OK, now I'm concerned

[RedSidedSPR]

Male adult male red sided went on that food strike, and I wasn't too worried. Now it's TWO AND A HALF MONTHS LATER, and finly ate... But that was 2 weeks ago, he only ate a tiny bit, and than he ate one chunk of worm (won't eat whole ones right now) and just is barely eating. It's kind of concerning.

[ConcinusMan]

Amy did that, Miss piggy did it, nearly all of my adult garters do that eventually, usually mid to late summer. Amy didn't eat anything at all for two months, went back to eating a very small amount once a week or so, now he's eating like a pig nearly every day. Miss piggy just came off of a 2.5 month fast too. She's so fat it didn't really matter, and now she's pigging out again.

If he isn't visibly losing weight and looking emaciated, don't worry about it. He'll probably gradually start eating more and eventually get back to normal.

[RedSidedSPR]

He's not eating anything last week and this. But ok... Didn't realize they went off food THIS long.... Seems weird... He's not fat, but he's not thin so...

Thanks, as long as it's normal.

[d_virginiana]

If yours aren't super air conditioned right now that probably contributes to it. Mine usually slow wayyy down eating when it gets really warm out. They're not hunger-striking right now, but they aren't pigging out like usual either. Like Richard said, don't worry unless he starts looking unhealthy.

[ConcinusMan]

What people don't realize is that they go through phases when they eat quite a bit. It's more than they need. They build up reserves. Once the reserves are full, they'll go on a fast, usually in summer. That's probably what's happening when they go a long time and don't appear to lose a lot of weight or muscle tone. It's because they're not starving. They're just using their stores.

After that, they resume eating, and rebuild their stores to use over the winter. It's our fault they do this fasting. It's because in the wild, they need to eat all summer to build reserves. We feed them so much that their reserves get full early and that's when they go on their summer fast in captivity.

[RedSidedSPR]

Ok thanks. It seems so long, but as long as it's just that...

[ConcinusMan]

You'll know if it's just that. The snake will seem fine, and act like his normal self, and have good muscle tone and body mass, and the skin will remain tight, not folding or loose, in spite of not eating for so long.

[RedSidedSPR]

He's less active, but he's acting normal.

[Mommy2many]

Mine have done exactly that now for the past two summers. They slow down in their eating and maybe take a food item every now and then. They seem to start up again in late winter, early spring. I don't worry, since they seem to be active and healthy looking.

[RedSidedSPR]

You mean, he's not gonn start until WINTER/SPRING?!?!?!

[Mommy2many]

Actually, I mean he may not eat enthusiastically till then. He may probably take small amounts, and not on a regular schedule like mine like to do. Or, he may just be messin' with your head and will start eating again in a few weeks, like nothing happened!

[RedSidedSPR]

Well, he ate half a nightcrawler, today, but won't take a whole one, or the other half. Not worried he seems perfectly fine..