Stubborn snake won't switch food

[fish_4_all]

I haven't tried live fish yet, can't find feeders yet. Localy there has been an issue with disease and bad batches. I am going to try as soon as I can find some.

My Brumate attempt was short lived. I moved the snake in the garage and it quickly went south. The snake got lythargic and after 3 days I found it laying belly up. Thought it was dead but it is doing fine now. Have been feeding it slugs again until I can find live fish or the nsake decides to take fish fillets. Live and learn, thankfully I didn't kill it on my first try.

[ConcinusMan]

They're supposed to get lethargic. Belly up isn't normal, but lethargic, yes. All but one of my Northwesterns are brumating now at 50 degrees and they are still active. They will stay this way for 4 months and will be none the worse for it come spring, other than a little lost weight. They can even handle mid 40's which they will get later, and be fine but you have to fast them for several weeks and cool them down gradually before brumating.

Good luck getting a slug eating northwestern to eat anything else. I haven't been able to do it in over 2 decades. Even scenting worms with slugs won't work if the snake only wants slugs so you can forget about fish or pinkies. Your only other option is brumating him when it's too cold for slugs, like it or not. Believe me, if he's prepared ahead of time (at least two weeks no food, then gradual cooling down to about 50) you could keep him at 45-50 for 5 months and he would be OK. Keeping him as warm as room temperature even, without adequate food, will cause him to lose weight too fast. He's better off too cold to move!