FaunaClassifieds - View Single Post - Help! Im new to hognoses and my female hasn't eaten in going on 3 months!

01-31-2018, 12:49 AM

Many years ago I had a pair of W. hognose snakes & they didn't eat all that well in winter. Keep in mind that snakes know it's winter not just by temperatures but also by the length of the daylight. Not necessarily a light right over her cage though...might try a 'daylight' bulb going in the room? I used UTH for mine in 10 gal. (separate) aquariums, & used Carefresh for a substrate. It allows them to burrow, but doesn't have the drawbacks of sand. I agree with enclosing reluctant feeders in a bag or container with dead prey overnight, sorry that didn't work. It's discouraging for such a small snake to lose weight, as they don't have much to spare.

I have tube-fed my share of snakes over many years, even tiny ones- it's not that hard and better than trying to force-feed prey into a snake's mouth. I can give you pointers if you like. One such snake I had to do that with was a Texas longnose snake that I got from a pet store: it wouldn't eat for them & I knew it needed help...I traded them one of my young corn snakes for it, a well-started easy pet they could actually sell. I still have that longnose, he's about 32" long and about 16 1/2 years old now. They are lizard feeders by nature, but as a c/b, he had been started on pink mice, it's just that the pet store had no luck or patience. After I settled him in at home & he refused normal prey items, I gave him a tube-feeding. After that, he perked up and wanted real food a week later. I never had to do it again, though I can't promise you that of course.

What's important about tube-feeding is that it gives a snake that's weak from not eating enough energy to FEEL like eating again. It's like being in a hospital without an I.V. to get your energy back when you're sick & have no appetite...you need that boost to stay out of a downward spiral. FYI, I use Gerbers chicken babyfood thinned with a little water so it's thin enough to go thru the tubing*. (*use a human urethral catheter of appropriate diameter, attached to syringe -without needle, of course) Lubricate the catheter with a tiny dab of olive oil (or similar edible oil), & you can add a drop or two to the liquid baby-food too. You need to be gentle, but firm & patient too...keep the snake level or with the head up slightly afterward as you put them back into the cage, as what goes in can slide back out pretty easily...

01-31-2018, 12:49 AM	#16
hotlips	Many years ago I had a pair of W. hognose snakes & they didn't eat all that well in winter. Keep in mind that snakes know it's winter not just by temperatures but also by the length of the daylight. Not necessarily a light right over her cage though...might try a 'daylight' bulb going in the room? I used UTH for mine in 10 gal. (separate) aquariums, & used Carefresh for a substrate. It allows them to burrow, but doesn't have the drawbacks of sand. I agree with enclosing reluctant feeders in a bag or container with dead prey overnight, sorry that didn't work. It's discouraging for such a small snake to lose weight, as they don't have much to spare. I have tube-fed my share of snakes over many years, even tiny ones- it's not that hard and better than trying to force-feed prey into a snake's mouth. I can give you pointers if you like. One such snake I had to do that with was a Texas longnose snake that I got from a pet store: it wouldn't eat for them & I knew it needed help...I traded them one of my young corn snakes for it, a well-started easy pet they could actually sell. I still have that longnose, he's about 32" long and about 16 1/2 years old now. They are lizard feeders by nature, but as a c/b, he had been started on pink mice, it's just that the pet store had no luck or patience. After I settled him in at home & he refused normal prey items, I gave him a tube-feeding. After that, he perked up and wanted real food a week later. I never had to do it again, though I can't promise you that of course. What's important about tube-feeding is that it gives a snake that's weak from not eating enough energy to FEEL like eating again. It's like being in a hospital without an I.V. to get your energy back when you're sick & have no appetite...you need that boost to stay out of a downward spiral. FYI, I use Gerbers chicken babyfood thinned with a little water so it's thin enough to go thru the tubing. (use a human urethral catheter of appropriate diameter, attached to syringe -without needle, of course) Lubricate the catheter with a tiny dab of olive oil (or similar edible oil), & you can add a drop or two to the liquid baby-food too. You need to be gentle, but firm & patient too...keep the snake level or with the head up slightly afterward as you put them back into the cage, as what goes in can slide back out pretty easily...