Unable to feed

[zirliz]

I'm getting concerned about my albino Garter, I fed my garters as usual (I have 3 that live together), they all fed until it came to my albino garter (He rarely takes salmon), anyway I tried a small piece of salmon and it seemed ok but then he seemed unable to swallow like he physically couldn't keep it down :( I decided to leave him a week and try again he shed and remained active and acted hungry so last Thursday I de-frosted a pinkie and tried again but same thing so not I've removed him from the others and he is on his own :( It's rather worrying to me I've never seen that occur before he is over 2 years old. I'm now looking for a vet that knows about reptiles which is not that common here he may have to endure a journey to Dublin to find one would he be ok with a 3 hrs or so journey? Any advice would be great the other two are still feeding so not worried about them just yet though if it's some infection I'm hoping I can treat them all.

[snake man]

Any chance he swallowed any substrade?

[Light of Dae]

Dip the food in water. I had a radix that couldn't swallow his food unless it was in a dish with water. Maybe try serving him a dish of cut up worms in water.

What is he doing exactly? (Maybe should ask this first..) Does he swallow it then regurg it? Or does he attempt to eat it but cannot get it down?

[zirliz]

He swallows it but then I can see him struggle to keep it down and then he losses his fight to keep it down and then tries to eat it again so I take it from him

[Light of Dae]

Give him a warm bath n massage his belly before his vent.

My thinking is he is impacted... that he wants to eat but his belly is .. stuck full n when he swallows his food it hurts n wont sit because it cannot go further down the line.

Any chance he swallowed substrate? what are you using for substrate?

[Light of Dae]

Try worms.. easily digested.. might stay down. might get past... Keep very close eye on him. You said you removed from from the others, good idea, use only paper towels and check for poop often.

Offer only worms and or fish... Easily digested, MIGHT Just might get past blockage.

[zirliz]

If I didn't keep them on newspaper I'd have thought the same thing

[Light of Dae]

Still could be impacted... What do you feed? Fuzzies?
Garters are not designed to handle hair n nails on rodents like other larger snakes are...

[Invisible Snake]

If he is regurgitating you should stop attempting to feed him for at least 48 hours so that his stomach has a chance to recuperate.

I have only witnessed a snake stop during the middle of swallowing and spit the food back up when the food item was lightly dusted with vitamins.

[zirliz]

Still could be impacted... What do you feed? Fuzzies?
Garters are not designed to handle hair n nails on rodents like other larger snakes are...

Rat pups was what he was eating when I got him I was told he was eating these, I'd heard that before but hear a lot of people switch garters to mice etc just wondering if impaction is common and how do you resolve it? if that is his issue.

I waited a week before trying again the first time he did it and then when he failed the second week I moved him away from the others in case he was stressed.

[Invisible Snake]

Has he been losing a lot of weight? Looking much more slender? Could it be a seasonal thing?

Right now all we can do is ask questions and make educated guesses. If we can't come up with any good reasons for his situation, I think the best thing to do is take him to the vet. I know exotic vets can be pricey and/or far away, but it's the best thing for you and your snake. I hope he gets better. And if you can post a couple of pictures of him :)

[zirliz]

He doesn't look that thin to me but I'll get some pictures of him, I don't mind the price to have him better it's the stress on him having to endure a journey as long as that and of course finding a vet that knows reptiles would be useful

[Light of Dae]

Rat pups was what he was eating when I got him I was told he was eating these, I'd heard that before but hear a lot of people switch garters to mice etc just wondering if impaction is common and how do you resolve it? if that is his issue.

Try warm baths n massages... Call around to herp/exotic vets n get their advice see if anyone has anything different advice.

[zirliz]

I gave him a nice bath tonight (not that he was too interested kept wriggling out again) called a vet but no luck getting through maybe I missed the hours or it's closed Mondays, must get pictures didn't have camera to hand while I had him out tonight,

[snake man]

I hope hes ok :(.

[zirliz]

still alive anywhere nice and lively, in Dublin with him so hoping I can get him to a vet next week (or this week however it's said),

[zirliz]

I went to the reptile pet store where I got Al from and asked for advice he said as long as the snake isn't losing condition or weight that I should not be too worried, I bought Avipro plus some veterinary product that's meant to be good for probioticis or something.
Then after a week try him again,

[zirliz]

http://flickr.com/gp/47716939@N02/59v999

this is the picture I showed him,

[guidofatherof5]

Nice looking snake.

[zendragondrew]

What were the results of this case? I'm having a similar problem. My eastern has pretty much never turned down food, but now he hasn't eaten for two weeks. I fed him a fuzzy that was a little large for him, but he swallowed it OK and he pooped twice that week so I figured it was all out. He has turned down another mouse, fish fillet and now I have live fish in the tank with him (his favorite, he never turns this down).

He moves around and seems pretty normal, doesn't look like he's going to shed, though it's been a while. He never turned down food before though, even the day before or after he shed. Any insights?

[Steveo]

What are the indoor temperatures where you live? Does the snake get artificial lighting at night? It might be going off feed for brumation.

[zendragondrew]

The temp in his cage is around 77 F, I have a daytime basking lamp and a nightlight heating lamp too. The temperature outside is very cold though, it's actually snowing right now.

[zendragondrew]

What if he does go into brumation? What could I do?

[Artic Exotics]

quick thought. If the light from outdoors shines into the room hes being kept in he can use this for cues to brumate even if the lighting to his tank is automated to prevent it. Happens to me :-)

[zirliz]

I wish he passed away during the week I'm not having any luck with albino garters my female is still going strong have had her over 4 years now just wanted a mate for her :(

[zendragondrew]

Zirlz: Sorry to hear. Was it from the not eating issue?

Artic: There is close to zero light from the outside in the room he is kept in, almost all artificial light. He still moves around like normal. Sleeps sometimes, but he also burrows in the substrate and climbs around the tank. Not sure why he's not eating. Could he still be full from two weeks ago?

[d_virginiana]

He wouldn't be full from two weeks ago, but two weeks really isn't that long to go without food. Sometimes they can pick up on seasonal cues even when you'd think they wouldn't be able to.

[zendragondrew]

I brought the temperature up to around 82 and have been trying to play with him as much as I can. He sits above the fish like he's thinking of eating them but won't attack!

[zendragondrew]

How long before I should really start to worry? I've been feeding the feeder fish to keep them alive. I haven't tried feeding him a pinkie mouse yet, only another one of those hairy ones. Couldn't imagine him preferring a pinkie to the fish though.

[d_virginiana]

How old is he? In a healthy adult that isn't brumating (which I seriously doubt he is at 82 degrees and still active) I would say maybe a month is when you need to start worrying. Or if he starts looking like he's losing weight.

Fuzzies aren't really a good idea for garters. Their systems aren't designed to process fur well. Try a pinkie; they do usually like fish better but sometimes they decide they want something different. Have you tried nightcrawlers? Also, try getting a shallow dish or something with just a tiny bit of water and put a fish in it. Sometimes the splashing movement will get them interested.

[zendragondrew]

Thanks for the advice. I don't know how old he is, I found him at work about a year and a half ago and he was about the same size then as he is now. I won't feed him the large mice again, it was some sort of mistake from the Gourmet Rodent company I think, they packaged mice a size bigger than they should have. Just went to their website and I had bought a three pack of fuzzy mouse, but it was definitely the hopper mouse size packaged in it. He seemed to be able to take it OK and I was able to feed him one mouse a week instead of three, but from now on I will only feed him pinkies and fish if he starts eating again. I don't know where to get nightcrawlers around here, if anyone lives in Manhattan and knows a place the help would be appreciated. Hopefully he eats soon.

[d_virginiana]

Oh, I didn't realize he'd been getting hoppers. Mice digest much more slowly than fish or nightcrawlers; the more developed the mouse the more slowly I imagine it'd digest. He might just not be hungry then. You can get DMF nightcrawlers from most walmarts in the fish/tackle section.

[zendragondrew]

Thanks, hopefully he will eat soon.

[Selkielass]

Sounds like normal fall behavior.
If you have a small scale available it might put your mind at ease to note his weight and if he loses much weight- but so long as he looks good, and is active and curious, id assume seasonal feeding changes.

[Selkielass]

I wish he passed away during the week I'm not having any luck with albino garters my female is still going strong have had her over 4 years now just wanted a mate for her :(

Im so sorry you lost him. I hope you can find your gal another mate.

[zendragondrew]

Hey guys, just wanted to update on my case. My guy finally shed and started eating again after about a month of not eating. He seems to be in good shape now. The only problem is one of the feeder fish survived the whole time and I now I'm too attached to the fish to feed him to the snake! Oh well, one more pet.

[ConcinusMan]

Snake keeper rule #1: Don't fall in love with the food. :D

[ProXimuS]

Hehe I did the same thing...Now I've got two little feeder guppies for pets :rolleyes:

[d_virginiana]

There are entire rows at the petstore that I refer to only as 'snake food' just to make sure that never happens to me :rolleyes: