Gone off food?

[TigerCoastal]

Just a quick question, i got my 1 y/o darwin carpet 12 days ago and he has settled in nicely, but i am wondering if these snakes have a habbit of going off their food over the cooler months?? The reason i am askin is that up untill i bought him he was eating every 5-6 days and he shed 2 days before i got him and it has now been 14 days without eating. He hasnt been handled "alot" other than when he wants to come out, ie: changing water he will climb up my arm and stay out for as long as he wants as i leave enclosure open for him to return to, and his enclosure temps are 28-32 with a basking area that reaches 38. I'm not all that worried as i know they quite often go this long without food, am just curious about the cooler weather and such as i am relatively new and this is my first winter with them.

Cheers and thanks for ya help

 

[amy5189]

i'd be lowering the basking spot. should only be about 32 degrees roughly? someone correct me if this is wrong.... but maybe he's too hot.
if you lower your basking spot the other end should cool a bit too.
try this and then try feeding again in a week. but sometimes snakes do just go off their food over winter months, so this could be the problem too
sorry i'm not more help...

 

[JUNGLEJAGUAR]

Hi Tigercoastle

14 days isnt that long i wouldnt worry about him yet
as you know snakes can go a long time without eating lol
2 0f my babies havent eating for 3months now..:shock: and they still look healthy & fa.t
awwww he sounds adorable..

 

[TigerCoastal]

i'd be lowering the basking spot. should only be about 32 degrees roughly? someone correct me if this is wrong.... but maybe he's too hot.
if you lower your basking spot the other end should cool a bit too.
try this and then try feeding again in a week. but sometimes snakes do just go off their food over winter months, so this could be the problem too
sorry i'm not more help...

Thats the temp of just the basking spot close to the lights, he has another just below it but still in the light that sits at 32. The high one is about 15cm from the light and the lower is bout 25 cm from the light. The temp gradient at 10cm above the enclosure floor is 32-28 so i dont really want to turn it down much more as they were the recomended temps i got told by a breeder and he got plenty of area to thermo-regulate, but maybe i have misunderstood what the breeder told me...the enclosure is 800(l)x400(w)x500(h)... so what hight should i measure the temp at to get it right for him?

QUOTE=JUNGLEJAGUAR;1667118]Hi Tigercoastle

14 days isnt that long i wouldnt worry about him yet
as you know snakes can go a long time without eating lol
2 0f my babies havent eating for 3months now..:shock: and they still look healthy & fa.t
awwww he sounds adorable..[/QUOTE]

Hey JJ i not real worried bout it, an he still looks very alert and healthy just wondering if they have a habbit of it thats all as my coastal is still smashin the rats down as soon as her enclosure door opens, and have read other threads bout stimmie's an children's that have a habbit of it...i know he'll eat when he wants it....lol:lol: an he very adoreable, not as nice looking as my coastal (not by much tho! in my eyes), but what he "lacks" in looks he def made up in personality:lol:

 

[JUNGLEJAGUAR]

he sounds perfectly healthy defo gotta say lillith is a looker no doubt about that..

 

[Jarden]

Get ur basking temp down make sure it doesnt get over 35 @ Max keep the temps between 32 - 34 and you should see a differance

 

[aus_jason]

gone off food

I agree with everyone as well . my coastals have fed all year around . heat stress can pay a big part in that situation . another good thing to look for is where does he hang around . If its around the cooler end and he doesnt move then its way too hot . My cage doesnt go over 32 deg at the hot end . so dont worry too much about it yet .

 

[TigerCoastal]

he not sitting up one end, he's moving from the hot end to the cooler end, climbing his branches and moving arounda fair bit, thats why i am asking if it maybe seasonal, and to get the basking temp down should i just remove the higher perch? The reason i ask is that the temps lower in the enclosure are 28-32 (cold end- hot end)and just try to keep him lower down in the enclosure or drop the temp at the high perch and lower all the temps?

 

[Joelspythons]

when i got my snake i fed it that day like 1 hour after it was so hungry it neally bit my hand off

 

[TigerCoastal]

yeah my first snake was the same, she fed on the first day i had her, but this one was a little different, but he's settled in now and feeding well, was prob the 3 hr commute that put him off