Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I need help trying to get my gray rat to eat. He or she was wild caught about a month ago. I have tried all the tricks I know of for the Corn snake but with no luck. Any help will be great.
Thank you

If it is a W/C, then it may be refusing food due to the time of the year. Alot of snakes will refuse food this time of the year. (take a look at all the other forums and you will see people posting the same question almost daily). Especially if you caught it so late in the season. First thing you should do though is take it to a vet and have it checked for parasites, being W/C. Once the snake has a clean bill of health, then just give it time. A healthy juvenile can go quite some time without eating. Just make sure it has fresh water and adequate hides and heat.

The snake could also become aggressive because it is wanting to hibernate/brumate.

Its probably too late to release it. Where are you from?
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Good luck and Happy Herping
Brian

He or she may have shutdown feeding already in preparation for hibernating. What have you tried? I haven't heard of many w/c gray rat snakes not eating in captivity. They are similar to black rat snakes in eating and seem to make the change quite easily. I have a w/c gray rat snake that took a mouse the first try and he hasn't stopped eating sense, except to brumate. It may unfortunately be the case the gray rat snake is not going to eat in a captive environment. Here's a pic of my w/c:

Terry Parks

and incase your tired of it being an eyesore, I will gladly take it and give it a nice home!! LOL

Seriously, where did you say you got it? I wouldnt mind having one like that as well!! I can already see it, between you guys posting pics of all these nice rats and Dwight producing some killer animals, Im gonna have to build yet another rack!!
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Good luck and Happy Herping
Brian

I warned you about getting hooked. LOL. Dwight and others do it to me all the time. All they need to do is post or send me a pic at the right time and I have to get one. LOL. The gray is not a white oak phase, but he is a pretty gray rat snake IMHO. The guy who collected him and sent him to me is trying to find me a female from the same locale so I can breed them. I'm hoping this spring he can get me a female.

Terry Parks

>>and incase your tired of it being an eyesore, I will gladly take it and give it a nice home!! LOL
>>
>>Seriously, where did you say you got it? I wouldnt mind having one like that as well!! I can already see it, between you guys posting pics of all these nice rats and Dwight producing some killer animals, Im gonna have to build yet another rack!!
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>>
>>
>> Good luck and Happy Herping
>>Brian

I caught this guy in the hallway at a local school in se GA.

I have tried to feed it a pinky in his vivarium both during the day and night. I have tried it in a deli cup both day and night and I have lightly bumped his body with the pinky, I was able to get him to strike but that was it.

If this dont work sorry, trying to send a pic.

I might be mistaken, but you might want to check your state laws and regulations concerning possessing native reptiles and amphibians in your state.

Terry Parks

>>I caught this guy in the hallway at a local school in se GA.
>>
>>I have tried to feed it a pinky in his vivarium both during the day and night. I have tried it in a deli cup both day and night and I have lightly bumped his body with the pinky, I was able to get him to strike but that was it.

Im covered under a rhab liscence through my mom. It isn't actually mine till my permit goes through. But it is going to be used for educational purposes.

Glad to see you are covered. I've seen some people in the past post they collected a snake in their neighborhood not realizing it was illegal to collect in their state. Good luck with your snake.

Terry Parks

>>Im covered under a rhab liscence through my mom. It isn't actually mine till my permit goes through. But it is going to be used for educational purposes.

I had a really picky WC white oak phase grey rat that wouldn't eat domestic mice for years. Hamsters, gerbils and deer mice were all eaten with gusto but he wouldn't eat a plain old domestic mouse live or pre-killed. I agree with the other posters that the change in season is probably triggering a lack of appetite too. You could try changing the snake's cycle by adding more light for longer periods (block the snake from the natural light cycle outside as well) and raising the temps to 75- 80 with a cool side on the tank of 70. Offer it an anole or a different type of rodent pink and see if it's just not interested in mice. If the snake doesn't eat in a few weeks, consider cooling it for 6-8 weeks and then warming it up (spring!) and seeing if that doesn't whet it's appetite.
Just some ideas...
Lora

Well,being that most snakes want to hibernate this time of the year could be the reason your snake is not eatting and the snake being 'wild caught' leads me to believe even more that this is the reason. I would recommend like everyone else has to take the snake to the vet to be checked for parasites,both external and internal. Most wild caught snakes have parasites and do not adapt because of them. If you 'really' are trying to get the snake to eat there is one method that works well but can be a little gross. Buy a few pre killed pinkies,thaw one out and expose the brain. Most snakes who will feed but are being stubborn can not resist the smell. Sounds gross but it works.