Advice please: Curious is not eating :-(

[Lori P]

Hey guys... I'm having trouble with Curious, the little guy I got from Reed. He was a voracious eater when I got him-- there is nothing this boy wouldn't eat, from minnows to pinkies to chunks of salmon and trout. And I think Reed fed him worms and salamanders too. Well, about 5 or 6 weeks ago he started slowing down, and then stopped eating all together. For a couple weeks I thought it was just winter time... then he shed... then a couple more weeks went by and what he would do is, go up to the food, tongue flicking, but not grab at it.

So he went to the vet almost 2 weeks ago for parasite treatment. Since then, he's gotten more interested in the food-- he cruises the tank as if hungry, and when I put his food in there, he darts for it-- but then backs off. Well, this morning he grabbed a fresh minnow!!!! I was so excited-- he dragged it away to eat-- but when I checked back on him several minutes later, he had dropped it, and wouldn't go for it again.

What's up?? Why would he grab and drop?? I'm getting worried about him. Thanks...

[adamanteus]

Can you check his mouth for injuries? That might cause this. I wouldn't panic just yet, but I'd offer smaller food items and keep a close eye on him.

[Lori P]

Oh, hey, I have some small guppies. I mean, really small. Let me go offer him one.

I was wondering about a mouth issue... when hubby gets home in a bit, I'll get him to help me open Curious's mouth. Poor little guy... (Curious, not hubby, lol)

[drache]

not sure what to tell you
my hognose does this sometimes and then eats later when left alone with the food, but I think the case with Curious is different
the one thing I can think of is that the parasite tx somehow affected his appetite and possibly digestion
what comes to mind then is something like yeast, for which the tx would be benebac I suppose

[Lori P]

Sure... booster his good gut flora. I have Probios here. Good thinking. Thanks... going to offer that guppy now...

[Lori P]

Wow.

Lori, don't you feel stupid?

Well... yes.. as a matter of fact, I do...

Care to explain?

Well, it's like this... since Curious had moved onto the big minnows and pinkies, it really never occurred to me to go back and offer him the tiny little guppies.

And if you had gone back to the small guppies weeks ago?

Er-- well, I guess he might have eaten them, and all this worry and fasting might have been for naught... because he NAILED those suckers tonite!!

Here he is after three, frantically telling me MORE, more more!!!


Oh look! Mom's favorite yellow guppy that she was holding onto! Well it's mine now!!!


Mmmmmm yellow guppy is extra yummy!!


More!! More more more!!! What do you mean, you're out of guppies??!!!


Well... I don't know what to say... I was looking in his mouth while he was eating and didn't see anything but I did notice he still played with these little fish a bit before swallowing, they didn't just get sucked down like he used to. So maybe there is something going on with his mouth or throat. I will let him digest this meal-- he cleaned out all the guppies!!-- and will try a very small pinky later in the week.

I really do feel very D'OH for not offering him something smaller sooner... sigh...

[EdgyExoticReptiles]

well idk why he ate them thats weird but happy lets just hope her keeps them down

[aSnakeLovinBabe]

i have noticed this thing with many of my male garters. for some reason... they don't like to eat big things. I would say half of all my males will refuse a food item if their mouth has to stretch much to swallow it. Can't say the same for the females. They'd swallow anything!

[EdgyExoticReptiles]

they difference is for the year i had him hed eat everything big or small he was my best eater

i have noticed this thing with many of my male garters. for some reason... they don't like to eat big things. I would say half of all my males will refuse a food item if their mouth has to stretch much to swallow it. Can't say the same for the females. They'd swallow anything!

[aSnakeLovinBabe]

yea... they're weird like that. Sometimes my young male vagrans is feeling brave and downs whole pinkies... then all the sudden he will go on a "if it's even half as wide as my head im not eating it" binge!