Antaresia & Winter = No Food?

[theRAVENv1]

Hi all,

After a bit of stressing, a heap of reading and asking questions I stumbled on a few threads that are saying it isn't uncommon for Antaresia to go off their food in winter even on constant heat!?

My baby Stimson's is about 4 months old I'd say, had him for for a month and hasn't eaten now I know also that a month isn't very long for a new python to go off their food but I'm starting to think its more the cold Melbourne ambient temps that is causing him to go off his food rather than anything else? Could this be? Should I still be offering food weekly? To see if he wants to eat? Or fortnightly?

This is obviously different from brumating because they still have access to summer time heat, so why do they go into this semi-brumation? What are everyones feelings as to handling over this time? Should I continue to keep away unless cleaning out / changing water for a few weeks / months until he begins eating, or is it ok to disturb him occasionally? Has this happened to anyone else with such a young python? Will he sit out the whole of winter? Or eventually eat?

Thanks,

-Andrew

 

[trogdor1988]

hey my tennants ck locale stimmy has gone off his food to he is about 5 years old tho hasnt eaten in about 5 weeks now i been crapping myself thinking he is sick... id like to know whats going on to.

 

[Freeloader]

Even though a snake is in an enclosure that is around 30*c something tells them that it is winter and time for sleep. I had a young spotted do the same thing when i first started in reptiles. I took it to the vet and was told it was normal instinct. Keep offering food it will eat if it is hungry.

Cheers Scott.

 

[beeman]

What are you keeping the snake in and whats the temps like at either end
of its enclosure, both day and night temps

 

[Snow1369]

Most of my antaresia went off their food by themselves last season, this season i had to take it from them But saying that, i never had a juvie go of it's food they normally don't the first cycle, well in my experiane none have...

 

[beeman]

hey my tennants ck locale stimmy has gone off his food to he is about 5 years old tho hasnt eaten in about 5 weeks now i been crapping myself thinking he is sick... id like to know whats going on to.

Your boy is following natural instinct, dont worrie about
him not eating he will start again when the weather warms again
in the spring. One of our stimmie males only eats for about 4 months out of the year

 

[sydneytradingco]

Hi Andrew,
I am having my first winter with snakes as well. But I am in Sydney so not so cold.
I can only tell you that my two hatchies [Spotteds] are in 10lt tubs with heat mats [and thermostats] so are fairly warm.
My 18 month old Spotted Python is in a melamine 2 ft cage and he is off his food, has not eaten in 11/2 months. I have kept the heat to him but again I figure ambient temps and lower light levels have put him into brumating state.
You dont mention heat and housing but I hope this helps a little.

Steven.

 

[Fiona74]

My first spotted (who was kept in a 4 ft enclosure, with constant heat at one end) wouldn't eat from about April to August/early Sept every year without fail. I offered him food, but after refusing it a couple of times I stopped offering. Come September I offered food again and he took it no prob.
But as Snow1369 said, their first year they should (so I've been told) just keep eating. But hey if I'm wrong someone correct me.

 

[theRAVENv1]

Thanks everyone, my little guy is in a sistema container click clack with heat mat and thermostat hot end is about 31-33 24/7 the ambient temps are cold! today its about 15 lol so he must know something is up. I'm worried mainly due to his age.

 

[Duke]

Is the herp room affected by outside (natural) lighting? Most animals go by the length of the days. If they can see the days getting shorter, say through a window, then it's quite possible that they know it's winter.
That's just my opinion.

 

[theRAVENv1]

I have a light on a timer. I have thought this might be the case, how many hours should there be light? Say summertime or if i wasn't brumating him?

 

[Snow1369]

Mine are still on 12 hour days... They'll go to 8 very soon.. Their temps have been altered though just not the days.

 

[theRAVENv1]

Yea he is on 12 hrs give or take 15 mins and the temps are up to 33ish on the hot side! He seems to be still regulating himself he has moved his hide (small box) so that its half on and half off the heat mat he moves inside it from warm to bit cooler. Doesn't seem to venture over to the cool side very often, maybe at night when the lights are off but this is probably due to him simply not wanting to be that cool!? yes?

 

[theRAVENv1]

I guess the main thing is he doesn't loose weight! His neck is skinny but he IS only young, and looks fairly decent sized further down.