Worried!! Stimson acting strangely

[mini_kitty]

Howdy. Although Im not new to the retpile world, I am new to the snake world. I have a male stimy, not sure of age but I can only assume he's fully grown as he is just shy of a meter long. Ive had him for about 3 months and never had an issue with him, hes very friendly and easy to feed, or at least he was. He hasnt eaten for nearlly three weeks and he has been extremely figity of late, crawling around and around as though he's looking for something. He isnt aggressive at all and still seems to enjoy being handled, though instead of simply wrapping himself around my neck or arm and sitting there flexing, he does the circling thing again and simply will not stay still. I got the idea maybe he just wanted somewhere to hide, so I put a shoe box in his tank, and he immediately took to it, and doesnt seem too keen on coming out. I get the impression he wants to hybernate, but I was under the impression that captive snakes dont hybernate...? Any ideas?

 

[PremierPythons]

Sounds like with the onset of winter he's getting ready to cool down... And with that maybe he's cruising around looking for some hot chicky-babe Stimmies...!? Sounds like your boy has it bad...

 

[JasonL]

Looking for a girl, probably won't eat till spring now.

 

[mini_kitty]

Really? Dang that worries me... the woman I bought him off neglected him alot, wasnt feeding him and so on... he wont starve will he? Hmmm chicky babes may propose a problem, will snake porn do the trick?? lol

 

[Jill]

What a timely thread, my 2 year old spotted python boy is doing a similar thing, cruising round and round his enclosure pretty constantly. He has hides and is ignoring them though and he's still eating

 

[JasonL]

If he is in good condition, 4 - 5 month is nothing for him. If your unsure about his condition, post a pic up of him.

 

[mini_kitty]

These two photos are about a month old.

 

[JasonL]

looks like it would last a year without food, don't loose any sleep over him not eating, I would even try feeding him till mid September (or at the onset of warm weather)

 

[mini_kitty]

Awesome! Thanks heaps

 

[Mangles]

My stimmies have been off tehir food for some time. No need to worry.

Is it just me, or the pictures, but it looks more like a spoetted that a Stimsons.

 

[snakecharma]

yeah i have a woma that has done the same thing gone into cooling abit early it maybe the thermostat in his enclosure but he has gone in about 3 weeks earlier than the rest of mine have lol maybe he is just advanced hehehe

and yeah dont stress that fella looks pretty plump and wont even stress over a few months without food

 

[mini_kitty]

:shock: No its not just you...... OMG I FEEL SO BLONDE!!! hahahaha. Give me a break im a newb!! Although I've always liked snakes, my knowledge doesnt stretch outside what speices I'd find on a farm in outback NSW (and, therefore, pretty much revolves around the "not ideal pets" snakes) so I took a stab as to what he was (his previous owner was no help, he was just a 'pretty snake') and I assumed he was a stimson... Thanks for clearing that up! I feel so silly now! I thought he was a bit big for a stimson!!

 

[deadflesh]

:shock: No its not just you...... OMG I FEEL SO BLONDE!!! hahahaha. Give me a break im a newb!! Although I've always liked snakes, my knowledge doesnt stretch outside what speices I'd find on a farm in outback NSW (and, therefore, pretty much revolves around the "not ideal pets" snakes) so I took a stab as to what he was (his previous owner was no help, he was just a 'pretty snake') and I assumed he was a stimson... Thanks for clearing that up! I feel so silly now! I thought he was a bit big for a stimson!!

He looks very much like a spotted to me.

Though; Spotteds and Stimsons have some similar markings....

This because they're all classified as a 'Blotched Python' - I think it goes: Small Blotched = Spotted, Large Blotched = Stimsons. Though that's just what I had thought, I could be wrong, so don't quote me on that.

And looking at your photos... I'd say he's a Small Blotched.

 

[mick_304]

just to clarify have u always had a hide in his enclosure because from reading ur post u say that u just put a shoe box in. if u havent ad a hide in there maybe he was stressed from the constant exposure.

 

[Kathryn_]

I have a spotted who's going off her food, but she's in a thermostatically controlled enclosure? Cn she still "cool" if it's warm where she is?

 

[deadflesh]

just to clarify have u always had a hide in his enclosure because from reading ur post u say that u just put a shoe box in. if u havent ad a hide in there maybe he was stressed from the constant exposure.

Very good point, Mick.

It is important that your snake has at least one hide at all times in his permanent enclosure.

 

[jessb]

My stimmies have been off tehir food for some time. No need to worry.

Is it just me, or the pictures, but it looks more like a spoetted that a Stimsons.

That thought crossed my mind in the earlier thread where she mentioned how big he was!

 

[888lowndes888]

I guess that kinda answers my question i was going to start a thread on aswell. My blonde mac is doing the same she has a hide at warm end and the cool end but dosent use either of them and is constantly out cruising around. She dosent try and bite or anything like that she is so calm but just refuses to use her hides.

 

[BrownHash]

My stimmies have been off tehir food for some time. No need to worry.

Is it just me, or the pictures, but it looks more like a spoetted that a Stimsons.

Nope, its not a stimmie. Maybe a hangover from back in the day when people thought all small spotted/bloched pythons were stimmies

 

[llasher]

I recently separated my male and female stimmies (probably too late, I'm new and disorganised herp wise), and he is doing the exact same thing: not eating, a bit anxious and constantly circling the cage. I wonder if he has the horn.