Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Dear all:

There is something that has become an emerging problem with my copperhead. When I first got him, he was a great eater. Even with all the stress of being in a reptile show and being driven hundreds of miles back to my home, he still ate two hoppers. Over the next several weeks, he continued to eat well. However, in the last two and half weeks, he has stopped eating. He will rattle his tail and then if the mouse gets too close, he will kill them but then not eat them. (killed four so far).
At first I thought it was just because he was not hungry. So I waited eight days to try again. Last night, he did the same thing. He rattles his tail against the substrate but would not eat. It has been two and half weeks since he last ate.

He is a broadbanded copperhead Agkistrodon ontortrix laticinctus.

1. temp used to be around 80-90 deg. I thought may be it was too hot too eat. One week ago, I move him downstairs where it is cooler. Now temp is between 70-80.

2. He is in a ten gallon glass aquarium with lock top with two hide boxes and a water dish. He usually stays in the cold-side hide box.

3. Humidity is 50-80%. Most of the time it is 60-70%

4. ***His ten gallon tank is next to another tank containing pigmy rattle snake. Both of these tanks are within a larger plastic container. Ie there is one large bin that contains the two smaller tanks. Do you think that the copperhead is smelling the scent of the pigmy and getting stressed? This morning I moved pigmy out.

Please help. This is an emerging problem and I would like to find a solution. He has not eaten for two and half weeks. I know that they can go for much longer, but it is concerning because he had been a great eater previously. This sudden change must indicate an emerging problem??

Thx for helping!

Was it a WC female that might be gravid?
My gravid females have quit eating at this point.

Also, it is going into shed? That could cause it to
go off feed.

I wouldn't worry unless the snake is really skinny or
it doesn't feed for months on end. Then I'd worry.

But that's just me.

-m

I've found that Copperheads are notorious for being weird eaters - eating copiously for months and then not eating at all. When you have to worry about a problem is when they regurge what they eat, don't drink and become dehydrated, start to have runny fecals, or don't eat for months on end.

How long have you had this one? Has he ever gone off feed during a shed before?

I don't think the pygmy is really a problem but I think you may have lowered the temps too much. I keep my snakes in a range of 78 to 90.

Other questions: Does he have any lumps? Could he have an impaction in the gut?
e

I have had this copperhead since 14 Jun 03 (From Hamburg show--Great show!!). He is probably a yearling--I say this because is not a juvenile (no yellow tail), but is not yet a full adult yet (probably only about two feet long right now).

He has not regurged. He craps pretty well. His last crap was about one and half weeks ago. He has no lumps (no imparction or gravid as far as I can see).

He has not yet shedded at all under my care. (still waiting for both the pigmy and the copper to yet have shedded)

He does not look too skinny. I will reconsider my temps--but it just seems like the temp is ok because even now, he likes to stay in the cold end.

He is drinking and not dehydrated.

BTW.
I am glad to hear that the pigmy in the same vincinity is probably not the the problem. I was just racking my brain trying to think of things.

Thx for helping. I would appreciate anyone's two cents on this subject still.

tang.

Two feet long and no yellow tail tip? I think your snake has more than more than a year under his/her belt. Do you have any clue as to the snakes origin or any other FACTS regarding its history?
I'd have to agree with the first two posts, this is not something to worry about, until it reaches an extreme. I have an adult male osage that is off feed right now. He does it every summer.
creep

oops. I must come across like a real amatuer. Doh. Well, that is because I am an amatuer. I don't really have enough experience to really know how old the snake is. But I am learning.

I didn't ask the vendor all that many questions about the origins of the snake. Therefore, I don't really have any more facts about him. All that was marked on the deli cup was male BB Copperhead. I think it would be pretty safe to suspect that he is a WC.

That is about all I have in terms of facts.

thank you for being patient with me. I am a beginner and have lots to learn.

sincerely, Tang.

Do you have a name or number concerning the person who provided the animal to you? I wouldn't worry about being an amateur, after all, weren't we all at once? Or you could look at it as if we are all beginners, due to the fact that you never know what is going to happen.
Anyway, I am glad to see that you are concerned about your snakes, and not exploiting them.
If you hve that guy's number, try contacting him to find out as much as you possibly can, same goes for the pigmy. What species was it again?
If you leave an email, I can send you some titles and authors of some historic and reputable sources concerning the copper-fellas.
creep

Forgot to mention, aquiring these resources are up to you.
creep

If you're worried, you could weigh him to have a yardstick to if he's losing weight or not. But sometimes it just takes patience for adult animals. He'll probably just wake up one day and want food again. My little horned adder didn't eat much for about three months in the winter but I wasn't worried. I'm worried now because he's eating like a horse but he's been regurging.

Um, by amateur do you mean an amateur with snakes? Because if so you really shouldn't be keeping copperheads and pigmys. Anyway, all sounds good with your copper head exept for not eating, give him sometime, if he is otherwise healthy, this shouldn't be a problem. A fecal exam by a vet might be in order to rule out parasites.

I have a pair of A. c. phaeogaster and they are doing the same thing. These snakes become increasingly more nocturnal as the temperatures get hotter during the Summer months and it seems to be typical behavior for them to slow down on eating during the hottest parts of the year. Also, gravid females will routinelly refuse meals. I wouldn't worry to much unless they havn't fed in a couple of months.

TW

Is this also a fairly common problem with Crotalus atrox (W. Diamondbacks)? I'm having much the same problem with my juvenile (24-30 inches; see earlier posts). Skinner gave some excellent advice, which I'm taking to task - but maybe this is just a "lazy dayz of summer" thing.