Honest answer needed

[garterking]

Is it getting much skinnier?

When was the last time you tried the minnows? I've never had mine turn a single living one down (they wont go near a dead one). How deep was the water the fish were in?


Also, and forgive me for saying this, he might be dying. If you caught him as an adult, and I'm guessing he is a little over two feet from a 32" shed, he might be old. Could be old age. I mean you caught him as an adult. All the best husbandry in the world can't stop that. Na'mean?


Anyone who has kept one till death, is this pre-death behavior?

He's not getting much skinnier, I mean he's not unhealthy looking, and doesn't seem to be losing much weight at all.

In the last month I've tried guppies, worms, pinks, hell, I even got a couple frogs to mix it up and nothing. The fish were half in the water so they could breath and move but would splash around a bit. It was also a clear dish so he could see from the side and top.

I have thought about the age thing. I hope not as my girlfriends daughter would be heartbroken if that happens. I know that all things die, and I have read somewhere that when a male is reaching his lifes end that their clock tells them to mate as often as possible to pass on their genes. I was really hoping that this was just a bump in the road as I would never want to watch him (or anything, or anyone) starve himself to death. Could this be pre-death behavior??

[duh duh duh]

I suggest the garage thing. If you need to put some sort of heater into your garage to prevent it from getting too cold, then do it.

I had one not eat for 3 months once, but once he started back up, look out.

[GrapefruiTgirl]

I do mention them alot, but my snaky LOVES salamanders.. if it's simply a lack of interest, perhaps try one of them if you haven't?
I know if something doesn't want to eat, it doesn't want to eat, period. But, mine will snatch 'manders right out of my fingers or chase them in the water dish. She loves it

I wish your snakie (and you) the best -- I hope he's OK.

[ssssnakeluvr]

never heard fo the mate before you die thing..... main thing to watch is weight loss...adults can go for several months without food just fine. if his time is about up, they generally still feed, but lose weight. I had an adult that passed from old age, got her as an adult and had her for 7 years. she started losing weight, but kept eating. have had several since then do that also. as long as he isn't losing a noticeable amount of weight, he should be fine for a couple more weeks til it starts getting cold andyou can put him down for a month brumation.

[garterking]

I suggest the garage thing. If you need to put some sort of heater into your garage to prevent it from getting too cold, then do it.

I had one not eat for 3 months once, but once he started back up, look out.

It's still way too warm here. 70s and 80s in the day and 60 at night.

[garterking]

Update:
Still too warm to put him in brumation, but in a couple weeks I should be good. In the last 3 months he's only eaten at best 2 pinks and 6 worms. Now he is noticable skinnier, and he has a bit of loose skin. I'll try force feeding if I have to, but I've never done it before and not so comfortable with it. I also read it's very stressfull on the snake. Need a bit of advice on forcing so I'm ready if I need to. Thanks again everyone.

[zooplan]

My cellar is to warm all winter, so I put my snakes in an extra refrigerator.

[drache]

I have this area in my basement that used to be a stair to the outside, until they built an uninsulated sun porch on top of it
I suspect it's the prefect brumation area
it's basically an enclosed dry crawl space

[garterking]

My cellar is to warm all winter, so I put my snakes in an extra refrigerator.

It is still 70 during the day and 60 at night. I know when, where and how to hibernate him. It's just still too warm here. What I need help with is the whole force feeding thing.

[anji1971]

I wish I knew more about force feeding so I could help you- I live in the same city! Unfortunately it's not something I've ever had to deal with. Do we have a vet in Windsor who looks after exotics? Maybe he does have some illness? I wish you luck with him, I know it's a big worry.