threads about snakes not eating

[nook171]

hey guys/gals iv been noticing alot of threads are based on snakes not eating and iv posted one myself buts whats going on with all these snakes nt eating lol

just posting a pic aswell lol

this is clyde the hunter lol
Attachment 4947

bonnie the gracious
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[codeth]

cool

[cwarren72]

mate the problem realistically is that a lot of new keepers panic needlessly....You see, there is a lot of advice being given saying that they should eat this often and they should be this size and blah blah blah but they are like kids ...in that what works for one doesn't always work for another. While some are well behaved some are not and while some are big fat obece pigs others are anorexic......

[TrueBlue]

imo why most snakes tend to go off their food is that alot of people just wont leave the poor things alone. I dont care what anyone says as some will say,- "but my snake loves me to hold it and play with it etc", RUBBISH, they are largely solitary creatures and should be treated as such.
If your snake stops feeding, people for gods sake just leave it alone.!!
imo they should be left alone at all times and only handled when nesecary.

[Aussie Python Lover]

well they are ppls pets why have a snake thats just gonna sit in it enclosure all the time and not handle it? i handle my snake all the time and out in the wild they go without food for days weeks and months and no one touches them at all out in the wild.

[spilota_variegata]

I bought a carpet python 11 years ago from a reputable supplier (one I have bought many snakes from). This snake did not eat for nearly a year!! I kept an eye on his weight and condition and after about 10 months, bingo he ate a small rat. I kept him on a smaller food regimen for a couple of months then stepped him up to large rats. After several months I gave him a go on a full sized rabbit and he ate it. I still have him, he's over 15 years old, healthy as an ox. Every year he goes off his food for several months.

Very wise words from cwarren72 and TrueBlue.

[nook171]

well my snake had a good reason for not eating he had a bug in his intestines

[spilota_variegata]

Originally Posted by nook171

well my snake had a good reason for not eating he had a bug in his intestines

Always a good idea to get things checked if in doubt... I hope your snake is fine now.

[nook171]

hes still in the vet hospital cost me $125 so far but mre to come but i will pay anything to get my clyde back to good health

[RevDaniel]

nook $125 is still cheap for a vet bill

[Julie-anne]

My housemates yearling coastal stopped eating for quiet some time. There are several reasons why this could have happened (we moved house which was obviously stressful for him and he was without a heat source until everything was unpacked and sorted out again) when ruling things out we also stopped handling him (in case he was sick and as mentioned above, overhandling can cause illness and anorexia)
After about 7 months he decided he was hungry again. We're not sure why he held off for so long but it could have been any of these things (or all of them!) ...or he might just turn out to be "one of those snakes" that don't eat for half the year, we'll just have to wait and see if he does it next year as well.

[nook171]

but the bill is still building up and im only 15 without a job lol

[TrueBlue]

apl, same reason people have fish or birds, most of them never get handled yet are still pets.??
Wild pythons rarely eat because of food availablity and sesonal changes, which can be easily over come in captivity, so much so that alot of poeple imo, grossly over feed captive snakes.

[Australis]

I agree, Snakes getting nothing from being handled, its the keepers desire to do this......

I wonder if people are just joking when they ask why keep snakes if you dont handle them, like TB mentioned, alot of pets being kept arent handled, but people still get alot out of it.