Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hello everyone, we bought a pair of apricots from this site before christmas for our son. Thery were brumating for a few weeks before we got them, but they were brought back up to normal temp and we were told they ate before they were shipped. NOw the female is eating ok but the male isnt interested in anything! They were both eating F/T pinks before we got them but the female was supposed to be more picky than the male. Anyway I am worried that the male has not eaten since like dec 15. Anything I should try or should I not be worried at all. They are both 15 inches at this time, should we still stay with one pink every week? Thanks in advance for your help, Jeffrey

>>Hello everyone, we bought a pair of apricots from this site before christmas for our son. Thery were brumating for a few weeks before we got them, but they were brought back up to normal temp and we were told they ate before they were shipped. NOw the female is eating ok but the male isnt interested in anything! They were both eating F/T pinks before we got them but the female was supposed to be more picky than the male. Anyway I am worried that the male has not eaten since like dec 15. Anything I should try or should I not be worried at all. They are both 15 inches at this time, should we still stay with one pink every week? Thanks in advance for your help, Jeffrey

Don’t sweat it yet, a week or two without eating is not going to hurt them. Try putting him in a small container with the mouse and leave him alone for a few hours. If that doesn’t work try a live pink. If the live one works, then wait 10 days and try the F/T again. I’ve never kept Pueblans, but they are not known for being difficult feeders.
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Rick
Never Enough
Reptiles

I am guessing that they are 2005 hatchlings since they are 15" long. Most people don't brumate hatchlings unless they have a lot of trouble getting them to eat. Brumating them in that case will often get them to start eating when they are brought back up to temp, but it sounds like they were down for less than a month so I'm not sure how much that would help.

I would go with the previous suggestion and try live. In general, if they haven't fed for you yet I would assume that they haven't been started at all (IMHO), and then use some of the ideas put out on the forum in the past for getting hatchlings to feed. If the live doesn't work, you can email me and I'll give you some more suggestions to try.

Good Luck!
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Paul Weaver
Carolina Herps

This worked for my king snake when I had the same problem:

Hold the snake it one hand and hold a pinkie in the other using a tweezers or needlenose pliers or similar (so it doesn't strike your hand). Gently shake the pinkie in front of the snake. You may have to gently slap his/her neck to aggravate the snake and stimulate the feeding response. Eventually your snake should strike the pink. Then hold still. Hopefully it will continue to consume the pink. If it spits it out, try again a few times. If it still spits it out, put the snake in a small critter keeper with a single ply of newspaper or paper towel. Put the pink under the paper. You might want to hold down the paper in a couple of spots with something light, like a couple of small rocks. Close the lid and put the snake in a closet or something. Come back in a couple/few hours and the pink will probably have been eaten. I think once they strike and get their saliva on the prey, it induces them to eat it.

Each snake has different eating habits and likes. You have to learn what works for each snake.

Walt

Well right now he is in a big butter tub with a live pink and has been in there for about 2 hours and no luck yet! Our son is getting upset thinking that he is going to die!!!! maybe i need to turn the light off? I have no idea !?!?!?!?!?!?!!?!

snakes can go quite a long time without eating so don't panic. Leave the pink in there overnight. And try not to keep checking on it...just leave it be for a while.
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Paul Weaver
Carolina Herps

Dark and quiet is best. Are you sure he is not going to shed? Often, they will not eat during a shed cycle (up to 2 weeks). Like I said before, don't panic yet. You are not even close to panic yet, you have weeks before that.
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Rick
Never Enough
Reptiles

As the others have said, I wouldn't worry. I'm sure the snake can go a long time without food provided it has water.

I assume that they shipped the snakes to you in small deli cups?

If so, one thing that usually works for me is to put the snake in deli cup with the pink overnight. Don't check on it until the morning. Being in such a small space with the food generally gets them to focus on it and eat it.

DNS Reptiles

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Dave Niles

OK I left the pibk in the cup with him and will leave it there all night, will let you know in the am if he ate.
I dont think he is getting ready for a shed because I never saw his eyes go cloudy. Thanks again for your help, Jeffrey

P.S. our son is happy to know that its ok that he isnt eating for awhile!!!!!!!!!

Well that didnt work. I gues i will wait and try agin ain a few days unlessanyone thinks that is a bad idea?