Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have a juvenile Crotalus atrox (WDB) that initially fed well on
domestic live mice (hoppers), but for the last month or so has
seemed to lose interest in them. Does anyone have any ideas on
what I can do to improve his/her feeding habits? Fresh-killed mice,
perhaps, or f/t, or perhaps something besides mice? Thanks in advance,
michaelb

How often are you feeding? A good rule of thumb is not to feed until it takes a squeej. Might just not be hungry. Might be too cold in the cage. My atrox has hit spells where it didnt eat for a month, didnt come out moveing much even at night, then all of a sudden he sheds, craps, and gets hungry. Is yours moveing at night, or is it inactive? WC or CB? Has it been checked for bugs? Probably nothing to worry about. I would keep it warm, plenty of water, and wait till it poops before trying to feed again. Skinner

Thanks for the advice, skinner! He shed about 2-3 weeks ago (8 buttons now); I thought initially that was it, but he hasn't taken anything since. He's relatively active at night, totally secretive during the day. WC, about 2.5 feet long. Looks healthy from a visual perspective - no lesions or other skin problems, and reasonably stout. I'll bring his cage temp up a little and try another hopper in the next day or so. (What's an ideal temp for a WDB?) Stay tuned, michaelb

How long have you had the atrox? When i got mine it was brought to me by a man that used a rope snare to catch it, like you do dogs and cats, and he injured the spine behind the head about two inches. It was forever before he would take any food, and beleive it or not it was a grasshopper that got him eating again. Try leaving a dead mouse in the enclosure over night, bet it disapears. Does the snake have a place he can go where it is secluded, and feels safe? If he apears to be healthy, isnt loosing weight, looking scrawny, and is drinking water, he sounds ok. But something has it stressed out. The heat in my atrox cage fluctuates between low eighties to mid eighties, and the enclosure is large enough that one side is heated while the other side provides a heat escape. Be patient, the more you open the cage and mess with it the more it will feel like hes not safe and will continue to stress out. The advise i was given right here on this forum three years ago, was to leave it alone, dont mess with the cage, dont stand there peering into the glass, dont walk by every ten seconds to see if its moveing around. Take something and cover the glass so it cant see outside the cage, but keep the cover away from your heat lamp, and off of vent holes to prevent fire and overheating. Check the water everyday from an opening where you can just see the dish, dont remove the cover. Leave it this way with only water for about a week, then drop a dead mouse in the cage over night. He needs solitude, peace and quiet. Skinner

He has a lot of solitude, believe me. He's off in an out-of-the-way corner, and has quite a few rocks and logs to hide under (and usually does). I don't mess with him unless I absolutely have to, and that's only for cage cleaning and water freshening. I use a heating pad underneath the enclosure on one side to set up a thermal gradient.

I'll try covering the enclosure, at least the side opposite the water bowl, and then give him a shot at a pre-killed mouse.

Thanks again, skinner, I really appreciate the advice! michaelb