Is it his pet?

[Nome]

Hi all,

Need some help with my scrubby hatchie. In the whole time I have had him, I've only ever gotten him to eat 1 pinkie (way too small for his appetite, but I was desperate). I've tried everything, live, dead, brained, etc, etc. I put a live weiner (again) in there last night, who proceeded to crawl over to him and snuggle up to him (it has no teeth, can't even see). It snuggled against him and is still there asleep in his coils. He is asleep there with it. This is rather bizzare, does he want the mouse to be his pet? (Just my lame attempt at a joke, I know he doesn't want a pet).

I dangled it in front of him, and the worse he will do it head butt it, mouth closed. I'm getting the hint - he's not hungry, but I'm wondering why, he's looking awful skinny, and he skin looks dry and a bit crinkled. No cloudy eyes though. Does anyone know what the problem might be? I'm at wits end with him and very worried.

BTW, he's not aggressive at all anymore, so he doesn't even want to 'kill' anything.

Thanks in advance.

~Nome

[instar]

Sounds like you might need a little bit more humidity Nome? Temps ok?

[Nome]

HI Instar,

hmm... I thought so too, and had been spraying him a little daily, so humidity is keeping up okay. He is only at the cool end, won't proceed to hot end at all. temps range 24 - 32. I'm worried his skin is dry b/c he is not eating and losing condition, or maybe a shed? Looks a little crinkly. It is only like that on his bottom quarter of his body, not all over.

[Ramsayi]

Seems to me that the "crinkly" you have described is from bad shed.Sounds like it has started to lift but not come away from the body.
I would wet a pillow case with warm water and bag the snake up in it for a while in a warm place.The shed should then start to come away.

[Slateman]

Naome Sometimes some changes in temperature or light help. I do not know what temperature you have in cage. Sometimes you have to increase the amount of light to bring summer condition. I have success with one hatchie when I changed globe and give him red light instead blue light. Lot of things can have effect on feeding habits. My last coastal hatchies from boconor did not want to eat and I had to use mice tail method repeatedly to start them on pinkie. They took pinkie once after that and I had to give them tail few more times and now they starting to snap on pray.
One of them but do not take pinkie rat, only pinkie mice. You just have to fiddle little . I hope that you will have more luck.
Most important is that your snake is feeling secure in enviroment you created for him. Make sure that he have nice secure hiding place in bought ends, hot and could end.

Advice from a work collegue...In reference to bruce the "fish are friends" spokesperson from finding nemo, my collegue thinks the snake has the same attitude "mice are friends".

but in seriousness, just perservere and he/she will eat when ready. If you are really worried, just take it to the vet for a check up.

[instar]

good point Ram, didnt think of that cause Nome didnt mention seeing cloudy eyes, that may have passed quickly and been missed?? Has it something roughish to rub against Nome? been rubbing at all? Little bit of a soak in shallow luke warm water might help it too. let us know how it goes. Is the pinkie comfy???

[Nome]

Thanks for your support guys . Yes, it does look as though his skin has lifted where it is 'crinkly', and about a week ago, his eyes looked cloudy, but only for a day. I'll try that pillow case thing now, and see how he goes.

[Nome]

I tried the soaking thing last night, but will try that pillow case thing now. instar, I just took the fuzzy out and put it back with it's mum, so it's now having a nice feed :wink: . I have a nice rock in there for him to rub on, I also had a tiny bit of spagnum moss in each of his hides when his eyes went cloudy, thinking it might help.

[Slateman]

If his eyes was clowdy week ago, you have your answer why he do not eat his rodent friend.

[instar]

It can work very well (pillowcase) but be sure not to make it "wet" just dampish. too wet and little air gets thru. You might turn it inside first Nome, since its a little snake, to avoid it getting caught up in loose threads. :wink:

[Nome]

hmmm... they were only cloudy for a day, and my husband reckoned I was 'seeing things' as he said they didn't look any different to him, so I thought I was just being over anxious. Well, hopefully apparantley not. i have put the scrub in the pillow case and in a warm spot, he says to tell you he officially hates you all for that idea :wink:

Thanks guys for this, it's been a great help, i really appreciate it, makes me feel like I'm not alone in this.

[sxereturn]

Nome - make a nice hot spot around 37-38 degrees. Scrubs like it hot. I still have a difficult feeder who will only eat live at the moment...

[Nome]

Sxe, my friends up North who are big-time breeders say that scrubs are mainly from rainforest, and I should keep him under 28 degrees at the hot end. It didn't sound right to me, so I upped him to 32, so it should be higher?

[Ramsayi]

lol well its good that he hates the idea.The more wriggling around he does in the bag the better.You should get a result in 15-20 minutes