Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Welcome to kingsnake.com's message board system. Here you may share and discuss information with others about your favorite reptile and amphibian related topics such as care and feeding, caging requirements, permits and licenses, and more. Launched in 1997, the kingsnake.com message board system is one of the oldest and largest systems on the internet.

Click for 65% off Shipping with Reptiles 2 You
Click for ZooMed
Click here for Dragon Serpents

Adult corn not feeding

sgriscom Nov 18, 2003 12:32 PM

I have had my 3 year old adult normal corn on a regular feeding habit since getting him last May. He has now gone for 4 weeks without eating his f/t weanling rat. He has grabbed it and dropped it a few times and also pushed it around his cage but will not eat.

He has started to burrow under the newspaper under his cave hidebox. Could this be a sign of hibernation? The room is kept around 72 degrees and 60% humidity.

I don't have any worries about him taking so long to eat, he is quite a large corn, but I want to make sure these are not signs of a larger problem.

Thanks,
Scott

Replies (4)

Hotshot Nov 18, 2003 12:52 PM

Probably just the time of year. My snakes all slow down feeding as well. My corn went for 2 months last winter without feeding. Just make sure it has fresh water and all should be well.

-----

Good luck and Happy Herping
Brian

Amanda E Nov 18, 2003 12:59 PM

Are you providing any supplemental heat?

If not, you should provide him with some. This may be the reason he isn't eating. I'm guessing that in the past you just kept him at room temp and since temps have been dropping (at least in my area), it's not hot enough for him to feel comfortable to eat.

Also, just curious, but what was the "regular feeding habits" you mentioned? It may be that you had been feeding him too much and he decided to fast for a while. In otherwords, he knows there is a good supply of food around but he doesn't currently need it so he has decided not to eat for a while. (This is purely a hypothesis. I don't know if snakes will actually "think" about their food in this way.)
-----
alstiver@hotmail.com

Current pets:
1.0 '01 Hypo snow cornsnake (Tesla Coil)
0.1 '02 Ghost (pastel) cornsnake (Banshee)
1.1 '02 Bloodred cornsnakes (Desi and Luci Too)
0.0.2 Goldfish (Isamu, and Yuki; RIP Kabuki)
1.0 '99 American Eskimo mix (Rusty)

Next to be added:
0.1 BCI
1.1 Amber cornsnakes
1.1 Hypo Het Lavendar cornsnakes

cowtownherper Nov 18, 2003 06:12 PM

My corns all slow down alittle in the winter. I have a Ball Python that usually goes three or four months with out eating. Snakes can sense the day's getting shorter regardless of the temps. Hopefully yours will eat this week.

sgriscom Nov 18, 2003 06:19 PM

Thanks for the posts. I do have a temperature gradient by using a UTH under the side opposite of the hide box. Just tonight he has been out prowling the cage so maybe he is getting a little hungry. My adult ball python and baby Gray banded king are still eating like champs. Any suggestions on feeding at night vs. day???

Site Tools