Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi all:

I have an update about the copperhead about whom I wrote on this forum just a few days ago.

Today, I tried feeding again. At first, I did not remove the hide box and I just pushed the hopper toward the hide box. The copperhead started to rattle his tail against the substrate. Even after the hopper entered the snake's hide box, the snake did not bite it. The snake only rattled his tail and waited for the mouse to leave.

Out of frustration, I lifted up the hide box with my hook, exposing the snake. Then the snake bit the hopper. There was enough venom to kill the hopper immediately (less than 3-4 seconds). With this fast kill, the snake then proceeded slowly toward the mouse and I held my breath.

Long and short of it is that the snake swallowed the mouse. I was happy!

Here are somethings I am learning:

1. let the snake regenerate his venom sufficiently. Previously when the snake killed the other mice, some mice didn't die right away. This was probably because the feedings were too close together (ie two mice on same feeding session or too few days in between feedings), giving no time for the venom regenerate. It seems to me that if the snake takes too long to kill the prey, he gets spooked and stressed and will not eat. It becomes a vicious cycle: if you try to feed a snake whose venom has not sufficiently built back up, you are depleting his venom once again and you are back in square one. Because of these feeding mistakes, 17 days had passed between this meal and his last one.

2. Rattling of the tail does not always mean that the snake's strike is going to be a purely defensive one (previously I had thought that if the snake rattle the tail incessantly, he will not eat). Tonight showed me that rattling is okay. Also, it showed me that lifting his hide box out of the cage is also okay.

3. I like my copperhead. Patience helped give him time to regenerate his venom which, in turn, allowed him sufficient fire power to knock down his prey. He sure packs a whole lot of punch, if I just allow him to refuel his venom sacks!

Signed: happy dad!
Click on this blue line to go to my Fangs Album to see Hot snakes.

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Longtang. I like snakes and rats.

Accolades for resolving your problem. Now if only I can resolve my similar problem with my Western Diamondback (see below; he's going on 4 weeks without feeding).

Do you provide adult mice or hoppers? Hoppers often can be more "jittery" than adult mice, and I've wondered if maybe an adult might be less intimidating to the snake than a hopper.

Thats good news. Copperheads can be either be very picky or great feeders. You dont need to stress out if he doesnt eat on schedule. I got a baby Southern back in January and he fed great for my buddy who I got him from. But he didnt eat for me until the end of February. I just watched him and he stayed alert and active so I knew it was just a matter of time.

Joe