Snake won't eat

[bam]

I have an albino chequered garter, just under 2 years old, and shes not been eating for a while now, (I call her she but have never got her sexed so could be male) I think the last time was the beginning of november.

I've read on here that they can stop eating during winter and some have gone up to 4 months without, but it's been ages now and I don't know at what point to take action?

It was also around november that I moved her into a new home so I dont know if that has anything to do with it. She has had a complete healthy shed sinces being in there and seems ok otherwise.

Would really appreciate any advice

Thank you x

[Thamnophis_Collector]

What's the temperature in the enclosure?

[guidofatherof5]

What's the temperature in the enclosure?

What have you been attempting to feed her?

[chris-uk]

Just to give you perspective. My albino checkered went for five months until starting to eat again a few weeks ago. And I have a Western Blackneck that last ate on 29 September, she has been brumated for 10 weeks of that though. I won't worry unless she hasn't eaten by Easter.

[bam]

thanks for the replies

temperature is 23 on cool end, 28 on warm. ish.

been feeding her lance fish since i got her, so been trying with that. haven't tried any alternatives yet

thanks Chris that is reasurring to hear, if its just because of the time of year than i will worry a bit less as she should come out of it soon, just wasn't sure at what point i should take action, I knew snakes can go a while without food, but 4 months feels excessive!

[guidofatherof5]

Might be worth trying some lob worms and/or pinky mice.

[chris-uk]

The positive is that if she's still here after not eating for 4 months she is drinking.
Go with Steve's suggestion of trying some different foods, my male radix has snapped out of a couple of fasts for lob worms.
I'd also consider upping the warm side by 2 degrees, mine are typically between 30 and 32.

[bam]

Thanks
I'll raise temp and try pinky mouse today and let you know how it goes!

[Mommy2many]

All of my groups just started eating voraciously within the past few weeks. Before that, they ate seldomly since the fall. You can always tell when spring is coming and it has nothing to do with the Groundhog, it has to do with the Garter Snakes eating again :) Now they look at me like I'm starving them unless we come with the pinkies every Sunday. Some of them are eating 8-10 pinkies at a time. We offer earthworms in between, if anyone looks like they are interested. Sometimes they just stare longingly at my fishtank...

[jwolfe152]

Wow so each of them eat 8-10 pinkies a week? That seems like a lot to me, or maybe i need to up how much I'm feeding mine. The biggest one of mine i only give her 2-3 at a time.the little ones only east one a week . They are all wc easterns

[bam]

Thanks for all the replies,

Shes eating again!!

I realised that another thing was that I had changed the way I was feeding her. In her old enclosure I used to take her out and move her into a small box to feed her. But she never seemed happy in the box and i couldnt regulate the temperature as well in it so I decided when i moved her into a bigger enclosure I would feed her in there and she would be more comfortable.
So before I tried with the pinky I thought i'll try again and put her in a new box with her food... SHE ATE STRAIGHT AWAY.

Now i feel really bad because she must have been starving, I just didn't think she would not eat for so long from a change like that. I'm hoping it was a mix of that and winter, as surly if she was hungry she would have eventually gone for the food in her tank?

I want to spoil her like a little princess now, she will be a brat by the end of it.

[guidofatherof5]

Glad to hear she's back eating. They are all brats and that's why we love them.