Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi all,

My female cb coxi, hatched in March, is not eating. I'm getting concerned that she may not eat again for me. I've been offering her live pinks (she refused f/t., tease feeding, brained, and left overnight in the cage) and I have within the last week reduced her hot spot temps from 82F to 74F, since I know these snakes don't appreciate the heat. However, I have a yearling male that has never missed a meal (other that during shed) who is kept under the same conditions, but in a separate tub. Any suggestions? I'd really hate to lose this little girl, and she did feed twice for me on live pinks up until May 4th. She shed at that point and hasn't eaten since.

Thanks,

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Lora

Like it or not (and we certainly don't!) some hatchlings simply will not thrive. That said, I have had more luck getting problem feeders to eat using the "decapitation method" than any other. It's just a half-step away from braining, which I know you have tried, but next time give this a shot:

Cut the head off a pink and put both head & body in a deli cup or other small container. Squeeze the head a bit to get some of the brain goo to ooze out the neck (MMMMM, good!). Put the little snake in there and leave it alone in a quiet spot. Some will just eat the head. Some will eat the head and then go on to consume the rest. And, of course, some will continue to refuse.

I have "saved" several non-eaters that a breeder friend of mine was about to put in the freezer. One little texas rat was the scrawniest snake ever, skin literally hanging off of him. He is now a fairly healthy robust animal who just ate a hopper today. I suspect he will always be small for his age, but he didn't wind up as kingsnake chow, and I got him for free..."If you can get him to eat, he's yours" has been the deal on some of these problem-feeders that I have adopted. Good luck. Oh, and please let me know if it works. Duffy

I'd really hate for this one not to make it, she's a beautiful little animal and has been a pleasant captive from the beginning. I'll try the beheading/braining (I've got plenty of f/t pinks) in a small container and see what happens. If this doesn't work, I'm going to have to assist feed her and I hate to do that to such a tiny animal.

I appreciate your reply! I've never had this sort of trouble with a N. American rat snake (with them it's usually hard to get them to stop eating!).

I'll let you know if she takes the bait!
Thanks,

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Lora

From your original post you mentioned that the snake stopped eating after it's last shed. Did you happen to check to make sure the eyecaps were in the slothed skin? Could it have retained them?

Just something to look for.

You may also want to try scenting with various things one at a time.
Stuff that works for me.
Standard pinkie rubs like lizards, frogs and such.
But also:
Fish (feeder goldfish)
Earthworms or slugs sometimes works with certain species.
Chicken noodle soup
or Raw chicken skin/blood.
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Later,
Paul E. Turley

I have also heard of tuna working sometimes... I know it sounds rediculous but it's worth a try!
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0.1 Snow Corn "Hope"
1.0 Redtail "Kilo"
1.0 Ball Python "Road Hog"
1. Orange Albino Black Ratsnake "Chunk" (Goonies)
.1 Orange Albino Black Ratsnake "Peaches" (Didn't name her!)

Lora,
I've never heard of a coxi refusing food from being too cold, but I have heard of them refusing from being too hot. You might make sure your temps are exactly what you think they are (second thermometer or infared temp gun). The time frame that you gave might indicate a temp increase in the cage (even slightly) that might have shut the little girl down.
I keep mine at temps no warmer than 75-77F. They're in the coldest part of my facility and they continue to eat like pigs. Also, they don't seem to go off of food in the winter until the temp drops below 58-59F. To me, that indicates a preference for cooler temps than most Asian rats. I also provide them with a really moist sphagnum box that gets changed about monthly. They spend 75% of their time in the box.
I know my evidence is anecdotal, but I've had great success with these guys. Hope this helps!

Bryan

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Last night I was laying in bed looking up at the stars in the sky and I thought to myself, "Where the hell is my ceiling?"

Bryan,

I just double checked my temps with my handy dandy temp gun and the front of the tub is 74.4F with the back of the tub at 75.5F (same temps as my mandarins and the yearling male coxi). I agree that there was some time since she last ate where the temps went higher than that, and I've been rearranging their placement to make sure she's at the lowest temp I can provide in the snake room. I have a damp hide for her (with just moistened paper towels in it vs. moss), but I'll try swapping out the paper for moss and see if that improves her use of it. I generally just dampen the cage substrate every few days to make sure the ambient humidity stays high.

I do appreciate the advice and will continue to monitor her temps closely and keep offering food weekly and see if she comes back around. I hate to try brumating her early, when she hasn't had a chance to put any weight on.
Thanks again!

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Lora

What a heartbreaker. I'm so sorry that I couldn't get her to feed. I may take her in for a necropsy, but since she's so tiny, my vet may not be able to determine cause of death. I know sometimes there are snakes that just don't make it, but she did feed twice for me within the 1st month on live pinks. I honestly kept telling myself that when she got hungry enough, she would eat something, and kept monitoring her temps and humidity. I continued offering her pinks in various forms weekly (live, f/t, brained,etc...) trying to find one that would spark her feeding response.

I'm still trying to figure out what I learned from this one...
I feel absolutely rotten that this little critter died in my care and wish I knew what I could have done differently to have prevented it.

Any suggestions? My other coxi is fat and sassy and has been for the past 8 months.

I appreciate the responses and advice I received previously.
Thanks,
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Lora

Lora,
Sorry to hear about your loss. As was mentioned previously, some animals simply fail to thrive no matter how perfect their conditions. Sounds like you did the best that could be done. I wouldn't beat yourself up about this one. Keep your chin up and give it another shot in the future. Good luck.

Bryan
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Last night I was laying in bed looking up at the stars in the sky and I thought to myself, "Where the hell is my ceiling?"

Thanks Bryan. I appreciate the sympathy. I'll wait till the weather cools down and see what's available then. In the mean time, I'm reviewing my husbandry to make sure that conditions will be as close to perfect as I can get them. Cooler temps, more humdity, etc... I just hate to lose such a beautiful little animal and want to make sure that it doesn't happen again!

Here's a pic of my remaining male, shortly after his arrival last year. He's doubled in size at this point and is eating large fuzzies with no problems.

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Lora