Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have a male spotted mexican that stopped eating after i brought it out of burmation, at first it would eat but only pinkies even though rat pups/ mouse would not be a problem. So after a while i decided to get a beef heart and throw it in the food processor and force feed it. Has anyone heard anything about the beef heart feeding?

First, sorry about the dismay. Most experienced herpers have had a snake that either won't eat, or changed eating habits suddenly.

Try a lizard. A skink if you can find one, or an anole.

In the wild, many species of snakes take reptiles more often than rodents or birds. Desert & Thorn Scrub species are even more likely to prefer reptiles, so offer them as food. We all like food variety – Humans & Reptiles.

It's a male,may want to breed. Is is an adult?

1. Was the snake eating f/t or live?
2. How long has the snake been out of hibernation?

When I first saw the thread my initial thought was the snake wants live prey right now... I have several adult annulata that are picky, one wont eat mice with hair, a couple only want live mice, a couple will only eat rat pinkies. Usually the snakes wont eat f/t readily coming out of hibernation, this year all of my adults except 1 ate f/t rat pinkies and mice weanlings their first meal, and the one that wouldnt eat (spotted female) ate 4 live hoppers the other day.

Annulata especially spotted ones can be very picky in my experience.
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albinomilksnake.com

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He has been eating F/T and I brought him out around late January. Since then he has eaten here and there and only pinkies and has locked up twice. I haven't tried hairless mice but I might throw some in my next order, and lizards I have always tried to stay away from, plus they are kinda hard to find this part of Maryland. I just force fed as a last ditch, he is a lot more active now so hopefully that has bought me some time.

An even better question... is him not eating affecting him? Is he looking very skinny now because of it? January to the end of March isnt a long time. And honestly even if he was eating pinkies thats better than nothing. I have an adult male het albino that eats 4-5 times a year and he's steadily around 300 grams year round.

But yeah your male being stubborn sounds breeding related, I say stick with the pinkies.. if thats all he wants give him a pile of them.
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albinomilksnake.com

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Follow me @milksnakeMike

He hasn't gained or lost weight, he is holding at 114gr and is skinny but it is not affecting his breeding, he is taking advantage of both females like a beast. I am going to keep offering him 4 pinkies at a time and hope he takes them all each time, I just want to see if people have heard of beef heart, mainly you because I know you are heavy into the annulatas. I'm hoping he will gain a little more weight before I put him down again, don't want to loose him over a winter.

You do not need to do anything right now. If he loses weight later, then act. But for now, I would let him alone. He is breeding. Food is not on his pea-sized mind, and his weight is just fine.