>>Hi, my 6ft male ATB was eating quite well up until the winter and then tapered off like so many of my snakes do, as the winter in New England is pretty brutal. My female was eating pretty well until I put them together, and then she starting pigging out. She is now gravid, in shed, and refusing food (I know this is normal), but the male still won't eat. I'm wondering if they go into breeding mode and refuse food for a period of time, if the winter just has a long term negative effect on their feeding, or if I should start getting worried even though he is pretty active and acting normal.
It's generally not normal for male Amazons to go off feed because of the winter season like American snakes do. They might slow down a little sometimes but my adults generally eat an average of twice monthly. In fact, I've found it's quite the opposite. My males really bulk up over the winter and then during the time of actual courtship and breeding they may go off for a little while but soon resume feeding. Are you sure he's in good shape? No resp infections or shedding issues?
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>>The male had a little bit of a gut in the fall from eating quite well (maybe a bit too much), and now is looking normal and well nourished despite not eating.
Thats good. A healthy treeboa will hold good relative weight despite several weeks of not feeding.
He does strike at the food, and has taken mice from tongs over the past couple of weeks, but eventually drops them on the floor of the cage. A little insight would be helpful and appreciated!
You could be seeing the result of more defensive striking than offensive feeding attempts. Make sure there are no disturbances in the room and don't move around too much while attempting to feed.
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>>The one issue I see in the male is that he almost always over shoots the mouse when he strikes. He literally strikes too high, which may be partially due to what I believe is an eye issue, although they do rely heavily on their sensing pits. When I got him a year ago one of his eyes appeared a bit larger than the other, and there still may be a slight noticeable difference to this day. Any ideas?
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Are you feeding live or frozen? It might help him find the meal easier if you use a thawed mouse dipped in some very hot water. Amazons are very sensitive to temperature changes and will almost always strike at some super-heated food. Get the eye thing checked by a vet, a dialated pupil (open while the normal one is closed)could be a sign of a much more seious neurological problem. Has the snake been subjected to any overheating? What's the animal's history, how long have you had it? CB or WC?
It wouldn't hurt to get a fecal done and sent to a vet for analysis.
Good luck.
D
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