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Jarrah86

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Hi All

Ive got a childrens cross spotted and ive had him nearly 4 weeks now and i cant get him to feed. So he hasn't eating in probably 5 weeks. He's 8mths old and feed well before. He seems quite comfortable in his enclosure and regularly at night seems to hunt around the tank and suspend himself from branches awaiting prey. However when i introduce a thawed fuzzy mouse he is competely uninterested and im lucky if he strikes at all. He's quite happy to skip the prey and go for my hand. I've tried feeding him every 3-4 days for the past 4 weeks.

Now for your information. The tanks temp in the hot zone is 33degrees and graduates down to about 23 at the other end. Ive tried Thawing to room temp by leaving it out, soaking it in hot water.
Also this week i found a frog (yes live - dont start with the opinions) to see if he was interested but they've become friends! :S
I'm thinking that if he doesn't eat the mouse in their now then im going to try a live skink or a live pinky.

Your suggestions would be appreiciated (and no doubt all the questions)

Jarrah

:)
 
It's the middle of winter, do not stress it (or yourself) out or offer live for another couple months. They normally stop eating (or at least eat much less) in winter.
 
It's a hybrid.

Anyway, it's probably just winter. One of my Childrens doesn't want to eat at the moment either.
 
Ok..
But doesn't it make a difference that it's not winter conditions in the tank ie. 33 degrees.
:) yes i'm new to this
 
hahah see you knew there would be lots of questions.

haha so do you know what the person, who you purchased him from, was feedign him? e.g. live or defrosted?

i would stay away from wild foods as you could unintentionally pass some tapeworm species to your snake which would not be good.

and do you thoink he is under weight? msut remember that reptiles are well equiped in their methods of producing glucose from their fat storage hence can go without food for quite a long time. my friends nskae is very picky about what it eats as well though it will go for a brained mouse like a rocket when it is hungry though wont even consider a defrosted so you may wish to try that though braining a fuzzy might not be any differnt then givign a live thoguh i am rather against live i've seen to many bad consequences though if it wont eat it woudl be better then nothing.

that may help a little feel free to hit me up with any other questions im jsut sitting around wathcin the lizards eat with a bottle of wine :p

cheers
Gary
 
Well, if you're using lights I really can't speak for that.

I use heat mats, so the air is still cooler.
 
Brain it, then sit it on top of a light so it gets warmer than your hand, and then tap it around the front 1/3 of the snakes body ( baiscly try and pi$$ the snake off until he strikes) hopefully he will through a coil around it and start eating.

Try and use a set of small tongs rather than your hand and keep warming the fuzzy up when it cools off.

If he finaly does through a coil around it, sit very still and wait until he has finished ( somtimes if you make movments it scares the snake and its more interested about the huge giant then the food)

Goodluck :)

donk
 
Ok..
But doesn't it make a difference that it's not winter conditions in the tank ie. 33 degrees.
:) yes i'm new to this

They seem to sense the lower temps outside their cage (with their heat pits) or tell by the shorter days. They are smarter than you may think.
 
The last spotted i had would'nt eat so caught him a few skinks,he loved them.But died of worms weeks later,be causious.
 
Thanks Gary I'm considering the braining method, for next week if all else fails. He's a fairly decent size so he isnt in dire straights. Also he was feed on thawed.

As for heating, i use a ceramic globe so the air is rather warm.
 
Thanks Gary I'm considering the braining method, for next week if all else fails. He's a fairly decent size so he isnt in dire straights. Also he was feed on thawed.

As for heating, i use a ceramic globe so the air is rather warm.
if he was fed on thawed then i wouldnt' jump to live just yet but yeah also jsut remember that feedign when the snake is not hungry can be a stressful event as well. but yeah in my opinion most snakes a ahve a good body clock to and they seem to know it is winter even when there enclosure is kept at summer temps. but if hes sitll biting you then i'd say hes deffinately not low on energy. soudns liek a nice snake i would love to see a picture?????
 
I'll take a pic tmrw = can't guarantee the quality cause the camera's playing up. But i've really gotta get to sleep cause i;m on duty at the fire station tmrw and i've gotta be up in 6.5 hrs.

Till then keep any ideas rolling in.

p.s. he's not low on energy when it comes night :p he's about 40cm at 8mths old.
Anyway ttyl
 
my juvie diamond didnt eat for 2months
so i put him in a click clack heated all day using heat mat
and he ate the first nite
 
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