Strange Situation

[guidofatherof5]

Here's a strange one for you.

Last night I prepared the container with the guppies for my non-eatingT.s.parietalis - Red Sided Garter Snake. When it came time to get the 3 non-eaters I looked in the tub and saw that I had left
a yogurt lid in there. I picked it up and found only the 3 non-eaters under it.
Why would these 3 choose a spot away from the main group and the warmth of the under tank heater?
Any thoughts on this would be great.

[d_virginiana]

Could they be having a harder time keeping their temperature where it should be due to not eating? Starting this time of year, some of mine start seeking out cool hides instead of warm ones.
I mean, I'd expect a non-eating baby to get cold quicker than one that's a little bigger/healthier, but maybe the opposite is true as well?

[MasSalvaje]

Here's a strange one for you.

Last night I prepared the container with the guppies for my non-eatingT.s.parietalis - Red Sided Garter Snake. When it came time to get the 3 non-eaters I looked in the tub and saw that I had left
a yogurt lid in there. I picked it up and found only the 3 non-eaters under it.
Why would these 3 choose a spot away from the main group and the warmth of the under tank heater?
Any thoughts on this would be great.

I don't know your setup Steve but I have noticed that I can often times get non-feeders to eat by raising the temp in their enclosures. They could have possibly been trying to do that on their own???

-Thomas

[guidofatherof5]

I don't know your setup Steve but I have noticed that I can often times get non-feeders to eat by raising the temp in their enclosures. They could have possibly been trying to do that on their own???

-Thomas

They were off the heat though.

[MasSalvaje]

They were off the heat though.

Oops, I misread that part!

You got me then.

-Thomas Wilder

[aSnakeLovinBabe]

I think it's likely a coincidence.

[d_virginiana]

I think it's likely a coincidence.

Could've been their favorite flavor of yogurt :p

[katach]

I found that when Willow had her babies the non-eaters would hang out together. Maybe it's that the eaters feel that the non eaters are too weak to be around. Thats the only thing I can think of.

[-MARWOLAETH-]

Maybe they want to hibernate?

[guidofatherof5]

Here's a little more info. to make this more strange.

I just remembered that on the day I tried to container feed earth worms I found these 3 together under the substrate along the water dish. Which is once again away from the heat pad. All the eaters were under the heated hide.
I think I will place another yogurt lid(different flavor, Lora:D) in to see if they will use it again.

[Foxrun402]

This is odd lol... Then again I have only been caring for 1 parietalis and she has a mind of her own... She has been hanging on the cool side too lately but then again her cool side is 75 warm is 89... She lately though has only been found in her moss hide... thinking she might be preparing to shed... Keep us posted as to how the 3 amigos are doing!

[guidofatherof5]

I feed the group today and the 3 non-eaters were together again along side the water dish under the substrate. The eaters were all under the warm hide.

These 3 once again turned down worms.

[MasSalvaje]

I feed the group today and the 3 non-eaters were together again along side the water dish under the substrate. The eaters were all under the warm hide.

These 3 once again turned down worms.


Just throwing out another idea Steve, but what if the 3 non-feeders are stressed out by the group so they don't go to the heat where the others are, and because they are never on the heat they are never warm enough to trigger a strong feeding response. Like I said just throwing ideas out there.

-Thomas Wilder

[guidofatherof5]

Very good idea Thomas. I will remedy that situation. I will separate them out and give them their own heat pad. I'll let you know what happens.