Discussion- Why do they go off food?

[guidofatherof5]

Let's throw this around for a bit.
I have snakes that eat all year long. Then I have a few that are like clock work in that they go off food at the same time of the year for the same amount of time basically.
Same species, different behavior.

[Dan72]

Any difference in the group between C/B and W/C Steve?

[guidofatherof5]

Nope. Captive bred. Even siblings.

It's not so much about my snakes but in general what are the thoughts out there as to why snakes go off food.

[BUSHSNAKE]

ive only notice when its the peek of summer and its real hot that theyll go off feed

[angrygamer]

I'd think if it were winter or it was cold, there's a good explanation there.

But if you're referring to now, with summer in full swing, hmm, who knows.

[infernalis]

I don't know what to say, none of mine go off feed unless I intentionally brumate them.

[Stefan-A]

My vagrans males go off feed 1-3 times, for short periods of time (2-4 weeks) in the spring and early summer.

One of my vagrans females is really annoying. At the start of the year (typically 1-4 weeks after winter solstice), she starts feeding and continues until early April. Then she stops. Then she throws slugs. Then she eats 2-4 meals in July-August and goes off feed again, and stays off until next year. She's been doing it for the last 3 or 4 years. The temperature in the enclosure is stable, so is the humidity. Only the real world photoperiod varies. I am starting to suspect that the remedy could be a long brumation that fits the real world, which means about 6-7 months, from October to April. Which is almost as long as our wild species brumate and roughly as long as the northernmost T. elegans vagrans populations should brumate (I'm guessing, based on how far south they are compared to us) in the wild.

[Light of Dae]

Who knows, maybe like some people who have a natural clock, like me, I can always tell you the time with no watch, clock or even without seeing the sun. I will know what time it is.

And other people who have no body clock and never know what time it is, or consistently sleep in(Even when they have to be p for the same time, every day) cause their body just does not know what time it is.

[guidofatherof5]

Thank you everyone for your input so far.

[infernalis]

Only the real world photoperiod varies.

This could be why mine don't stop. I have the windows covered over, and the only photo period is when I turn the lights on and off, about the same time every day..

[ProXimuS]

Mine has only gone off feed for about a week, just before shedding. I've only had him for about 2 months and he's only shed once, and has only gone off feed that one time. So, so far, that my only experience.

[d_virginiana]

Houdini has never refused to eat for more than a straight week. He slows up a little in the spring and in winter. Also likes to eat really small meals more often, sometimes every other day.
It's not weird for Harley to go off food for two or three weeks, and then eat a really big meal. I always wondered if this was because she isn't very active and Houdini never stops moving.

[guidofatherof5]

Our Lucky (female,T.radix) goes off twice a year. Spring for 5 weeks and early Winter for 5 weeks.
My daughter Gabby and I worry every time she does this.
Tourette also goes off food for 3 weeks, 3 times a year.
Both suddenly start eating and act as if nothing happened. They lose very little weight during this time and show no interest in food and are very inactive.

[thamneil]

Maybe they feel fat :p I'm sure that it's beneficial that they take a break. Gives them a chance to "clean out" their systems. I've mainly noticed it with seasonal changes.

[kibakiba]

I kbow what that's like, Neil! Haha. My girls went off feed 2-3 times, aside from sheds. Snakey goes off food for maybe a month or 2, once or twice a year.