I wouldn't recommend starving them out. These snakes have much faster metabolisms than most snakes, There have been observations of wild snakes eating daily, for up to a little over a week straight before observations could not be continued. (this is technically hearsay based on observations, but there were pictures included in that report). I'd just continue to feed them on whatever schedule you have them on, if they aren't taking rodents yet, still feed them what they will take, they aren't refusing rodents simply because they aren't hungry for them...



I don't mean "starve them out" literally that's why I put the quotation marks there. I meant give them two weeks to get good and hungry. Masticophis as you know are opportunistic feeders in the wild, they definitely prefer reptiles as it seems but I'm sure they would eat birds or mice if they had too.



If after I run out of lizards and they won't take to anything else they go into brumation for 3 months. If its to early for me to collect lizards I'll just buy a ton of Anoles and start again next season. I know most of these guys get onto rodents at a certain point and I'm prepared to wait that out.



IMO the Coachwhip could very well be refusing rodents because he is not hungry for them. The whipsnakes I'm sure are keyed in on lizards so I'm trying the same thing before they go into Brumation. I have all sorts of frozen reptiles in the fridge to scent with so why not give it a try before winter?



That sounds like a pretty interesting report I would like to see any chance of getting a link/copy of that? It doesn't surprise me they eat every day, most of my snakes at home would eat everyday if I let them, unfortunately they don't have the room to burn all that off even with my big cages.



Don't you have a Coachwhip? Hows that thing doing?



Nate

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