Snake Feeding Tips

[tigger79]

well i thought i would update the feeding tips thread and post it here for new people to see, i have consolidated all the posts and added tips i missed so

When your snake stops feeding this is what you should do -

So to Start with the first and most important thing to do is to Relax and stop worrying.

When your snake stops eating you need to take into account the following,

1. Is your Snake going into Shed
2. Has your snake been moved recently
3. Are your Temps correct
4. Is the Husbandry correct for you snake (size of viv, hides, greenary)
5. Is it winter time or breeding season
6. Is your snake showing any signs of illness/stress, Just to enhance one of the reasons that your snake will stop feeding is because of stress, but all of the reasons i mentioned are factors that cause stress,


So after asking yourself all of these questions, this is what you do,

1. Weigh you snake and monitor for any weight loss,
2. Change the time period that you offer, do not offer every day or every couple of days,
3. Reduce food size that is offered

Ok so now we have the basics covered, when offering there are a few things that you can do to intice your snake to take the food, it does not matter which order you try these methods in but try them all over a period of time before going on to the next step below.

1. Warm up the food (hair dryer, hot water, etc)
2. Brain the food (slit head)
3. Leave food in viv, cover up and leave for 24hrs without looking,
4. Place snake into a tub and take it for a 15- 20 minute drive. this method is like a roller coaster effect, you place the snake into a tub and put tub on seat of car, the movement of the car gently rocks the snake around and disturbs gut flora in its stomach and hopefully causes the snake to feed,
5. Scenting food (with other foods, suppliments)
6. Placing on a jacket (place skin of a chick over food)
7. Offer different food types (gerbils, rats, multis, chicks etc)
8. Rub the defrosted food with some of the bedding to give it a fresh smell and you could also place some of the bedding inside the viv to excite the snake 10 or 15 minutes prior to feeding.
9. Try pre-killed food, to use this method you have to kill the rodent and place n viv whilst it is still twitching.
10. Put them into a pillow case with the food.

Another tip i was given and have started to use is, as we know Oct - Apr is winter them breeding season, if during this period you snakes refuses and is not in shed,

dont panic and instead of offering as usual offer on a monthly basis,

if after 2-3 months they still refusing, just stop offering until april,

all you have to do is weigh once or twice a month and keep an eye for any serious loss, if it a few grams here and there its nothing to worry about, what you are looking for is larger amounts (100g+)

Once the season is over down size you snakes home (if in 3ft move into a 2ft), place in a food item smaller then they usually take and leave, once taken you can slowly build them back upto the original size food, they may not start taking straight away, therefore try using the basic methods (brainin, death wiggle,warming etc etc)

Ok once all these methods have been tried, and you snake is still not eating then it may be time for a visit to the vets to give you snake the once over (this may only be necessary if it shows signs of illness or has stopped eating from one of the obvious reasons.

There are 3 other methods you can use to try to gety your snake to feed, but these are only to be done as last resorts and usually after being advised to from a vet.

1. Live food
2. Assist feeding
3. Force feeding

Of these methods live food would be the prefered and less stressful method,

As for the legallity of this method, this is how it stands,

Live feeding is Legal, but only as a last resort before assist/force feeding, But if frowned upon by AR and RSPCA,(these will try to prosecute you)

But you are at a bit of a dilema, as they will try to prosecute for 2 reasons,

1. cruelty to live rodent - when feeding live
2. cruelty to snake - if left to starve and die

therefore if you are going to feed live, you must do it in the privacy of you own home, without an audience and do not go advetising that you are doing it, Also DO NOT leave unattended, and only leave live food in fo 15 - 30 minute period, and remove sooner if you see the food attacking the snake

If this still does not work, then it may mean you have to assist/force feed you snake, but this MUST be at the last resort stage, once you snake hasnt been eating for over 6 - 12 months, and would be advisable to get some one who knows what they are doing to assist you, as it can be very daunting for you to do it, But i must warn you this will be very stressful for the snake as well.

I will just state these are tried and tested methods of various members and keepers,

[Lynne]

can i say that if you take it for a run in the car, put it in the boot, carefully jammed in so it cant slide around. brilliant tips by the way.

[ian14]

Just one point to clear up, which is the issue of live feeding.
I have discussed this with the RSPCA, and they would not prosecute, or try to, if you were feeding live providing it was done in a controlled manner and done to prevent the snake from starving. The only offence is causing suffering to an animal. Their veiw is that as long as this is done as a last resort, and all other methods have been tried first, then this is not an issue.

[Chelle230]

brilliant thread, will try some of the tips, my adult corn not eaten for about 5/6 weeks now

[markandwend]

Originally Posted by ian14

Just one point to clear up, which is the issue of live feeding.
I have discussed this with the RSPCA, and they would not prosecute, or try to, if you were feeding live providing it was done in a controlled manner and done to prevent the snake from starving. The only offence is causing suffering to an animal. Their veiw is that as long as this is done as a last resort, and all other methods have been tried first, then this is not an issue.

Well theres nothing the muppets can do cos its not against the law to live feed!!!


tigger79, very good and very informative piece you wrote there.

[tigger79]

Originally Posted by ian14

Just one point to clear up, which is the issue of live feeding.
I have discussed this with the RSPCA, and they would not prosecute, or try to, if you were feeding live providing it was done in a controlled manner and done to prevent the snake from starving. The only offence is causing suffering to an animal. Their veiw is that as long as this is done as a last resort, and all other methods have been tried first, then this is not an issue.

Not to get into arguements but when you approach them with a specific question like that, they are going to give out statements that sound good, but behind the scenes, even if you are doing it as a last resort, they have hidden agendas, hence why i state it is legal but they frown upon it.

[tigger79]

Originally Posted by butterfly

can i say that if you take it for a run in the car, put it in the boot, carefully jammed in so it cant slide around. brilliant tips by the way.

doesnt matter where you put the box, mine either go on the front seat or in the back passenger and are strapped in using the seat belt.

[Tan]

Very informative and found out a few things I didn't know too

[dskuse]

my wife has just brought a crimson cornsnake on saturday and it does'nt seem to want to eat and my wife will not contemplate forse feeding as the snake is only a baby i was just wondering if to monitor the snake as you suggested and then try feeding it in another couple of days.
Any suggestions would be most helpful

[alfies mum]

Hi Alfie is 12 weeks old and we got him 2 weeks ago and it's 3 weeks since he fed the breeder said he had eaten, he is very lively and sociable. My son reckons he will have to force feed if he doesnt eat soon but I would hate to stress the little guy out in any way, How long should I leave him, my son works with reptiles so he has to force feed a lot of snakes but I think he will be ok for a bit .

Cheers