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My Speckled Kingsnake began refusing to eat 36 days ago and I'm very concerned. A little history on this snake for you guys out there who may have some insights for me...

First, I live in east central Mississippi and I caught this specimen wild outside my home in early March of 2004. It was an obvious neonate only about 10 inches long. I have 2 Cornsnakes and a Rainbow Boa as well so I'm no novice to snake ownership. This Kingsnake has always been a good eater during the past 18 months that I've had him only refusing food during ecdysis. He's typically fed F/T mice and rats except for the occasional "live" mouse. He, like my other snakes are on a weekly feeding schedule. He ( i say "he" although I've nevr sexed this snake to know for sure whether it's male or female) has grown readily typically shedding every 30 to 40 days. He began refusing food back in Sept. for no apparent reason. He has been very secluded for the past few weeks (although he did experience a shedding just a few days ago) but that isn't unusual for it. I have attempted to even "tease" feed him but he only strikes at the item and shys away. I don't believe that this refusal to feed has anything to do with the season or changes in the weather since it's kept in my own bedroom (same as my other snakes) and the temps remain constant. Also, he never acted this way at all during last year's winter season. It has had several bowel movements during this period of fasting so I don't believe there is any digestive problem going on. The only change that's taken place during this time is that I relocated him to a new, larger enclosure about a month ago but he'd alredy left off eating about a week before that happened.

So? Any one out there have any experience or insights as to what is happening here? I welcome any advice anyone may have. Thanks.

I would say with the info you provided that he may have been not hungry at the time and then the relocation might have freaked him a little. Try feeding in his old cage or do you feed outside his enclosure normally? Did you change the position of the new cage? Do you have cats that might have upset it? Just some thoughts. It is a LTC and may have been used to its surroundings.Just some thoughts.
Todd Hughes

I also live in MS, but in Starkville. All of my speckled kings (excluding my '05 hatchlings) have almost completely shut down for the winter now. After we had that first cool front come through a few weeks ago all of them have been very secretive, inactive, and very reluctant to take prey.

In your case, I would say (knowing how my MS speckleds are) that the disturbance of moving him around, ALONG with the dropping temps, shorter days, etc...that he is naturally doing what he would do in the wild. I noticed you said that last year he fed through the winter? This year he may not, especially if he's quite a bit larger. Even though he is kept at constant temps within your home, he still knows what seasonal changes are taking place outside. If he's wild caught it is genetically coded within him to shut down right now.

If he doesn't eat in the next few days I would recomend you cool him gradually, place him in a smaller container with water, and then put him in the coolest room in the house on the floor. Check on him every few days, make sure he has water, and when Spring arrives he'll be an eating machine. Good luck!

Thanks Matt, I will take your advise and brumate him this year. And since I'll be putting my King in "storage" for winter I suppose I should go ahead and do the same with my Corn this year as well.
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"Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD GOD had made."
Genesis 3:1 KJV Holy Bible