UTH is available to her if she needs it. And yes though she does come out a cruise around a bit, it isnt complete crazy cruisin like a hyperactive "give me food now dangit" attitude haha! Its more slow and deliberate I guess you could say. But I will let her know to let the temps stay cooler for now so that she will rest and not burn fuel as you indicate there while being off feed. When she is ready to start eating again, she will tell us one way or another

And yes it is a "her"

So we will carry on then and offer her food every couple weeks and let her decide when she is ready for a bite.

I really appreciate your thoughts and will make sure to let my girlfriend see it too so she can rest at ease a bit. This is her baby and she adores her!!! I do too

>>She is sitting on the cool side.
>>
>>Whether she moves around or not is no indication of her being in brumation mode. She is just choosing cooler temps. She is just conserving enery and burned calories. A lot of snakes shut down this time of year but act naturally like they always do. So a snake that cruises could be in brumation. they don't, and should not, be frozen stiff.
>>
>>No need to worry about her (she is a "her" cotrrect?). Just make sure and turn down the heat strip a bit and let her continue choosing the cool side. Offering food once in a while will not hurt eaither. If she eats she will simply lay on the warm side until she digests and then she will move back to the cooler side.
>>
>>the biggest mistake people make is keeping the snake in to warm a room and thus the snake burns up its reserves. If the room is around 72F and you can have a little warm on one side. if the room is, lets say..82F, and you have the heat tape on then you should turn it off. The last thing you want is a snake that is off food and burning calories.
>>
>>just undertsanding what the snake wants is the key. try and not make the snake do what you think and listen to what the snake is telling you and wants to do.
>>
>>Same goes for feeding. When a snake wants to eat FEED IT! Then it can properly cycle and have the reserves it need to ovulate and develope eggs. Starved snake usually have a hard time during spring because of reserves.
>>-----
>>www.Bluerosy.com
>>
>>
>>"They that can give up essential liberty, to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty or safety." -Benjamin Franklin
-----
~Markus Arelius

Ok fine just Markus.

The very existence of flamethrowers means that sometime, somewhere, someone said to themselves..."You know, I really want to set those people over there on fire...but I'm just not close enough to get the job done!