Scenting

[Light of Dae]

My George I've had since late December, and he had only eaten one pinkie mouse in just over a month n refused food otherwise. Until recently he has been eating way better.

As for feeding guppies or Platies you could try them yes. George saw his n didn't do anything, while Babs tried n tried to catch hers, it just kept flipping out of the dish so I had to be careful n pick it up, clean it off, try again. I personally if feeding live would do it in a separate tank so that you don't have to worry about him eating substrate.

[JodiLeigh]

Ok so I took all your advice guys about getting Manny to eat but still no result, I figured sticking with the pinkies for now as he supposedly already eats them.

I put the frozen chopped up pinkie in a small shallow dish with a little cool water placed it on a paper towel and put his coconut hide over the dish.

One other thing, I noticed when I started setting this up he got very VERY uneasy and shot right into the corner then scared himself with the noise his tail made on the side of the tank. He was awake when I started doing this, as usual when I go into his tank I make sure he knows I am there by opening the lid and resting my hand in and he usually come to investigate but this time he came out into the middle of the tank but then hide away :/

I'm worried he may be getting stressed from something but I don't know what. I had tried to feed him a few days ago then made sure his tank was clean and refreshed his water so I could leave him for a few days with out getting him out and put a towel round the sides of his tank so he had no disturbance at all. Then tried to feed him tonight but nothing and he was all jumpy and skittish which made me very upset and worried.

Advice pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeease?!?!

[GarterGuy17]

Did you thaw the mice ?

Even so if you want to try other food I think you should wait until he is eating again. When was the last time he ate ?

Also a lot of snakes have different personality's and adjust with time , some can be very aggressive that strike at you as soon as you get close so the behavior isnt really a problem if he is healthy and all.

[JodiLeigh]

Did you thaw the mice ?

Even so if you want to try other food I think you should wait until he is eating again. When was the last time he ate ?

Also a lot of snakes have different personality's and adjust with time , some can be very aggressive that strike at you as soon as you get close so the behavior isnt really a problem if he is healthy and all.

Yes, because the pinkies are only small and I chop them up they thaw by the time I have done setting everything up.

He hasn't eaten in over a month now :/ I know they can go a long time with out food but I want him to be healthy and he is only 11 months

When I first got him and up until just this week he has always been very friendly and not reacted to me putting my hands in his cage like that before especially when I was moving and doing thing on one side and he was on the other and I wasn't even going near him.

[EasternGirl]

If he has been alone and nothing has been disturbing him...no loud noises in your house...no loud thumping or vibrations...no other animals that could be going up to the tank...then I don't know what would be making him stressed. Sometimes I think some garters do better with stimulation...maybe he needs to be held by you...maybe he was used to that. I think that if they get used to it and then they are left alone, they get skiddish and have to be socialized all over again. I've noticed that with my easterns...they seem to get less skiddish the more I hold them and put my hands in the tank, talk to them, etc. Maybe with no contact, and the towel around the tank and all...it was so quiet for him...that when he finally had some light, noise, etc....it was a little too much for him and it startled him. I think it's better to let him adjust to things as they normally are...don't make it too quiet and secluded for him. There has to be a balance...try putting a towel over one end of his tank...the cool end. That is what I do for my snakes. It makes the cool end nice and dark and secluded for them...but the warm end is bright, and they can see out. Hold him and make contact with him, just don't do it too much. Try it for a couple of minutes each day. When was the last time he ate?

[EasternGirl]

What time of the day do you feed him?

[JodiLeigh]

If he has been alone and nothing has been disturbing him...no loud noises in your house...no loud thumping or vibrations...no other animals that could be going up to the tank...then I don't know what would be making him stressed. Sometimes I think some garters do better with stimulation...maybe he needs to be held by you...maybe he was used to that. I think that if they get used to it and then they are left alone, they get skiddish and have to be socialized all over again. I've noticed that with my easterns...they seem to get less skiddish the more I hold them and put my hands in the tank, talk to them, etc. Maybe with no contact, and the towel around the tank and all...it was so quiet for him...that when he finally had some light, noise, etc....it was a little too much for him and it startled him. I think it's better to let him adjust to things as they normally are...don't make it too quiet and secluded for him. There has to be a balance...try putting a towel over one end of his tank...the cool end. That is what I do for my snakes. It makes the cool end nice and dark and secluded for them...but the warm end is bright, and they can see out. Hold him and make contact with him, just don't do it too much. Try it for a couple of minutes each day. When was the last time he ate?

I did think this but as no one else had mentioned it and this is the first snake I have had I figured I'd go with what long time snake owners say.

Over a months now, he is drinking fine though and he doesn't feel or look thin compared to other peoples pictures. I peek in through the top every now and then to see what he's up to and he seems as active as normaly (always a bit later on in the day I find) and seen him drink a few times, he also seems to be burrowing a lot more then usual.

I will take your advice about moving the towel and will see what he's like tomorrow.

[JodiLeigh]

What time of the day do you feed him?

Oh yes! I forgot to ask about this, does the time makes a difference?

I normally put it in late afternoon/early evening about six/seven-ish because then I can leave him in peace with it for a few hours and check on it when I come back to my room at night before I go bed.

[GarterGuy17]

Well one thing could also be that your pinkies are no good so Manny isn't attracted to them. A lot of things could be taken into consideration. But with we have the same species / sub-species snake my jade is very comfortable with me she eats from my hands / on my bed practically everywhere and I feed when ever I get the chance not at the same time every feed.

[EasternGirl]

I'm not sure what you are saying. What long time snake owners? What did they say? Someone told you to leave him alone and cover him up? The timing can make a difference for feeding depending on the snake and when he is used to being fed and how skiddish he is. I found with my young albino when he wouldn't eat for me at first...that he liked to eat in the middle of the night. You could try putting some pinky pieces on a dish for him on a paper towel under his hide like I told you and try leaving it overnight. It can be risky because of the possibility of ingesting substrate...but he might come out and eat at night. What kind of substrate are you using?