My snake won't eat

[lukeskywalker]

Hi-

I've had my garter about two months now and he has shed 3 times. He was ravenous and would eat about 2-3 large earthworms or between 4-6 minnows daily. After his last shed about a week and a half ago he has eaten only 1 minnow. He SEEMS to be fine, and actually he seems more interested in his environment, climbing and exploring more than usual, but not acting frantic or anything like that. As far as I can tell he seems healthy and happy. He doesn't seem impacted or anything. The temperature in his enclosure is the same, as is everything else. WHAT IS GOING ON???

[Cazador]

YODA: Mmmmmm. Eat not, will the young garter? Understanding lies in the past, not the future. (Yoda slowly closes his eyes and falls asleep).

Translation: His growth rate and shedding frequency suggest that he is/was a young, rapidly growing snake, but that's still a WHOLE LOT OF FOOD to give a single snake on a daily basis. Many times when snakes are overfed, they'll gorge themselves for a while. Then they'll do exactly what your snake is doing... fasting. I wouldn't be surprised if he ate very little for the next 2-3 weeks. This is my first guess, but there is another possibility that must be checked out.

The other thing to consider is that your snake may have had a failed shed. If you still have the old skin, take a very hard look at the head area. Are the eyecaps (spectacles) attached? Did the shed skin come off in one piece, or was it torn into pieces? Quite often, the old spectacles remain transparent when they remain on the snake, so don't count on seeing them. They should be easily visible on the old skin, though.

Even if it has experienced a failed shed, you'll need to feed your snake less often. It will lead to obeisity and all the associated problems.

[abcat1993]

YODA: Mmmmmm. Eat not, will the young garter? Understanding lies in the past, not the future. (Yoda slowly closes his eyes and falls asleep).

You pretty much said it all. Best movie ever by the way.

[Snaky]

I would certainly not panic, but can not add any more advice to Cazador's post. I would wait 1 week and try again.

[Stefan-A]

Best movie ever by the way.

In the order they were made: Good, better, bad. As far as I'm concerned, the first three parts of the story (ep 1-3) were never made and George Lucas is now dead to me.

[adamanteus]

You know that whole Star Wars thing...I don't think it's real, I think it's fictional, never really happened at all. I could be wrong, but it seems flawed to me.

[Stefan-A]

Well, since we are capable of neither time- nor intergalactic travel, you can't disprove it either.

[adamanteus]

Well, since we are capable of neither time- nor intergalactic travel, you can't disprove it either.

See, I can do both, all it takes is alcohol!

[Stefan-A]

See, I can do both, all it takes is alcohol!

Alcohol only allows forward time travel and only relatively short, random distances.

[adamanteus]

Obviously you're not drinking enough...Or I'm drinking too much!