Reptile & Amphibian Forums

For those who didn't see my first post last month...

I've had a female green anaconda since the first week of August, and have not been able to get her to eat. Lately, she had started to seem more interested in eating, but that died away real fast. She's looking very underweight now: skin is really loose and wrinkled, very little energy or strength. I don't wanna have to watch this snake slowly starve to death, but I've tried just about everything. I got so worried I attempted to force feed her just to get something in her, but she wouldn't even let me get her mouth open. She seems content just starving herself to death. At this point I'm just beyond frustrated with the whole situation. I'm gonna try using chicken-broth on the mouse next week...and if I can find a place to get quail I'll try that (don't wanna pay for a whole pack online if she won't even eat 1). Anything else that I could try?

Chris
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0.0.1 Senagel Chameleon-Bud
0.1.0 Red-tail Boa-Xena
0.1.0 Green Anaconda-Lola
1.1.0 Bearded Dragons (should have my flameXblood from fire and ice and one other soon)

have u tryed chicks, small iguanas or corn snakes. also how are u feeding the food and what is the cage set up temp humidty and so forth?

CrazyCody
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I'm CrazyCody KadunkKadunk!!! I'm a herp god!!!

Kadunk was here

CrazyCody

I've tried giving live and dead mice, as well as frogs. The temp is low 80's to high 90's (55gal tank with a 75 heat lamp), and humidity is around 80%. I mist it about every other day, and leave a water dish for her (water gets changed every 2 days).

Chris
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0.0.1 Senagel Chameleon-Bud
0.1.0 Red-tail Boa-Xena
0.1.0 Green Anaconda-Lola
1.1.0 Bearded Dragons (should have my flameXblood from fire and ice and one other soon)

A 75 watt bulb is giving you a floor temp. of 80's - 90's in a 55 gal. aquarium? That doesn't seem right unless your room temp is in the 80's to begin with. I'd double check the temp. and add a heat pad if neccesary. Keep the humidity up also, soak the bedding in spots and cover part of the screen cover with plastic to retain heat and humidity.

Have you tried live chicken chicks? Find a local farm,livestock auction or feed store and try to get a couple live chicks,worked for me in the past.

An obvious point don't handle the snake until she is feeding well - avoid all stress - feed at night, leave the food in and make sure the environment is dark and quiet!

Please consider a trip to the vet - if you don't have a herp vet call your pet stores and seee if they know a reptile vet or check the yellow pages. The snake may need to be tube fed or have fluids administered if she's in a weakened state.

I live in FL, so the temps are nice year round. The tank is in a room that naturally stays in the 80's all year due to it's location in the house (farthest from the a/c unit) and being a pretty small room. I have the bulb set up on the right side of the tank, so that side is always really hot, gradually cooling down to low to mid 70s on the left side. I haven't been able to find a place selling live chicks or quail as of yet. As for under tank heating...given her behavior pattern it wouldn't be a wise investment on my part. She's always either in her water bowl, or up on her branch...the only time she's on the ground is when on her way from the water to the branch. Remember, Condas ARE water snakes, and when young are semi-arboreol...but other than that, they are sluggish on land and tend to stick to water. I think in a few weeks I'm gonna go ahead with my original idea for an enviroment for her and see how that works...most of you won't like it, but if I'm right...well, that's what I'm gonna find out. Thanx for all the help.

Chris
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0.0.1 Senagel Chameleon-Bud
0.1.0 Red-tail Boa-Xena
0.1.0 Green Anaconda-Lola
1.1.0 Bearded Dragons (should have my flameXblood from fire and ice and one other soon)

` Try scenting head of food with juice from canned tuna. Just dip nose of rodent in it. Use tuna canned in water, not canned in oil. Also, many frogs have glands in skin which can poison whatever eats them, and amphibians tend to absorb and retain substances in skin which can harm whatever eats them.
` I don't use temperatures over 86 degrees, nor under 70., average 78. Under floor heat will keep the snake's gut warm. This promotes appetite. With overhead heat, the floor can draw the heat form the snake's underside. This can put their metabolism in such slow mode they won't eat. Even with 90 degree plus air temperature. With a non-contact IR thermometer, you can measure the floor temperature at all locations, at all times of the day/night. You can also measure the skin temperature of the snake, right at the belly, and all along the underside. With Anacondas, air/water temperature is much less important than floor temperature.
` Many captive tropical snakes die slow deaths from overhead heat and open/screen top cages, it is certainly a shame, if not a crime. Overhead heat is cheap and easy, in the initial set-up. Because the death is slow, many people never get it. Providing one warm area doesn't guarantee the snake will use it at the right times.
` When setting up a new habitat, it really helps to set it up and run it for a while, before moving the critter in. This can keep you from using up your pets to shake down a habitat's suitability.
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Stop the world-I want to get off!

` Got it mixed up. Should be "Air temperature less important than floor/water temperature." Anacondas will enter water that is too cold, if they want to soak.
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Stop the world-I want to get off!

Every one in this thread has some generally good ideas about keeping 'condas and getting them started. I have had too many to list, the greens are generally the most difficult. They like to be warm, maybe 5 degrees F. above what you would keep any other boids. I use both below substrae heat and radiant heat from above. I have had much better success keeping them in a completely dark enclosure, or an EXCELLENT hide box. Notice the emphasis on excellent. The snake should be able to completely get out of the light. A dark enclosure is easier. Do not continue to mist the cage, like 99% of the snakes out there anacondas do not need to be kept wet, humidity is fine. A large water bowl with a well heated enclosure is more than enough. The cage should be very well ventilated though. The best starter foods are always live chicks, but a hopper rat(the largest you can find) is also excellent starter food. The hopper or chick must be very active. Always introduce the food at night. I have had very good success in feeding freshly killed appropriate sized rats. Throw the rat on top of the snake in front of the snout and leave it. I had one large male 'conda go 14-16 mos without feeding. It finally fed on everything that went into the cage.
Good luck.
Chuck

I've known quite a few people who own anacondas (including myself) and we all concur with the fact that most anacondas will not eat if the ambient temperature is above roughly 91 degrees. Myself and others have tested this with our snakes and found it to be correct. I would recommend cage temps from 80 - 85 degrees; no higher. Try this for at least 3 days, then feed your snake.

Initially, my anaconda went without eating for 3-4 weeks until I spoke with an anaconda breeder that enlightened me to as to my potential problem.

-Casey

I'm coming in a little late to this thread but here's my take on your anaconda. We got in an adult female a few years ago, and she too was a problem feeder. We were told she was eating, but some sales people will tell you anything to get your money. Anyway, we finally got her to eat chicken parts (legs mostly.) She was wild caught, and she really liked her water and her environment warm. I hate to say we never took accurate temps of her water and cage, but the room she was kept in was never below 75, and she had heat under part of her cage, and a heat lamp suspended over her pond (but not so she could ever get in contact with it, lest someone get the wrong idea,) so her environment was probably in the 80s all the time. Anyway she was nuts for chicken, and after a while, we could put a piece of chicken skin on a (deceased) rabbit's nose, and she'd grab that rabbit like it was a big bird. If you have a small anaconda, try just wrapping some chicken skin on a (dead) mouse and leave it in the cage overnight and see what happens. Can't hurt.

While using fresh chicken has always been a good means of getting an anaconda started, the risk of introducing salmonella to your snake makes this a risk not worth taking. Chicken broth will achieve the same results. Salmonella has some really disturbing symptoms in snakes. It is a slow death for them. It is however one of the methods of last reorts.

Well, I tried using tuna to scent the mouse and that didn't work. I'm gonna pick up some chicken broth on tuesday and give that a shot. If that doesn't work, I'm probly going to be offering her up for sale. I love her...but I just can't sit here watching her starve to death.
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0.0.1 Senagel Chameleon-Bud
0.1.0 Red-tail Boa-Xena
0.1.0 Green Anaconda-Lola
1.0.1 Bearded Dragons-Ruff and Alexis
1.0.0 Ball Pythons-Donnie

The chicken broth might work with her. How big is she? i got some other questions send me an e-mail at CrazyCodyKadunk@hotmail.com

CrazyCody
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I'm CrazyCody KadunkKadunk!!! I'm a herp god!!!

Kadunk was here

CrazyCody

She's about 36" long, and 2.5" around in her fattest part. Need to get a scale to weight my animals in the near future it seems. As far as temperment...she's the most docile animal I've ever had! My bearded dragons are worse than her, and they're by no means aggressive. Will try chicken broth this week though.

Chris
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0.0.1 Senagel Chameleon-Bud
0.1.0 Red-tail Boa-Xena
0.1.0 Green Anaconda-Lola
1.0.1 Bearded Dragons-Ruff and Alexis
1.0.0 Ball Pythons-Donnie

ok Can u send send me an e-mail at
CrazyCodyKadunk@hotmail.com

CrazyCody
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I'm CrazyCody KadunkKadunk!!! I'm a herp god!!!

Kadunk was here

CrazyCody

A hide box of some type is essential for young greens, and most will feel stressed and will not feed without access to one. As stated above by others, I agree that chicks or chicken broth scented rats are your best bet. I prefer rats because many greens do not like the smell of mice, and the broth does not disguise it very well. Place the food item in the front of the hide and leave overnight. Also as stated above, chicken parts from the store could be tried as a last resort. Although the risk of salmonella is always there, many snakes harbor certain strains to some degree naturally, and only a few of the 2,000 variants of salmonella have been shown to be dangerous to snakes. Good luck.

Kelly

She had a hidebox available for several months and didn't use it once, so it's since been taken out. The only 2 places she ever goes are in her water and up in her branch. Tonight when I change her water I'll incorporate a hidebox into it and see if she uses it then.

Chris
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0.0.1 Senagel Chameleon-Bud
0.1.0 Red-tail Boa-Xena
0.1.0 Green Anaconda-Lola
1.0.1 Bearded Dragons-Ruff and Alexis
1.0.0 Ball Pythons-Donnie

the responses I have seen offer some good advise. It is unclear, however, how big this snake is - makes picking the best food options a little more difficult. If the snake is big enough (and you have access) ducklings can work wonders. (my personal favorite method is scenting thawed rodents with caimen, but obviously that isn't an option for everybody). Have you tried offering food while it submerged in its bowl? - remember the natural habits of your animal. if it is as thin as you've made it sound, I wouldn't mess around much longer before force feeding it. again the best options are dependent on the size of the snake and your experience - at this point, start smaller than you would expect to feed her naturally - goldfish, rat pups, etc...the important thing is to get her some nutrition before she is too far gone.
Good luck,
HHMoore

A few posts ago I stated she was 36" and 2.5" around, and she's atleast 6 months old.

Chris
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0.0.1 Senagel Chameleon-Bud
0.1.0 Red-tail Boa-Xena
0.1.0 Green Anaconda-Lola
1.0.1 Bearded Dragons-Ruff and Alexis
1.0.0 Ball Pythons-Donnie

so you did, guess I missed that when I ran through. at 3 feet it would be easy to force feed her any number of prey items, but I wouls still suggest goldfish or rat pups to start as they will be fairly easy for both of you. another option is to tube feed her some nutrient paste.
hhmoore

Force feeding will kill that snake faster then starvation. if u give it time and different food items it should come around.

CrazyCody
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I'm CrazyCody KadunkKadunk!!! I'm a herp god!!!

Kadunk was here

CrazyCody

Well, I added the hidespots per everybody's instistance, and will be trying to feed her again on tuesday. Wish me luck.

Chris
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0.0.1 Senagel Chameleon-Bud
0.1.0 Red-tail Boa-Xena
0.1.0 Green Anaconda-Lola
1.0.1 Bearded Dragons-Ruff and Alexis
1.0.0 Ball Pythons-Donnie

obviously, at various stages in the decline of non-eating snake, there are a number of good arguments on both sides of waiting it out vs force feeding. It is difficult to judge what is best without seeing the animal in question, but I based my thoughts about forcefeeding on the statement in the initial post: "She's looking very underweight now: skin is really loose and wrinkled, very little energy or strength." Whatever you decide, I wish you luck with this snake. I know that a trip to the vet was already suggested. I would also suggest contacting a local herpetological group - they can refer you to a good reptile vet, as well as directing you to sources for some of the harder to come by food items (you had mentioned not wanting to purchase large quanities online). Another possibility is that someone with experience with green anacondas might be willing to take it on as a project to get it started for you (obvious care needs to be taken here, but dealing within a herp group you are less likely to encounter somebody trying to rip you off)
Once again - good luck
HHMoore