[Cazador]

It's a good sign if he's still active, and his ribs aren't showing. You've still got a while, but you don't want to deplete his energy reserves totally. The big question is, "Why has he stopped eating?" Maybe the force feeding will kick start his appetite? Force feeding is easiest with two people when you're just learning. One can hold the snake, and the other can insert a flat, dull object perpendicularly through his mouth. The person with the food holds the food in a pair for forceps or blunt-ended tweezers and tells the "assistant" when to open the snake's mouth. Just open the mouth wide enough to insert the food. The person with the food then inserts it into the back of the snake's mouth/throat. If the snake spits it out, you'll have to insert the food deeper into its throat. You might have to release the food after you've started it moving. Then grab it closer toward you and push it a bit further.

Some snakes seem to get the hang of it and swallow by themselves, but others need to have their mouth held shut to prevent them from spitting it back up. They'll eventually swallow it, though. Again, you might want to put the snake's body in a pillow case to prevent it from musking on you. Don't try to force anything too wide down it's throat, and if you have to make a choice, angle closer toward its vertebral column rather than toward it's jaw structure. Be sure to ask if you're unsure of anything before you start.

Rick