Snake not eating?

by **Admin** on Thu Mar 12 2009, 21:48

No matter what species of snake you own, you will most likely go through some spell of worry as it goes off its food. With some snakes this is natural at certain times of its life or during certain seasons, unfortunately in other cases it’s due to stress. Stress isn’t a myth, it is a very real condition that can kill any animal if not taken into account and any stress-related problems sorted. It is important to have fully researched your chosen species before buying to endure you are prepared to deal with any feeding-related problems your snake may encounter.

If you have a snake that isn't eating the first thing to do is check the following:

- How long have you had the snake?
Reptiles can take weeks, possibly months, to settle into their new homes, and the stress of moving can put them off their food. It is important to allow the snake to acclimatise to its new environment. Ensure you have plenty of hiding areas in the enclosure and avoid frequent loud noises (e.g. televisions, radios etc) near the vivarium. I rarely offer a snake a feed until at least a week after it’s brought home, however with a guaranteed feeding snake from a petshop/breeder the majority of them eat with few problems.

- What species?
Is it well known for being a fussy feeder e.g. a royal python? Royals are known to go off their food over winter times, and so should be fed accordingly during the summer. Some may become very picky, only eating gerbils or certain colours of mice in which case you should be prepared to have to fork out extra to feed it or start your own breeding colony.
Does that species have specific feeding requirements, e.g. only eating a particular prey type? Other snakes require specific food items e.g. green tree snakes eat crickets, garters eat fish and so on, so the correct food must be offered.

- Correct temperatures and humidity?
Snakes that are kept in the wrong conditions (excesses of heat, cool or humid etc) may stop eating due to the stress of the incorrect environment. It is vital to know the care requirements of the snake and ensure it has those conditions.

- What time of year is it?
Many mature snakes go off their food during their breeding season (usually our spring/summer), or over winter due to cooler temperatures putting them into a natural brumation. For breeding males, if you don’t intend to breed or are concerned about their lack of eating, move them to another room away from potential mates. Providing the snake has an adequate weight, with most of these cases it’s a matter of continually offering or waiting until the snake decides to eat again. If the snake is thin to start with or it becomes sick, it is vital that more action is taken (see feeding tips below).

- Have you changed anything in the room or snake’s enclosure?
Snakes can become stressed if they aren’t given proper hiding areas, if their enclosure is too big (they don’t like open spaces), if new objects are placed in or around the enclosure, if there are new smells in the room e.g. air fresheners, deodorants, perfumes etc. If this is the problem, you could try removing the new objects, changing to a smaller vivarium and/or providing plenty of snug hides to make the snake feel more secure. Also the introduction of other animals, even other snakes, can stress them into not eating.

Note it can be dangerous for reptiles to spray aerosols in or around their enclosures!

- What size of prey are you offering the snake?
Some snakes don’t like larger food items, babies cannot manage larger prey (though some will try!) and its not recommended to feed large items after a lengthy period of non-feeding, as their stomach can shrink during this time and large prey is not easily digested.

- Is the snake wild caught?
Wild caught individuals will take longer to adjust to captivity and so can stop eating for prolonged periods due to stress. They may be infested with internal and/or external parasites that may be contributing to the lack of interest in food. Most common snakes will be captive bred, but if you aren’t sure, contact a vet to have a stool sample tested so appropriate action can be taken.

WATER
Just because your snake is not eating does not mean it is not drinking. Always provide fresh water so the snake doesn’t dehydrate while it is off its food. You could try adding supplements to their water during fasting periods to boost the snake’s body functions, keep it alive (in extreme cases) and hopefully get it to eat again.

Some feeding tips

So you’ve been through everything I’ve mentioned above and the snake’s still not eating. Here are some things that have worked for myself and others in the past:

- Try feeding at night – most snakes are nocturnal and prefer to eat after dark.
- Warm the food item up before feeding. Some people use a hair dryer, leave it over a hot source for a while or dunk it into warm water.
- If you’re using frozen/thawed rodents, try leaving the prey near the viv to defrost. The smell may encourage the snake to eat.
- Leave the snake and thawed prey in a small, dark box or cloth bag overnight. The bag should be left in the vivarium or somewhere warm to stop the snake cooling down too much. Make sure the box/bag is escape-proof!
- Scent the chosen prey with something else e.g. try rubbing a mouse with lizard skin, rat, gerbil, hamster, (the bedding of all the mentioned rodents can also be used) another snake, tuna brine or mince may even work! Some people keep a frozen lizard/gerbil etc in their freezer especially for situations like this. There are products available in petshops that help scent food – e.g. T-Rex Mouse Maker.
- Spray the enclosure a couple of hours before dark, and leave the food nearby for an hour or so after dark to tempt the snake out. Place the food in the viv and leave overnight.
- Braining – this is the practise of splitting the skull of a rodent and exposing the brain matter before offering. The smell of this is known to get some of the fussiest snakes out of starvation. The same procedure can be applied to the rodent’s belly to expose the guts, as well as/instead of the brain.
- Try offering different sizes, colours or species.
- Remove the snake from the viv, place the prey in a snug (new) hide and put into the viv. Place the snake back in and leave overnight. The snake may think it has found a rodent hide and decide to take this opportunity to eat.
- Provide the snake with a snug hide with only one entrance in the top. Ensure the snake is in this hide and offer a warmed item, dangling over or near the whole. Watch your hands!

There is no harm in trying more than one of these tips at one feeding time. Some snakes are just fussy and can get into habits of eating at certain times or during a particular routine. These are just some of the many methods to try - ask around, as some people have their own methods that are always worth trying.

One thing I have learned is don’t over-offer. If the snake refuses a feed, don’t rush to offer it something else the next day unless it’s critically ill. Constant exposure to prey can stress them further and not help the situation. For otherwise healthy hatchlings I offer every 3-5 days, adults once a week.

So if you’ve tried everything so far and haven’t had any luck, then it’s time to take it further.
You can consider:
- Pinkie pumps, where food (pinkies usually) are liquefied and pumped into the snakes stomach.
- Assist feeding, where food is put into the snake’s mouth and it manages the rest itself.
- Force-feeding, putting the food in the mouth and massaging it into the snake’s stomach.

Only after everything else has been tried should you consider any of these methods, as they are extremely delicate procedures and stressful to both snake and owner. It can also be dangerous, possibly leading to the death of the snake if performed incorrectly. I recommend getting the snake to a vet at this point, if you haven’t already.

If at any time you are worried about the snake during a fasting period, or if they start showing any unusual signs, contact a reptile vet immediately.