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My pyro knob is a little over a year old, and has always been a good eater, but she hasn't eaten since July 10. I have been offering her f/t fuzzies (her usual food), first on July 17, and then every three days after that, with no luck. She is more interested in getting out of her feed box than eating. She last shed on June 20, and was starting to look like she would shed again soon, so I wasn't concerned at first. Her belly has gone white, but none of the rest of her has. She has been a LOT more active in the last few months, but she won't eat. I haven't changed anything in her habitat (other than her litter, but I used the same brand as before). Her temps are the same, and I mist her regularly (a few squirts a day because of the central A/C drying the place out). None of this has changed. She is starting to look a little thin, and I was concerned. She doesn't show any other symptoms at all. I can't imagine what the problem is. If anyone can help me, please, I am a little worried about her. Hopefully my plea for help will result in her shedding and eating again (so that I will feel silly for having asked), but in the mean time, is this normal behavior for kings? I have had her almost a year, but she is my first snake, so I hope I haven't done anything wrong to hurt her. Let me know if you want more information. Thank you all for your help,

Laura

There's a couple of things I would double check. One is if her heat is correct temperature. Second, I would take a fecal sample to the vet for analysis. Parasites frequently cause an animal to go off feed. I read an article on Knobs not too long ago and it mentioned that they sometimes have an inclination to enter brumation before most of the other frequently kept snakes. That they would go off feed late summer/early fall. You might do a search on that statement to see if you can confirm this or not. I'm confident that there will be others on this board who can offer insight into your situation also. Good luck.

I would take a fecal sample to the vet if I could. She hasn't produced one in almost a month! I can't imagine why she would be brumating, since the temps haven't changed at all. Her cage averages 74 in the day and 72 at night, with a slightly warmer spot around her heat mat, and this hasn't changed since I got her last September. Would she enter brumation despite the fact that the temps haven't changed? Thank you again, L

The length of daylight hours and the angle of the sun has an effect on snakes too, not just the temperature. After I posted the above comments I did a search on that last statement. I'm not sure where I read that. I couldn't find it to confirm. Do you keep a light on over her tank or enclosure? Or is her day determined by natural daylight hours?

she has a light on a timer, and her artificial day has not shortened.

Well, then my suggestion about early brumation is probably way off. Especially if her light schedule hasn't changed in that way. One other idea I'm wondering about is if your temperatures are warm enough. My snake house is air conditioned but I keep my racks on a thermostat set at 85degrees. Some animals are just poor feeders. I have a female (who I thought was male for two years) and she has gone off feed for a few weeks at a time. I've never worried about it since I don't see any weight loss or change in her attitude. Sometimes if helps to offer smaller food item when encouraging a off-feeder to begin again. Maybe a pinkie?