Just not hungry?

[EKS56]

What is the longest to your knowledge that a snake could go with out eating before they die. I am just before sticking some food in his mouth by force.

[guidofatherof5]

The condition of the snake dictates that. I've heard of some garters going longer then 4 month without food and surviving.
When you start to see a triangular shaped body the snake is in trouble. It's encouraging to hear he is drinking though.

[chris-uk]

What is the longest to your knowledge that a snake could go with out eating before they die. I am just before sticking some food in his mouth by force.

I've been worrying about my 2 year-old Eastern Blacknecks, they stopped eating in October and haven't eaten again yet (although in the last week they've started becoming more active again). I contacted their breeder (Sjoerd) to ask how their parents behave, and it appears that my two are following the same pattern as their parents - binge eat over the summer months, stop eating in the Autumn, and then start showing some interest around now.
I know they were in good condition before they stopped eating, and they've been extremely inactive (I didn't brumate them, but next year I will be brumating them so that they conserve more energy in the cold). I'll weigh them later and see if they've lost much weight, I've not been disturbing them much while they've been inactive.

Hopefully your guys are following the same Blackneck pattern as mine and their parents.

[chris-uk]

I'll weigh them later and see if they've lost much weight, I've not been disturbing them much while they've been inactive.

My female has lost 1g (40g to 39g) and the male has lost 8g (42g to 34g) since October. The male was more active than the female over the winter (in that I actually saw him occasionally without going digging to check he was still alive).

Have you weighed your guys? Do you know if they are loosing weight since you got them?

[d_virginiana]

The male is apparently just as active as a normal, non-brumating snake. My adult male has gone off food for awhile in winter, but it's always accompanied by him getting kind of lethargic or inactive. Weird thing is the female is eating normally, and as far as we know they hadn't gone off food before they were shipped.
lol I don't mean to hijack this or anything. It's just that I talk to them over the phone about the snakes pretty often, so I usually know what's going on.

Honestly, it wouldn't surprise me if this snake has a binge/fast habit. It's very small. Like, Harley has always been a big girl, but it's about the size she was as a yearling at like 4 years old.

I wouldn't try to force or assist-feed him unless you think he's about to drop dead. Especially one as nervous as he is. I worry he'd end up getting injured.

[EKS56]

Again, I'm not happy about the snake not eating but for some reason I'm not in a panic either. He and the female hide a lot and are always together. When ever I get him out he seems active, lots of tongue flicking, enjoys a dip in the water and seems to have plenty of energy. I have not weighed the snakes. It seems like a good idea though. I may see about finding a quality scale that is accurate. You never know when you may want to know their weight for a reference. I bet I have spent twenty hours chasing him with pinky parts. He often bumps the food I guess just to tease me.

[EKS56]

I noticed today he appears to be getting ready to shed. His eyes are getting a bluish color to them.

[guidofatherof5]

Maybe this will be the event that kicks his eating into gear.

[EKS56]

I put him in garter snake rehab over the weekend.

[guidofatherof5]

I put him in garter snake rehab over the weekend.

Please explain? I don't think a 12 step will get him to eat.