Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have six corns in my classroom in seperate tanks and they all eat regularly, once a week. If one doesn't want to eat on a certain week it is usually because of shedding and they always eat the next week. I have one male snake that has gone three weeks without eating. He is very active and still had a bowel movement this week, when should I try to change things? His tank ranges from 70 degrees to 85 degrees. The only recent change would be my last batch of mice were black. He ate five or six before he stopped eating. Should I try a white mouse? Someone told me the oil in a black mouse's hair might affect the snake, is that true?

Thanks for any suggestions!

I work in a wildlife museum/zoo/science center, and we have a couple of snakes that won't eat a particular color of mouse (two it's black mice, but one of our milksnakes won't eat white) I'm not sure of the reasoning behind it, but we've just stopped offering the disliked colors, and there's never any problems.

I've seen that before, too.
-----
Jeremy J. Anderson
snakepimp.com
gemstatereptiles.com
Of course it's my opinion, I said it, didn't I?
Breeding season is always just around the corner....JOY!!!

Seriously, it probably just wants to breed. I have some males that refuse to eat for 3 months every year while they're on the prowl for that little sumthin' sumthin' wink wink.
If he loses significant weight, take him to the vet, other than that, don't worry too much, especially if he is drinking water and passing a little waste.
-----
Jeremy J. Anderson
snakepimp.com
gemstatereptiles.com
Of course it's my opinion, I said it, didn't I?
Breeding season is always just around the corner....JOY!!!