Reptile & Amphibian Forums

My little guy, "Fluffy" hasn't eaten for me in 6 weeks. He has only eaten with me, twice, and they have both been F/T fuzzies. I am not permitted to feed him a live mouse, nor do I want to. He just isn't eating - what can I do?

Next time, I will heat the mouse using two plastic bags, this way, the mouse may not get wet. The mouse seems to be moist recently, every time I remove it from the bag. Also, the mice are, for some reason, breaking apart easily when I go to remove them from his enclosure (the next morning). What can I do???

"Fluffy" The Snake

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Thanks,
Dan from Long Island

Dan,
I am very concerned for your snake. You just need to listen to the advice that you have been given. So many people have said this before. The way to get him to eat is to leave him alone, change his cage to meet his needs, not yours (ie ditch the cage furniture and get some real hide spots), give him security, and again leave him alone until he is feeding regularly. He fed like clockwork when he was here. You just need to control your urges to handle him and change his cage around and let him feel secure and he will feed, no problem. You may also put him back in a smaller enclosure until he is feeding regularly, as a 10 gallon may be too big for him to feel secure in. I am begging you to do this for the wellfare of the snake.
Justin
AAR

I have removed much of that furniture. I just did it for a laugh. Anyway, I think that you might be right - I think I shall place him back into his old enclosure and see if that works.

Also, how should I be warming the mice, so that they don't get moist? That has been a problem lately - for some reason.

Also, I am concerned with temperature. In the old, smaller enclosure, I had the reptilian heating pad beneath one side and I had a human heating pad beneath it going on and off with a timer. Is that not smart? Do I just need the reptilian heating pad?

Also, I have a heating lamp on the left side of the 10 gallon enclosure, along with the heating pad on the left side - is that also not good? I have the lamp on and off throughout the day and off at night. (Also, which side do I want his water on? Do I want it above the heating pad or on the cool side?)

Thank you so much,
Dan
"Fluffy"

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Thanks,
Dan from Long Island

Dan,
Cage heating elements can only be judged by the temps that they put out. You need to have about a 95 degree F warm spot on one side and a 80 degree or so cool spot on the other side. I have told you this before, just watch the snake. If he is on the cool side most of the time, then turn the temp down a bit. If he is always on the warm side, turn up the heat a bit. Make sure you have some place that he can wedge himself into that he can feel secure in. You might try a toilet paper tube (the cardboard after the toilet paper is gone) or other such hide area. Something that he can barely fit into is perfect and will let him feel secure. Don't go handling him. His non-feeding is because you have been messing with him. Control yourself until he has had about 5 meals on consecutive weeks, then maybe consider holding him once a week. Once he is taking food from tongs or in your presence, then his fear of you is gone, and you might handle him regularly. LIKE I HAVE SAID BEFORE, take it one step at a time. You are trying to take all the steps at once, and you need to realize his needs need to be met before your needs. If you are not patient enough, then he needs a new home.
Good luck, and take it one step at a time.
Justin

Hi Justin...

Thanks again. I am pretty sure that those are the temps I have in the enclosure. He seems to lay on both sides of the enclosure.

I have two hide spots (one on each side) for him and he seems to use both equally.

I will now try very hard to not take him out and see if he feeds. Thanks...

"Fluffy"

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Thanks,
Dan from Long Island

By the way, Justin, should I be feeding him FUZZIES, or something else? The mice I have been feeding him have been about 1.5 inches long (not counting the tail). Is that the correct size he should be eating? He's about 24 inches long or so, give or take a few inches.
"Fluffy"

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Thanks,
Dan from Long Island

at that length he can take a small mouse no problom.. fuzzys are going to be to small... you might want to try pre killed instead of frozen.. by prekilled i mean you buy the mouse live and kill it yourself by witchever means you chose and feed right after you kill it...like the people before me said LEAVE HIM ALONE!!!! dont try to feed again for untill its been around 2 weeks sence hes been handled.. if hes in a glass tank cover the glass so he cant see outside of it

Well, I moved him back to his old enclosure, the other day and have not messed with him at all. I hope that he will eat on Tuesday evening, when I try to feed him again...

"Fluffy"

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Thanks,
Dan from Long Island

DONT FEED HIM YET!!!! trust me on this one, waite at least two weeks from the day you put him in his new/old encloshure. hes gonna need time to aclimate again and get back to where he wants food.. 1 week isnt enough time, they can go a long time without food so dont try to ruch it......the snake will eat on his time not yours