Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I got an Eastern Milk snake a few weeks ago. He over 3 feet long. I was told he eats adult mice, and by the size of his body it looked like he could take a small adult, so I tried it. He got it half way down and then started twisting and turning trying to push the mouse again the enclosure as if trying to push it down his throat. But it wouldn't go, so he spit it out. So, I tried something smaller... he got it 3/4ths the way down and then spit it out too. So, I tried a really hopper and he got it half way in, then spit it out all slimmy... and then took it down. It's like he had cotton mouth and had to get it wet before he could get it down. What's weird though is that the week before he shed (and refused to eat) he had eaten a larger size than the hopper. Did something happen to him during his shed to make this difference?

Thanks
MissHisssss

I had many wild caught Easterns wen I was a kid, and even adults over 3 foot long would only take the smallest mice I could get. Now I have some Nelsoni that are roughly 3 foot and they prefer very large fuzzies over anything. Even hopper mice just a little larger more often than not get spit out halfway down thier throats. As long as the snake is not wheezing or making any other audible sounds other than a hiss I would stick with small meals. At least for now. If you do hear any wheezing, or any other odd sounds it may have some sort of respiratory infection? Let's hope not. Hope this was helpful Tom

It looked so weird... this mouse swallowed to it's haunches and then the poor snake couldn't get the haunches in his mouth. Talk about a delima. There was nothing he could do except spit it out. He did seem to make a hiss noise... or a spit or gag it out noise. Once out though... all was ok. Yeah, I'll be feeding him small critters from now on. Thanks for responding.

MissHisssss