Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Ive been trying to work this new species out. I am not new to snakes, but new to hogs. Well, i got him at a show in early august. He was a nice, pretty, healthy male. The breeder said they were still on live, but two days after getting him, he ate a f/t pink. For a few weeks, hed do just fine, and eat them. But suddenly, he wouldnt accept them. I tried leaving him overnight, no go. A few weeks of trying, and i got fed up and bought a live one. He ate that. Its been three or so weeks since taht, and he wont eat live anymore either. Our house has been warm, and he has a heat pad. Hes in one of those long and flat critter keepers, on aspen. He is frustrating me alot. I don't think he would be going into hibernation, its not even cooling really. Although, he stays in my brothers room, and he keeps the lights on at night. The other thing is, he hasnt shed. I'd really appreciate help. I like the little guy, but if i cant get him to eat, im going to have to get rid of him. Advice would be greatly appreciated.

Dan

I have a pair of 2003 unrelated western hognoses and both are eating well. They both take unscented pinkies. You could scenting the pinkies with a lizard like a green anole or even a gecko. just rub the pinkie all over the lizard and then try.
the snake also may have shedded previously. if he does not get any better find a vetinarian that knows about snakes.
my 2003 california kingsnakes shed about once a month. heres a pic of my female normal western hognose eating sorry its kind of blurry

Any amount of research on Hognose Snakes will tell you that they frequently stop eating at any time of the year, and they may not resume for several months. This is a very common and the biggest complaint from newcomers by far. I would suggest buying a digital scale that would allow you to keep accurate weights of the animal. You should minimize handling and disturbances, and weigh it every couple of weeks. Once its body weight drops 10 to 15 percent below its original starting weight, that is when you should get concerned and start taking drastic measures. Until then, do a lot more research on hognoses. Visiting this forum on a daily basis will certainly improve your knowledge base.
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...the oldest task in human history: to live on a piece of land without spoiling it."
Aldo Leopold (1938)

"Sometimes I think the surest sign that intelligent life exists elsewhere in the universe is that none of it has tried to contact us."
Calvin and Hobbes

This forum is way too slow to visit every day. Visit it every two or three days, unless there's a good argument going.

BTW, my little hog did the SAME THING when I got him. I used toad scenting a few times and it got him back on track. But then you have the problem of what to do with the toad. Toads make great pets, though. I have one myself. His name is Luigi. Perhaps your local pet store will let you look at a toad and then you can rub the pinkie on it when they're not looking. But, like the other posters said, if he's not losing weight you can just wait him out.

Right now he hasn't eaten for maybe... a month... and I'm like, you call that a fast? Get back to me in February! But he's an adult now.

Oh, and they barely barely ever shed. Even if they're growing quickly. It's really weird. So don't let that concern you.
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Peter: It's OK, I'll handle it. I read a book about something like this.
Brian: Are you sure it was a book? Are you sure it wasn't NOTHING?

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Unless you plan on putting him into a full fledged brumation keep his heat on. Room temps will not be low enough to shut off his metabolism, but it may just be low enough to help supress his hunger. Also, he needs his heat to maintain a healthy immune system. As long as his weight remains steady I wouldn't stress about it, he'll eat when he's ready as long as your husbandry is on par.

That being said, husbandry may very well be your problem here. The best advice I think I would give you at this point would be to move him into a room with a normal day/night cycle. I'm sure being in a lighted room 24/7 is probably a big part of the problem. I have quite a few hogs that won't touch their ft mice unless it's dark in my snake room, if they don't feel comfortable they won't eat.

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-Ross Payan - www.LeosAnonymous.com

Leos Anonymous

Ball Pythons, Red Striped Leos, W.Hognose and Screaming AFT's

So you just disagree with the frequency?

I admit now it's not all that exciting, but sometimes it can move as quick as any other forum.
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...the oldest task in human history: to live on a piece of land without spoiling it."
Aldo Leopold (1938)

"Sometimes I think the surest sign that intelligent life exists elsewhere in the universe is that none of it has tried to contact us."
Calvin and Hobbes

Yeah! The rest was good.
I suppose I should mention I'm a message board addict, I tend to get angry and disoriented when there aren't enough new posts to read.
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Peter: It's OK, I'll handle it. I read a book about something like this.
Brian: Are you sure it was a book? Are you sure it wasn't NOTHING?

My young western hognose has done the same thing in the last couple of months. He went about 5 weeks without eating and then ate one hopper mouse last week, but didn't eat this week. They just seem to be finicky at times. In that five weeks he didn't lose any weight(he remained at 70grams) and then a week after he ate the hopper mouse he was up to 72grams.
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Adam
http://anraviary.cjb.net
0.0 African Sidenecked, 0.0 Northern Diamondback Terrapin, 0.1 Redfoot, 0.1 Sulcatta, 1.0 Western Hognose, 1.0 Crested Gecko, 0.1 Mali Uromastyx