Very thin tail

[aquamentus_11]

I've read that females tend to have a tail that rapidly tapers after the vent. My little female's tail does the same, but I think it looks much thinner than when she first arrived. I wonder if this correlates with her not eating for the past 2 weeks. Where do the signs of under-nutrition first appear in garters? From a lateral view, there's an extreme angle that rises ventrally from the line of her vent dorsally up to the underside of her tail. I'm not particularly worried (yet): she's active and friendly. I just WANT HER TO EAT. Somehow she's still pooping.....not sure where she's getting the materials, but she seems to save it for my girlfriend or for my hand and pants.

[EasternGirl]

I think...and I may stand corrected...that you usually see malnutrition and anorexia signs in the neck. I know that I have heard other members talk about skinny necks and when Seeley went on his two month fast, I noticed his neck getting very thin. You can also see folds in the skin and bones protruding and see the spine. Garters can go a long time without food...months...so you wouldn't see any signs of under-nutrition with your snake yet...and you needn't be worried at this point. Hermes did not eat for two weeks when he first arrived, and Cee Cee and Seeley often go through phases in which they go a month without eating. Even when Seeley went for two months, the vet said he seemed fine and chalked it up to the time of year. Perhaps her tail getting thinner just has to do with her growing. Post some before and after pics if you can.

[chris-uk]

I wouldn't be worried about 2 weeks of non-eating.

I've noticed that one of our checkered girls has the sort of shape to her tail that you describe (great anatomical description you gave :) ). She eats all the time and is a right little porker, so I don't think it has anything to do with lack of weight. I'll be interested to read what others have to say though as I think the snake that we gave to friends before Christmas (aka Lightning) has the same shape, and she was a real pig, so I'd be thinking the opposite to you and considering it sign of being overweight. Maybe it's neither.