New Stimson Owner

[JCowley1989]

Hey guys!

I am a fairly new first time snake owner. I have wanted a snake for a long time and only recently committed to it.

I have a few uncertainties regarding my new snake and was hoping to get some help or some assurance that I am giving my new snake (Steve) the best care I can provide.

Firstly, he is a juvenile, not sure on age I am guessing about 2 months. He is about a foot long. Seller said he has had 4 unassisted feedings on fuzzy mice. I am keeping him in a medium click clack (approx. 50cmX20cm).

He spends most of his time in his hide, which has an air temp of between 32 and 34 degrees. The cold end of the enclosure is about 28 degrees. When I picked him up, his last feed was a week ago. I have had him for 2 weeks now and he still hasn't eaten. I have tried on 3 separate occasions, careful to warm the fuzzy up to temp and to handle it with tongs and such. I know snakes take a few weeks to become accustomed to their new home, but I just wanted some advice as to when I should become concerned that he isn't eating. I placed some scrunched up newspaper in his hide to make him feel more secure and I have not handled him since I have brought him home.

He was curious of his new environment for the first week (I suspect trying to find an escape point) but now he doesn't explore much.

I know there are a lot of similar posts on this forum, but I just wanted some personalised answers.

Thanks so much for your time, Jess

 

[bigjoediver]

Stimsons are notoriously fussy eaters, when I first got mine as a yearling he would eat 2 to 3 velvet mice at every feed, but over winter they go off feeding for months even if you keep up your temps. At the moment he is on adult mice or velvet rats but dose not like me watching him eat. He will take the first item but not the second offered item, so I leave it in his enclosure for awhile and come back to see if gone. Try leaving your snakes feed in his click clack for ca while to see if he feeds when he feels more secure. Don't worry too much if he dose not eat for a while, snakes can go go for ages without eating.

 

[Nick-G]

Everything sounds all perfect dude! My stimmi only started eating about a month ago after roughly 3months without a feed :-/ they should be getting back into it now thow as the changing of season. Where do you feed him in tank or separate feed tank, I found feeding mine in as separate tank was to stressfull for it and she didn't want food caus was to freaked out about wat was going on, started feeding her just in her enclosure and she gobbles it up every time also try a slightly smaller feed item I found I was trying fuzzies and she didn't want it so one day I offered her a pinkie and wam! If you've let him settle for a few days now then he's right to handle even if he isn't eating just give the feed a try again every couple weeks so you don't waste to much food lol but be careful having my stimmi not eating is the reason for my second snake haha! Had to have someone to take they unwanted food! that and I always wanted a jungle hope this novel helped mate and good luck!

 

[davobmx]

everything sounds pefect mate, i personally think getting them into a terrarium after 6months helps them with getting used to people and interaction as they can watch.

try putting a mouse in ther just before lights out and leave it for a hour or more.

my stimmi still is a pain feeder, is always interested in the feed but rarely takes it in the first 5 min, he getting better but just used to hide his feeds in ther before lights out and check if he had eaten before i go to bed.

 

[JCowley1989]

Thanks so much for the quick as replies guys!

I tried to feed him last night, made the room darkish and left the mouse in there for about 3 hours and still no luck. I don't want to leave it in overnight. I did that once and he didn't appreciate the smell. Found him flattened against the other wall of the enclosure. Felt bad about that.

I feed him in his enclosure, for the same reason Nick . Don’t want him to be too freaked out.

Would you guys recommend I try feeding him pinkies again? Or maybe try braining on the fuzzies (not sure how to do that)
And in regards to handling, should I wait till he has had his first feed or can I start now? It's kinda like getting a present and not being able to open it haha.

Thanks again for the help guys. Really appreciated

 

[Skelhorn]

Yewwwwwwwwwwww Stimmie

Good work and good choice on snake!

 

[bigjoediver]

Braining a rodent is easy, just use a sharp knife and get a bit of blood to flow. If you snake won't strike at his food try touching it too his nose, some snakes just open wide and start to swallow, again don't worry too much just keep trying. You can try pinkies again and if he takes that then next feed give a pinkie followed up by the next size up item as soon as the pinkie is all the way down, but your snake is still in feeding mode. Good luck.

 

[JCowley1989]

Thanks a lot for your help Joe, shall try again in a few days. Fingers crossed

 

[Dreaper]

temps and eveything sound fine, for new snakes if they are a little fussy i try to disturb them as little as possible in the first 2 weeks just to let them get used to things a little bit. i would reccomend giving him a week or so before trying to feed again. then if that doesnt work braining would be the way to go.

 

[hnn17]

your snake could be older than 2 months, guessing last season's, how big is it ?

 

[The_Geeza]

your snake could be older than 2 months, guessing last season's, how big is it ?

Agreed would be atleast 8/9 months old...on the small side regarding photo but ive got 2 same age and one was problem feeder but coming good now...photo shows the diff

 

[JCowley1989]

Hey guys, just a quick update. Tried feeding again today. still no luck, and this was with braining. there wasn't any blood 'flowing' but it was a decent sized cut and there was a bit of fluid coming out. left it in the enclosure for about an hour and covered him up so he felt safer. not sure if i should be worried or not. been 5 weeks since he last ate.

In terms of his size, he is about 30-40cm. close to the size of your problem feeder Ozimid. I took a photo of him to give you a better idea.

View attachment 265620

not sure what else i can try. will he still reach full size, even if he is problem feeder?

 

[MontyTheBredl]

my childrens was kinda the same. take some siccors and cut from the mouses nose to neck and squeeze the head a little. some juices should come out. then take tongs, grab it by the tail and sit it right on top of his nose, like actually sit the juices on his nose. he should just open his mouth casually and grab it. then just let go and walk away. i had to do the same with my childrens for like 5 feeds but now he just wallops them haha. im guess hes about 9 months old and 2ft now. also guys, what should i be feeding him now? im giving him 1 fuzzy every 5 days but it doesnt seem to fill him up. sometimes ill give him 2 if i think he still looks hungry. what should i move him onto now?

 

[bigjoediver]

Instead of one item every five days try two items every seven. That is if it's the correct size item for your snake. 2 in 7 = 4 in 14 compared to 1in5 = 3in15. Or if still seems hungry give two every five days until you up the size of feed

 

[JCowley1989]

I just spoke to the shop that i bought him from and asked what i could do to help. they seemed to think the ambient temp is too low and that i should move him into a better enclosure with better heating. i was thinking of buying one of the pre-made melamine enclosures that have all the light and thermostat fittings already inside. would a 2ft x2ft x2ft enclosure be big enough for my snake when he is fully grown and should i start heating with a heat lamp as well as the heat mat to get the ambient temp up?

 

[The_Geeza]

honestly its still early days..this is how i got my fussy stimi (hatchie) to start eating......i took his tub to my bedroom in a very quiet corner thats out of light ...he had a small box as hide at which was above a 33 deg heat mat (by the way this is a 9 lt tub)....i left him a week then i offered at the door of his hide box a pinkie that i stuck a pin in its brains and squeezede...then left for an hour.....took couple weeks but they started to dissapear...when she was taking 1 then i tried 2 then 3...now shes a gun feeder and uped the size....hope this helps....Pete

 

[JCowley1989]

Thanks a lot Pete. Ill try that next. will go pick up some pinkies tomorrow and try again in a few days. i keep him in my room atm and ill try to disturb him as little as possible while feeding. he seems interested in the food so maybe after a few he will go for it, just like yours.

Thanks again for all the help guys. giving me some much needed piece of mind. Have a great weekend.

 

[JCowley1989]

Just thought i would let you all know, steve just ate two pinkies. fed him at night and brained both of them. put him in his new enclosure too. seems to be enjoying himself

 

[bigjoediver]

Patience and perseverance are good traits to develop as a reptile keeper. Glad it's all come good, enjoy your new snake and don't worry too much if it goes off it's food now and again, perfectly normal. Mine sometimes won't feed close to a shed.