Brown house not eating

[Brussel]

I have a 4 month old brown house snake that has eaten 4 times since I have had her (approx every 8 days) and shed once but now for the last 18 days refuses to eat. The male I got at the same time will eat as often as you want to put food in the cage...he is a real pig, but try as I might I cannot get the female to eat the pinkies. I put the snake and pinky in ice cream containers - no go. Pinky in the cage in the hide - no go.

any ideas?

[Westley Price]

What is your set-up like? Temps, substrate, hides etc.

Winter is upon us and many snakes stop feeding due to the drop in temps.

Although young snakes tend to keep on feeding if kept at the same temps as during summer.

[Brussel]

Westley: up till a week back temps where pretty warm, but I have heating pad in the cage and hides at both ends of the cage. Substrate is astroturf.
Surface temp at the warm end of the cage is 35 or so and at the cold end 21.

the snake is looking a bit thin, but otherwise seems ok. At night she is pretty active as I can go in late at night and she is patrolling the cage...

[Westley Price]

Doesn't sound like it is a heating problem. If she is active then she has enough heat.

Is it a captive bred snake or wild caught?

[Brussel]

re heating I just cam ehom eat 11:15pm and both snakes active in their cages.

She is a captive bred snake, and like I say she has eaten OK the previous couple of times...how long can they go without food?

[Westley Price]

I've had a snake refuse feeding for 8 months and then start eating again, although this was a sub-adult.

Young snakes like yours cannot go such long periods, but can stll go a few months.

I wouldn't worry if I was you. Sometimes snakes just go on a hunger strike.

[Brussel]

cool thanks

I recall having a mole snake once that never ate for a year...but he was a big bugger

[Westley Price]

Last question, are you keeping them together in a cage or seperate?

[Brussel]

They were together but have been separate for some weeks now...

[Brussel]

OK guys so this snake still has not eaten. Temperatures seem OK (21 deg) in the hide and the snake is still relatively active. Last night I put a pinky in the entrance to the hide. This morning the snake was poking her head out resting her chin on the pinky. She really is looking quite thin compared to what she used to and she is now nearly two months without eating...

any further tips?

[Smeegle]

I have a young Brown House Snake as well as a young Olive House Snake, probably 4 to 6 months old.

Initially I tried and tried in desperation, but they are not interested in pinks at all, even live ones. I have never managed to get either to take a mouse but they will enthusiastically grab a gecko from my fingers every single time.

Something to try...

[rolandslf]

You say that the temp. is 21 in the hide box. Is this the temp. throughout the whole enclosure?, or , only in the hide box?
I ask because 21 is a bit on the cold side and would definitely affect feeding.

[Jamster]

Ive got 15 little browns, from a few separate clutches, and 1 olive, they all eat every time. You can try blood nosese or braining, it does often work very well! It all boils down to heat, privacy and timing, they freak at this size if you give them a pinky when they are in blue, lol.
Geckos are like drugs for these little guys, they go nuts for them, but it can sometimes be difficult to get them off geckos and on to pinks, good luck

[sharkbait]

I'm have a similar problem with my male. I have 3 BHS's in a big cage. I've only had them for about a month and both females are eating like pigs but i cannot get the male to eat. He is very alert and is constantly patrolling the viv. Temps are 32 - 22 during the day. I initially thought it might be too hot but he seems to like the centre of the viv which is at about 25. Hopefully he is still adjusting to his new home.