Reptile & Amphibian Forums

first question regards my cottonmouth: i've had her only about a week, but in 3 seperate feeding attempts she has not eaten. i realize that this isn't abnormal--i've had snakes go months without eating. but what is odd is that she'll kill the mouse and often times 'guard' it. after a day or so it starts to smell a little, so i shoo her away and pluck it out. is this behavior normal? should i leave it in there a while longer?

second question concerns my gaboon viper...he has two different eyes. one is dark (black) with no distinguishable pupil, the other is normal--gold with a black "cat's eye" pupil. could the black one be a retained eyecap? none of my snake's have ever had an eyecap problem, so i don't really know how to identify it. i got him at the same time as the cotton (a little over 1 week ago), and i did not notice if he had this problem when i got him--just noticed it last night.
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currently have:
snakes:
1.1 ball pythons (snake'n'bake, sally)
1.0 reticulated python (mousetrap)
1.0 leucistic texas rat (ice)
venomous:
1.0 pygmy rattlesnake (gordon)
0.1 mozambique spitting cobra (fluffy)
1.0 gaboon viper (boone)
0.1 cottonmouth (elizabeth)
lizards:
1.0 nile monitor (dick)
0.0.1 egyptian painted agama (george)
0.0.1 blue tongue skink (skinky)
0.0.1 red sided skink (skinky jr.)
0.0.1 desert horned 'toad' (grinch)
0.0.1 tokay gecko (jacques)
frogs:
0.0.1 pac man frog (flik)
turtles:
1.0 common snapper (snapple)
fish:
0.0.6 red belly piranhas (milich, teo, sonya, kwanda, kasim & neclord)
1.0 betta (big red)
mammals:
1.1 dachshunds (gus & heidi)
4.3 misc. cats (ho-hum, pritchett, ghost, church, gypsy, flypsy, & hand)
1.0 child (michael).

Regarding you gaboon...... A retained eye cap would not be black...... Sounds like eye could be dialated for some reason..... An eye cap would look more cloudy than anything..... Best thing I can tell you is to take it to a vet........ And give the cotton some time to settle in...... Could be alittle stressed in its new home....

thanks for the response.
the cottonmouth actually did eat the one that was sitting in her tank when i posted that.
as for the gaboon, i tried calling a few vets in the area. only one treats snakes....i asked if they take venomous and the receptionist asked "what's that?" i replied telling her 'poisonous' and she said no...so i have to find a vet now.
any thoughts on what would cause a dilation? he is seemingly healthy, though quite lethargic most of the time (common of the species, if i'm not mistaken). he has eaten already too...
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currently have:
snakes:
1.1 ball pythons (snake'n'bake, sally)
1.0 reticulated python (mousetrap)
1.0 leucistic texas rat (ice)
venomous:
1.0 pygmy rattlesnake (gordon)
0.1 mozambique spitting cobra (fluffy)
1.0 gaboon viper (boone)
0.1 cottonmouth (elizabeth)
lizards:
1.0 nile monitor (dick)
0.0.1 egyptian painted agama (george)
0.0.1 blue tongue skink (skinky)
0.0.1 red sided skink (skinky jr.)
0.0.1 desert horned 'toad' (grinch)
0.0.1 tokay gecko (jacques)
frogs:
0.0.1 pac man frog (flik)
turtles:
1.0 common snapper (snapple)
fish:
0.0.6 red belly piranhas (milich, teo, sonya, kwanda, kasim & neclord)
1.0 betta (big red)
mammals:
1.1 dachshunds (gus & heidi)
4.3 misc. cats (ho-hum, pritchett, ghost, church, gypsy, flypsy, & hand)
1.0 child (michael).