My yearling black rat stopped feeding almost 2 months ago. All my other colubrids in the same rack are still eating fine, but he completely stopped one week several weeks ago. Last week I assist fed him a pinky but he won't even do that again this week. I've tried leaving them in overnight, scenting with chicken broth, putting him in a small dark enclosed space with them and nothing is working. He used to eat just fine so I'm sure it's a seasonal thing. I thought if I kept conditions the same he'd eventually come around and start feeding again. Now I'm starting to think I should unplug his heat pad for a few weeks and then plug it back in to give him a little partial brumation. Without the heat pad, the temperature might get as low as the mid sixties. Should I try that or just keep him at the same conditions like all my other snakes and hope he just starts feeding again soon? Thanks for any input.
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seasonal fasting in black rat
Replies (3)
i'd unplug it and let him go into a slight brumation for a month or so... he should awake hungry. dont mess with him other than to change his water. good luck!
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Very normal behavior for black rats. In the past, I have put mine in the basement for a few weeks (usually only about 3 weeks)
and when I brought them back up they ate within a week or two. This year I just kept offering them food every week and did not worry about them not eating. I have found that they will often take much smaller prey during this time, but still not on a regular basis.
How did you "assist" feed yours? I will "tease" feed a reluctant eater, but that's as far as I will go.
If you are going to unplug (not a bad idea, really)...Unplug and let the snake "cool down" for a few days. Then, go ahead and put him in total darkness for about 3 weeks. Put him back in his cool tank for a few days after that. THEN plug his heat back in. I bet that will do it. Next year (or maybe the year after that) you won't even worry when he stops eating. Of course the bigger and healthier they are, the less you have to worry about.
By the way, my black rats both seem to be eating again after only a tiny morsel every once in awhile all fall. My "greenish" rat is still taking only pinkies (and not every time) even thought he was eating rat fuzzies this summer.
He will be fine. He won't let himself starve to death. Duffy
Thanks, as far as the "assist feeding" I held him gently behind the head and poked his nose a few times with a pinky (he's big enough to eat small adult mice) until he opened his mouth. I just put it in his mouth and he swallowed it on his own. This last time I tried doing that, I got it in his mouth but there was no convincing him to eat it. He still feels pretty solid and doesn't seem emaciated so he must know what he's doing.
