Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Probably almost all of us have experienced it at least once. Our beloved snake has a GREAT feeding response, and feeds regularly. (Mine is a subadult, and feeds about every 3 days.)

Suddenly, days after it has eaten, it rejects food utterly. Nope. No good. Not in the mood for any mice. It might as well be eating dandelions.

Then, as usual, it resumes feeding a few days later and may not repeat the "no feed" episode for months.

Neither proximity to shed nor temperature are likely factors.

Why?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

Every 3 days may be too often. I feed mine every 7 days. They usually eat without hesitation. Most snakes won't eat if their not hungry, but I'm no expert. Derek Lee

This time of year, maybe begining to catch hold of the light cycle?

As I have mentioned, I have been on a snake field study for 15 years or so. What we have learned, and this is not a guess, it simply is. For this point of time(mid-sept) to late dec. is the heavist feeding season. Oh, our study is at elevation(6000ft)

The spring to midsummer is devoted to socialization and reproduction. Then at the end of the rainy season, the rest of the year is devoted to feeding. Oh yes, this is about adults. The juviniles eat all year long.

Again, this is fact and not rationalized. Its simple contact observations. FR

Sounds logical to me.

By the way, my Cal King is not an adult, or I would not be feeding so often. Many times, after I had fed 1-2 items, he would come back to the corner where I had last dropped the prey and look around, hoping for more. I began to feed every 3-4 days accordingly, and all times but most recently he was fine with that.

I wish that I could have been along for even half the herping trips. You sound like THE hard-core Herper. (;

Don, 45
Vancouver, WA

Frank, I know you know more than I do about this. But then what is your spin on why a lot of captives stop eating as the days get shorter in captivity regardless of warm temps and the same conditions?

As the days get shorter, it means less sun exposure, which means the mass temps are dropping, which means less heat for reptiles to work with.

The sad problem is, most people think in terms of air temperature. But reptiles think in terms of mass temps. That is the temperature of all solid things around them. Hey, have you ever heard of a snake basking in the air?

As i have said, on our study site at 6000ft, the snakes feed all year long sometimes and always to late dec. Even with snow on the ground. The reason is simple, they do not use air temps. I hope this helps

If you were to control the temps, you can avoid this problem.

On a side note. We keep many reptiles outside, turtles and torts, and monitors. When the first cold wave hits, they do down, for a short period, then they normally come up and continue feeding as long as the temps support them. FR

np