Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have had a pair of E. carinata for about six weeks now and cannot get them to feed. I have tried small mice large defrost mice, rat pinkies, rat fuzzies, small day old chicks and nothing. I have tried assist feeding by annoying them with defrost mice etc., they strike at them hold on then let go. Today I have tried them with live medium mice, one of the carinata would strike at the mouse when it ventured too close the other one just ignored the mouse. I was in the reptile room and kept an eye on them fro about three hours. I have taken the mice out as the snakes were in one corner of their vivariums with a mouse in the opposit one.
The snakes do not seem to be losing weight. All I can think of now is either to force feed them which I do not want to do as this stresses the animal a lot. The other thing is to cool them down for four or six weeks then try again.
Any suggestions would be appretiated.

John G
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1:2.. Pituophis catenifer (melanoleucus) sayi (Bull Snake)
0.1.. Boiga Cyanea
1:1.. Gonyosoma oxycephalum (Silver Phase)
1:1.. Lampropeltis getula "goini" (Tangerine Phase)
01.. Eryx miliaris nogaiorum
1:1.. Elaphe o. obsoleta (liquorice stick or white sided rat snakes)
0:1.. Eryx jaculus
1:1.. Lampropeltis pyromelana woodini (Huachuca Mountain Kingsnake)
1:2.. Elaphe bimaculata (Twin-spotted Rat Snake)
0:1.. Elaphe sauromates
1:1.. Candoia carinata paulsoni (Soloman Island ground Boas)
1:1:1.. Natrix tessellata
Lizards
1:0..Tupinambis teguixin ssp. (Golden Tegu)
0:1..Uromastyx acanthinurus
1:1..Pogona henrylawsonii [brevis] (Rankins Dragons)
Arachnid’s
Pterinochilus murinus
Kilimanjaro Sootyback
********************************************************************

Are they cb or wc? Are they mature, if not then what stage (do they have their adult pattern)? Are they thin or well fleshed? What size cage? What temperature conditions? What are the humidity conditions? What are the hide conditions? If wc, have they been wormed? Are you feeding day or night? How are they behaving.

regards
John Firneno

Are they cb or wc?
they are both WC from China.

Are they mature,
They are both about 4' long Colouration is more greenish yellow speckled than yellow.

if not then what stage (do they have their adult pattern)?
Yes but where thery should be yellow (from books?)they are more greenish yellow with anover all greencolouration.

Are they thin or well fleshed?
They are not thin and do not appear to be losing any weight.

What size cage?
Both are in 3'L x 2'W x 2'H

What temperature conditions?
Temps are 80 F at the hot end and 74 F at the cool end. A deep sustrate of aspen abouot 3-4".

What are the humidity conditions?
Humidity 30-40%

What are the hide conditions?
A 1 litre cleaned icecream container with damp paper towel but they both prefer to use a piece of cork bark to hide under.

If wc, have they been wormed?
The vet took swabs and found very few protazoae, she decided that we get them feeding first or in a few weeks time. They have an appointment next week and will be wormed then.

Are you feeding day or night?
Tried both no effect.

How are they behaving.
More active early morning and evening. They are not very active during the day. Definitly not as feisty as when I first got them.

I was wondering if I should brumate them for the remaining winter 4-6 weeks?

JohnG
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********************************************************************
1:2.. Pituophis catenifer (melanoleucus) sayi (Bull Snake)
0.1.. Boiga Cyanea
1:1.. Gonyosoma oxycephalum (Silver Phase)
1:1.. Lampropeltis getula "goini" (Tangerine Phase)
01.. Eryx miliaris nogaiorum
1:1.. Elaphe o. obsoleta (liquorice stick or white sided rat snakes)
0:1.. Eryx jaculus
1:1.. Lampropeltis pyromelana woodini (Huachuca Mountain Kingsnake)
1:2.. Elaphe bimaculata (Twin-spotted Rat Snake)
0:1.. Elaphe sauromates
1:1.. Candoia carinata paulsoni (Soloman Island ground Boas)
1:1:1.. Natrix tessellata
Lizards
1:0..Tupinambis teguixin ssp. (Golden Tegu)
0:1..Uromastyx acanthinurus
1:1..Pogona henrylawsonii [brevis] (Rankins Dragons)
Arachnid’s
Pterinochilus murinus
Kilimanjaro Sootyback
********************************************************************

This is a picture of the male.

John G
Link

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********************************************************************
1:2.. Pituophis catenifer (melanoleucus) sayi (Bull Snake)
0.1.. Boiga Cyanea
1:1.. Gonyosoma oxycephalum (Silver Phase)
1:1.. Lampropeltis getula "goini" (Tangerine Phase)
01.. Eryx miliaris nogaiorum
1:1.. Elaphe o. obsoleta (liquorice stick or white sided rat snakes)
0:1.. Eryx jaculus
1:1.. Lampropeltis pyromelana woodini (Huachuca Mountain Kingsnake)
1:2.. Elaphe bimaculata (Twin-spotted Rat Snake)
0:1.. Elaphe sauromates
1:1.. Candoia carinata paulsoni (Soloman Island ground Boas)
1:1:1.. Natrix tessellata
Lizards
1:0..Tupinambis teguixin ssp. (Golden Tegu)
0:1..Uromastyx acanthinurus
1:1..Pogona henrylawsonii [brevis] (Rankins Dragons)
Arachnid’s
Pterinochilus murinus
Kilimanjaro Sootyback
********************************************************************

Your husbandry conditions sound about right. So let me take a couple of guesses.

With wc carinata there could be a very heavy parasite load. That might cause a problem.

The wide geographic range that carinata inhabit has a wide temperature range too. So if these specimens come from a cooler montane area they may be unhappy with the temperature you have.

I wasn't sure from your description whether both snakes were in a single cage. If they are then separating them might help.

I'd check with someone who's worked with wc carinata first before brumating them.

Sorry I couldn't be of more help.
Regards
John

They are in searate cages, I did keep them together for the first week, then I was told they were snake eaters so separated them.

Regards JohnG
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********************************************************************
1:2.. Pituophis catenifer (melanoleucus) sayi (Bull Snake)
0.1.. Boiga Cyanea
1:1.. Gonyosoma oxycephalum (Silver Phase)
1:1.. Lampropeltis getula "goini" (Tangerine Phase)
01.. Eryx miliaris nogaiorum
1:1.. Elaphe o. obsoleta (liquorice stick or white sided rat snakes)
0:1.. Eryx jaculus
1:1.. Lampropeltis pyromelana woodini (Huachuca Mountain Kingsnake)
1:2.. Elaphe bimaculata (Twin-spotted Rat Snake)
0:1.. Elaphe sauromates
1:1.. Candoia carinata paulsoni (Soloman Island ground Boas)
1:1:1.. Natrix tessellata
Lizards
1:0..Tupinambis teguixin ssp. (Golden Tegu)
0:1..Uromastyx acanthinurus
1:1..Pogona henrylawsonii [brevis] (Rankins Dragons)
Arachnid’s
Pterinochilus murinus
Kilimanjaro Sootyback
********************************************************************