| Every owner of a pet snake has to deal with their | | | | the house, and because people want to display them |
| animal refusing food at one point or another. It is | | | | will be moved to another part of the house. For |
| simply something that we all deal with. In this article | | | | instance people will often get a special cage setup so |
| I'm going to explain a few time tested methods of | | | | they can keep their snake's in the living room. The |
| getting snake's to eat. I don't claim to have come up | | | | snake then has to deal with all kinds of odors, lights |
| with them (they are well known by breeders and | | | | and noise it wasn't dealing with when it was kept in |
| hobbyist alike), but I can vouch for their | | | | the upstairs closet. |
| effectiveness. | | | | 5. Did you switch the snake's diet? To a snake not all |
| Before we get into the details it is important to | | | | rodents are the same. A sudden change in diet while |
| realize that snake's aren't mammals. They are reptiles | | | | seemingly insignificant to you can cause a snake to |
| and this means that they have a completely different | | | | stop eating. If you are going to switch your snake to |
| metabolism at work. A snake is able to go a long | | | | another type of food (for example from mice to |
| time without food. Several months isn't entirely | | | | rats) have a few "servings" of the old food available |
| unheard of for a healthy pet snake. Certain species | | | | if the snake refuses the new food. If you just toss |
| of snakes are more prone to going on a fast (ball | | | | something completely new in with the snake and |
| pythons) for example which are infamous for going | | | | expect it to eat you may end up waiting a long time. |
| "off feed" during the fall and winter months. It is | | | | 6. Is your snake sick? Like any other living creature |
| important to keep an eye on a snake that isn't eating | | | | when a snake doesn't feel well it usually won't eat. |
| to make sure they maintain their weight and are | | | | Because of their nature it can be hard to tell if a |
| generally healthy. If you find that your snake is losing | | | | snake is sick, but if you suspect it is get it to a |
| a significant amount of weight it is important to get it | | | | qualified vet as soon as possible. Let them determine |
| eating again. | | | | if the snake is sick or not. |
| New snakes that won't eat | | | | Tricks to get a snake to eat |
| A new snake home needs time to settle down. A | | | | Sometimes you just have to convince a snake to |
| common practice is to put it in a cage and leave it | | | | eat. The following are some methods that are known |
| alone for 5 to 7 days. At the end of that time offer | | | | to work. |
| the snake some food; if it eats leave it alone for | | | | |
| about three days before you begin to handle it. If it | | | | 1. "Braining" Not for the faint of heart but splitting |
| doesn't eat leave it alone for another 5 to 7 days | | | | open the animals skull and exposing the brain will |
| and then try again. | | | | often get a snake to feed. This should ONLY be |
| Most people don't know this and wouldn't do it if | | | | done on a pre-killed animal, not one that is alive. First |
| they did. For most people the best approach is to | | | | and foremost it is unnecessary cruelty and second of |
| minimize the trauma the snake experiences. Being | | | | all it's a good way to get yourself bit! |
| picked up and draped around someone's neck is a | | | | 2. The deli-cup method This method is for neonate |
| traumatic experience for a snake. Not to mention the | | | | and babies. Place the snake in a small container |
| people wanting to poke and prod at it. | | | | (about the size of a deli cup) and then drop a pinky |
| A great way I've found to ensure a new snake will | | | | in with it and put it in it's cage. You'll often come back |
| eat is to not offer it any food for 2 weeks. This | | | | to a full snake and an empty cup. |
| gives them time to settle in, get used to me and | | | | 3. Pre scenting the room A few hours before you |
| others and get over the trauma of being moved to a | | | | plan to feed the snake put the prey item in the |
| new place. I've never had this method fail with a | | | | same room. Since I feed frozen/thawed I let the rats |
| normal healthy snake that is kept in the right | | | | and mice defrost in the same room as the snake's |
| conditions. | | | | are in. It generally takes 3 or 4 hours and by the |
| An established snake that won't eat | | | | time they are thawed out the snake's are going |
| If you have a snake that has been eating regularly | | | | crazy from the scent. |
| but suddenly stopped you'll want to take some steps | | | | 4. Coat it in chicken broth Sometimes dipping the |
| to help determine why. | | | | food into chicken broth will entice a snake to eat. I've |
| | | | personally never had reason to try this one, but |
| 1. Is the temperature and humidity correct? Even as | | | | many people say it works great so figured I should |
| little as three degree variance in temperatures and | | | | include it. |
| humidity can cause a snake to stop eating. It is | | | | There are other more drastic measures that you can |
| important to keep these as stable as possible. If | | | | use to get a snake to eat. For example there's |
| you're not sure what are the appropriate ranges | | | | something called "assist feeding" where you get the |
| search the internet for "snake species care sheets" | | | | snake started and let nature take over. There is also |
| and you'll find the answer. | | | | force feeding which is when you make the snake |
| 2. Is it fall, or winter? Like I said above some snakes | | | | swallow the food all the way. Methods like those |
| will just stop eating in the fall and winter. As long as | | | | while effective are also extremely traumatic for your |
| they are maintaining their weight and are generally | | | | snake. It is best to leave those to experts instead of |
| healthy they will be fine. | | | | trying to do it yourself. |
| 3. Have you made any significant changes to their | | | | Ultimately as a good steward of your pet you need |
| caging? Adding new stuff (or removing stuff) to a | | | | to determine if the snake needs medical attention |
| snake's cage can be traumatic for them. If you've | | | | because it isn't eating. Thanks for reading and I hope |
| done so in the past couple of weeks let them get | | | | you found this article educational and useful. If you |
| used to it before expecting them to eat. | | | | have any questions please stop by my website and |
| 4. Did you move the snake's cage to another part of | | | | fill out a form. Your question will be answered as |
| the house? Many snake's will start out in one part of | | | | soon as we can! |