How long to eat after brumation?

[Scott E.]

I brought my male out of brumation first to try to get him to eat first before I brought out the female. I have heard that males don't have an interest in food if there is a female around, and he needs to eat. How long do they need to be out of brumation before they start eating?

Scott

[gregmonsta]

Could be a little while ... My radix didn't eat until he shed his skin (about two weeks) ... seems to depend on the snake as well. Just keep offering food as per usual according to your feeding cycle and he'll latch on when he's ready

[Stefan-A]

My snakes have waited 2-4 weeks and shed once before they started eating.

[adamanteus]

It can take a while, Scott. Very often in nature the males don't eat until after they have mated..... they leave the hibernacula before the females, then just hang around the den entrances, warming up and waiting for the ladies to emerge. Then they pounce!
Sometimes they might not eat until they have sloughed. It could take weeks.

[Scott E.]

I guess that I will go ahead and bring out the female, then and let things happen.

Thanks for the info!

[guidofatherof5]

Some of my radixes have waited 5 weeks to eat. Others eat after a few days. I think it's different for each snake.

[sschind]

I must have gotten lucky, both my eastern black neck and wandering males ate before the females did and they are in drawers right next to the females.

I guess it depends on the snakes.

[guidofatherof5]

My red-sided radix started eating 3 days ago. She had been out of brumation for 5 weeks. Had no interest in food. Pinkies, worms or salmon. Now, she's the first one out to get fed. She ate 5 pinkies the other day. Must be making up for lost time.

[Sid]

Scott,
I have had their eating after burmation go to both extremes myself. Some eat as soon as they warm enough to digest the food and other won't eat for 3 or 4 weeks.
Keep an eye on them and try not to worry unless you start seeing weight loss problems.

[guidofatherof5]

I brought my male out of brumation first to try to get him to eat first before I brought out the female. I have heard that males don't have an interest in food if there is a female around, and he needs to eat. How long do they need to be out of brumation before they start eating?

Scott

Scott,

I purchased a postage scale from Sam's Club. They're not very expensive. It reads in grams and has a "tare" function. This way you zero it out after you placed you container on top. It then only gives you the snakes weight. Comes in real handy for watching those that have come out of brumation. Quick and easy.