My snake isn't hungry!

[no1roostersfan]

Hi guys,

Hoping for some advice. I have a Darwin Carpet Python. She hasn't eaten for 5 months now. I understand this time of year, they normally stop eating for a few months, but to stop mid January seems too early. She's 2.5 years old now and has always eaten well in summer months. She seems healthy enough, very active as well. She also just recently shed her skin. Nothing in her environment has changed either and temperature is always averaging 28 degrees throughout the day.

Should I be concerned that seemingly she has hibernated too early?

Cheers!

 

[Grogshla]

I would bump her temps up on the warm side.

 

[mje772003]

I would bump her temps up on the warm side.

Yea i normally have my temps around 31-32

 

[Gruni]

Sometimes mine are a bit funny about thawed rats but will smash a fresh killed one. Have you got access to live rats to try a freshy... NOT feed it a live one!

 

[Beans]

Wouldn't worry, it is winter and my darwin just went off her food too. If she still refuses, then just keep an eye on her and make sure shes not losing condition

 

[dodgie]

I would crank up the temp on the warm side to about 35c and make sure the temp doesn't drop at night.Five months is a while to go without eating.If it's in good condition i wound not worry to much.Make sure it has a small hide in the warm end and try not to stress it out at all.

 

[no1roostersfan]

Thanks for the info guys. I will bump the temp up a bit. I normally have the heaters running from 6am-6pm.. "dodgie," are you suggesting to run the heaters 24hrs?
I have also tried tempting her with a frozen rat just to see if there's any interest. reason being is I've thawed countless rats out and had to chuck them when she doesn't eat them. I'm trying not to waste the last rats we have left. I haven't got access to fresh rats either. I also thought of possibly buying smaller rats for the moment, maybe large rats may intimidate her since she hasn't eaten for so long?
Thanks again!

 

[Grogshla]

Hi mate yes run the heaters 24-7. Heat Matt and CHE are the best as they give off no light

 

[wokka]

5 months without feed should be fine for a 2 and a half yo Darwin. I think you will find she will start eating when day length increases provide she has access to 32c. One problem with increasing temperature before the required day length is that you can increase metabolic rate , which will use energy, however the animal may still not eat so you can aggravate the prolonged lack of feed.

 

[Pythoninfinite]

Don't offer FROZEN rats if they're not thawed. Even in Darwin in summer they don't like icy poles. You can eat frozen things because your body maintains a constant temperature, your snake may suffer serious damage if it eats a large frozen meal. If the snake is otherwise healthy, don't worry, and don't bother offering food until maybe about October when day-length is increasing.

Jamie

 

[Grogshla]

^ I would hope that people assume that feeding a frozen rat is bad. Surely people can't be that dumb to feed a solid frozen rat.

 

[Pythoninfinite]

^ I would hope that people assume that feeding a frozen rat is bad. Surely people can't be that dumb to feed a solid frozen rat.

You have to wonder about these things eh?

J

 

[no1roostersfan]

No problems guys and don't worry, I wouldn't feed my snake a frozen rat. I was simply showing it to her to see whether she had any interest toward it. If she showed any interest, I would thaw it out. I've thawed out too many rate over the past few months which I've had to chuck out due to her not eating them.
So it seems general consensus is, bump the temperature up a little and wait til around October, provided she still seems healthy.

Thanks again guys

 

[dodgie]

Heat 24/7 better to be safe than sorry.I Keep all my Pythons warm 24/7.

As others have said don't give frozen food it's a gold blooded reptile.


That's a good idea to try smaller food if she hasn't eaten for some time a big rat maybe to much to digest.

 

[Beans]

You could kill your snake if it did take the frozen solid rat. What if he had taken it and coiled and started eating, how would you have gotten it off the food?

Just keep that in mind before you do it again.

 

[Pythoninfinite]

You could kill your snake if it did take the frozen solid rat. What if he had taken it and coiled and started eating, how would you have gotten it off the food?

Just keep that in mind before you do it again.

That's actually the problem - if the snake had struck quickly and without warning, you wouldn't easily have been able to retrieve it. When this happens, the snake interprets your efforts to remove the rodent as the rodent trying to get away, so it just wraps harder, and then you risk damage to the animal.

Jamie