Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I'm gonna write this again, since noone replied on the post before. Hi my california kingsnake is having problems with feeding and I've heard different views from different posts on it before, "oh he might be shedding, no he's already shed, oh the temperature isn't right or whatever", none of these seem to have worked out. He just doesn't look interested in food. He's only really still a baby (at almost a year old now tomorrow Nov. 1st!), but he just won't eat. I've been trying every 4-5 days, not handling him for 2 days before trying and keeping his temperature and conditions just right each time. He hasn't eaten in 4 weeks and I give up. I don't understand how he could go from a fuzzy f/t normal size every week to nothing. He has eaten live before, but he won't eat anything now. Could someone pleeease help? Thanks

Here is another picture of him lurking around.

Have you considered the idea of brumation (hibernation)? Lots of snakes stop feeding in the fall, just like they do in the wild. If your snake is healthy (looks like it from the pics), your best bet would be to brumate him for the winter, and he'll start eating like a pig in the spring. Healthy snakes (even 1 yr olds) are capable of going many months without food, and if the temps are kept low, without significant weight loss.
If he has not fed for over two weeks (you said it has been 4), then slowly lower the temps in his enclosure to around 55 to 60 degrees. You may have to put him into the basement, garage, or unheated room to get the temps that low. Make sure he always has fresh water. Your snake will stay active during brumation. Keep him cool and off food till about Febuary, then slowly warm him back up to proper temps.
I have 14 snakes and about half of them have stopped eating for the season. Within the next month, I expect most of them to stop eating. I just put them in an unheated room for the next 3 months and enjoy a break from the feeding ritual. No poop to clean either!

Greg

Okay thanks so much Greg, just one more question, so what u meant by brumating him means cooling the temp inside the cage or does brumation mean something else? Thanks so much for your help.

"Brumation" means a winter cooling period. It's the herp version of hibernation. I don't think snakes hibernate in the true sense of the word. Their activity slows down, but they do remain active.
I have a few snakes that will feed right through the winter, but most of them stop feeding for anywhere from 2 to 5 months. I usually warm them back up in February and try to start off feeding with smaller than normal food items. If your king was eating fuzzies, you may start off with a few pinkies when you first bring it out of brumation. The cooling period usually increases their appetite and their fertility (if you ever intend to breed it).