When to start feeding again?

[borgy33]

I have a number of snakes, all around 18 months old. I have had them all since hatchlings. For the first year they fed all year round. And now as I expected they have gone off their food during the cooler months.

What I'm wondering is, when do people start offering food again, it's been approx. 2-3 months that most of them have been refusing food. I'd just like a better estimate of when they would start accepting food again as it can get a bit wasteful throwing out all the rejected food.

Any help from some more experienced herpers would be greatly appreciated.

 

[AirCooled]

My 18 month old Woma's haven't stopped feeding,what temps have you been running?

 

[fourwheeldrive73]

I have the same problem. My 2m coastal python has stopped feeding for the past 2 months. I've tried so many times to feed and had to bin medium rabbits and large rats. I've had him about a year now but never has he stopped eating during winter. I know he is in hibernation now but not sure when he will feed again. I have dropped the temp to 27 degrees
and he has need real active trying to escape a lot. Pleas advise ASAP ???

 

[borgy33]

Forgot to mention my woma is fine, she never stops eating, it's just my stimmies and diamonds that I'm wondering about. For winter Stimmies are at 24-26 cool, 30 hot spot, diamonds have room temp cool with 26-28 hot spot.

 

[SpilotaFreak78]

Start feeeding them again in early September, don't get too worried, snakes can go without a bit of food for a while. I have a collection of 40 or so carpets and more than half are off their food atm. I've been told its normal behaviour. Maybe if you heighten the temps to 32 it might help them to want to eat, 30-32c is what a Diamond and other carpets can survive on all year round.

 

[pythonmum]

I keep my Stimson and spotted warm year round, but they go off their food in winter anyway. The spotted will start eating in late August, but the stimson will wait until September. For my convenience, I will start feeding everyone again when I feed my carpets after the female lays - about September. If they refuse, the carpets or womas get dessert (small rat).

 

[paultheo]

Start feeeding them again in early September, don't get too worried, snakes can go without a bit of food for a while. I have a collection of 40 or so carpets and more than half are off their food atm. I've been told its normal behaviour. Maybe if you heighten the temps to 32 it might help them to want to eat, 30-32c is what a Diamond and other carpets can survive on all year round.

i personally would not raise temps, i tried this a while back and there was still no feeding response until sept thru to november when higher temps were due to weather changes outside (spring) and dont feed your gravid females until egg lay(obvious),

and Diamonds should be kept at a lower temp range than other species as they have the lowest natural range and therefore have evolved differently to carpets, I dont know if you remember when there was a massive die off of captive diamond pythons? they called it diamond python syndrome and the people in the know attributed it to either uv deficiencies or too high teperature gradients. Winter time i hibernate my diamond at around 20 degrees with a basking light on a timer that achieves no more than 25-28 for one hour between 10am and 11am, and again for an hour just before lights out. summertime she go's outdoors into a specifically built cage.

 

[Jacknife]

I have the same problem. My 2m coastal python has stopped feeding for the past 2 months. I've tried so many times to feed and had to bin medium rabbits and large rats. I've had him about a year now but never has he stopped eating during winter. I know he is in hibernation now but not sure when he will feed again. I have dropped the temp to 27 degrees
and he has need real active trying to escape a lot. Pleas advise ASAP ???

You've dropped your temp to 27c during winter and you're surprised you're wasting money throwing out rabbits and rats?
Either raise your temps or stop trying to feed your snake, you've sent it into brumation.

I have three Bredli that are 2 1/2. Last year one male fed non stop, one male stopped feeding from june - nov, and the female from june - sept.
This year there has been no condition changes to their environment from last year, I keep them heated with a basking spot of 32-35 year round, and all three are powering through winter with regular feeds, with the exception of two snubbed feeds by one of the males...
Sometimes they just decide they don't wanna eat...

 

[Rissi]

I keep my Stimson and spotted warm year round, but they go off their food in winter anyway. The spotted will start eating in late August, but the stimson will wait until September. For my convenience, I will start feeding everyone again when I feed my carpets after the female lays - about September. If they refuse, the carpets or womas get dessert (small rat).

Yeah my coastal is the same. Regardless of temps they still detect the change outside and go off their food. She's a very healthy girl and picks up again in Sep so don't stress everyone!

 

[hulloosenator]

i have been keeping snakes for 40 years........i dont feed them or even offer food from mid april to mid september.......i am in NSW also.
hatchlings can be fed through the first winter , as long as they are heated.