Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I am wondering why my male alterna won't eat. He came out of brumation in Feb eating very well. Then stopped eating a few weeks later while breeding with my larger female. After I separated them, he ate twice in April. I then placed him with my smaller female since she appeared to be ovulating. I never witnessed copulation, but she just had her pre-lay shed and is full of eggs. The male didn't start eating after separating them, so I finally moved him to another room. It has now been 7 weeks since he ate. He even refused live pinkies last night.

Any suggestions? He has always been a great feeder until now.

I also wonder if I should turn his heat down so he is not burning up his reserves as fast. He is not emaciated, but pretty slim.

Sorry for the essay. Thanks.
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Kent

1.1 Hypo (het lavender, striped) cornsnakes, 2010
1.2 Gray-banded kingsnakes, blairs phase, 2008 (and 14 eggs)

That would conern me for sure. But it maybe normal for him? Keep a close eye on his weight. If you drop the temps he may not resume eating at all?I would keep trying everything you can think of to entice him to eat again. Keep trying pinks, maybe in a paper bag or small container with air holes. Try over night, or any other way you can think of. He'll brobably snap back soon. Flagyl seems to restore snakes appetites, but it's not readily available.
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King Snakes! Who can make a better mouse trap?
Jorge Sierra

My Site > www.Sierrasnakes.com

I really wouldn't worry about it much. Many males stop feeding in the breeding months. Some resume back feeding a bit earlier than others is all. He will come around soon.

~Doug
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"a snake in the grass is a GOOD thing"

I wouldn't worry just yet, Kent. The first time I had that happen (quite a few years ago) I took my snake quite a distance away to a reptile specialist vet, who checked him out and said he was fine. He still refused food a while longer until one day, BAM!. He was ready to eat again, and with a vengeance. Never another problem. I know it's hard not to worry. But many males are like that.

--Dennis

hello- I too have had experiences where a male will go off feed, but maybe pinks too small a meal? If this is breeder male of yours, then he might want something larger to entice him. I would try hoppers at least. Good luck. Dave.

>>hello- I too have had experiences where a male will go off feed, but maybe pinks too small a meal? If this is breeder male of yours, then he might want something larger to entice him. I would try hoppers at least. Good luck. Dave.

Many times timid snakes like Graybands or Mountain kings will take a pinky when they don't want a larger meal. It will many times spark their appetite, and send them back on their way. The pink is definately not a meal, just a treat.
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King Snakes! Who can make a better mouse trap?
Jorge Sierra

My Site > www.Sierrasnakes.com

Gotcha...My greybands that can eat adult mice always start out on small hoppers right after brumation. Anything larger does scare them...

>>Gotcha...My greybands that can eat adult mice always start out on small hoppers right after brumation. Anything larger does scare them...

Yeah mine too. I just had a female who stopped eating and I got her eating again with a fat pinky.
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King Snakes! Who can make a better mouse trap?
Jorge Sierra

My Site > www.Sierrasnakes.com

Mon Mar 7 11:40:15 2011 from an old post:
Zane had not eaten since August 4th of 2010. Came out of brumation early February.
So anyway, today (Mar 7) I noticed that one of my small alligator lizards had a kink in it's back and was not fairing so well, so I put Zane in his feeding jar with this lizard, and he started eating it right away. He had been turning his nose up at mice for weeks now. I quick got a couple of live small fuzzies and put those in the jar as soon as he swallowed the lizard, and he ate those, too. It's like he just needed his reset button pressed with a lizard meal. Not to worry about parasites, these lizards have previously been treated for parasites last summer.

Zane with full belly. He is an 08 but only weighs 70 grams. Not the most enthusiastic eater, but since discovering his hardwired preferences maybe I can now expect better results with him. Fortunately all my other pyros don't need lizard appetizers prior to the mouse main course.

Update June 4, 2011:
Zane weighs 135 grams and now eats almost every time food is offered. No more Mr. Picky! It seems the one lizard meal did something to his appetite that is long lasting.

He is now almost as big as Zafina, his 09 mate. He is the one at top of photo. They did not do any mating this spring as she was too young to ovulate and distract him with pheromones.

I have also had success getting stubborn ones to eat by lancing a pinky's head and poking the snake's snout in the blood.
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Bob
Pyromaniac AKA Greatballzofire
Keeping cats allows man to cohabitate with tigers. Keeping reptiles allows man to cohabitate with dinosaurs.

Thanks everyone for your replies. When I went to check on him tonight, I found that he is going into shed, so I will try to feed him again after he sheds.
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Kent

1.1 Hypo (het lavender, striped) cornsnakes, 2010
1.2 Gray-banded kingsnakes, blairs phase, 2008 (and 14 eggs)

I bet he will eat after the shed! My male Mazar, the male who sired a fertile clutch this spring, just had another shed today, and was very hungry right after. I put four big fuzzies in his feeding jar and he threw so many loops around them he had trouble finding them in all the snake knots! LOL!
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Bob
Pyromaniac AKA Greatballzofire
Keeping cats allows man to cohabitate with tigers. Keeping reptiles allows man to cohabitate with dinosaurs.

I usually just put in one at a time, but that's funny how they will constrict multiple prey items.

By the time he sheds the litter of pinkies I have will be fuzzy or hopper size. Hopefully that will get him going.
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Kent

1.1 Hypo (het lavender, striped) cornsnakes, 2010
1.2 Gray-banded kingsnakes, blairs phase, 2008 (and 14 eggs)

I saw only one reply I think that said what is really going on: breeding males usually go off feed for awhile, especially if they were well fed going into the breeding season.

Fat males are not great breeders typically. Many males refuse food probably to increase their chances of successful mating. I mean, that is pretty much everything to a male snake - pass on its genes.

When those hormones go down a bit, he will probably eat.

I would not try lizards or anything else. If you want to try small meals then fine, but I wouldn't worry. This isn't disease or other malady. But have a cooler area in the cage for sure.
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Mark

He has hides at the cool and warm ends. He is in good shape as he was well fed at the start of the breeding season. I am not too worried, but its hard not to be a little concerned! Thanks!
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Kent

1.1 Hypo (het lavender, striped) cornsnakes, 2010
1.2 Gray-banded kingsnakes, blairs phase, 2008 (and 14 eggs)