Brown Snake/DeKay Help with Feeding

[Mommy2many]

Welcome! I too have a Dekayi and it took him quite a while before I actually "saw" him eat anything. Give him some time. Good Luck!

[Eliza311]

Hi,
6 Days ago I found a little snake, and obviously decided to keep him. Ive been reading everything I can find to get acquainted with the proper care, and have read all of the comments on this thread. I'm fairly sure he is a dekay snake, and have been feeding him worms. I dont know what the temperature of the tank is, i keep the light on during the day and turn it off at night. He has a little water pool and I tried to fill the tank with leaves and little hiding places ( the bottom is newspaper). I was wondering if you eventually got your snake to eat, and if so how and how long did it take. Tomorrow will have been a week since i caught him and he still hasn't eaten the cut up nightcrawlers i left. I even tried the small cup method. but they are dried up again. How long is it safe for him to not eat? im getting worried. part of me think that i should return him to the wild but i dont want to or several reasons.
A. he will be stressed out again for changing environments and then what if he wont eat for another week out there now
B. I live in the Bronx.... he will never make it out there alive
C. its almost winter I'd rather let him go in the spring when he doesnt have to worry about finding a place to hibernate
D. I'm emotionally attached and it would most likely break my hear to let him go (this is the main reason)
E. The stuff i bought for him was so expensive.

So basically I guess what i need to know is at what point do i realize he will just never eat and let him go?
And can I afford to wait a few more days before I am scared about him dying?
help please! thanks!

[infernalis]

Try smaller whole worms that wiggle around like whole worms do. It will seem more natural.

[Eliza311]

When I put the piece of worm in there he is still wriggling and stays alive and moving for the better half of the day. The snake honestly seems scared of it and just moves away and wants nothing to do with it.
If I do get smaller worms where might I find them? is it something I can buy?
Like I said I live in the Bronx so I'm not sure how much digging I can do haha.

[Light of Dae]

Add water in the dish of worms. That way they stay moist n alive longer giving him time to try them.

[Eliza311]

What if he seems scared of them? he is always trying to escape them and goes to the other side. I have such a serious stomach ache and anxiety from this. am i killing him?

[guidofatherof5]

He's not afraid of them.

[Light of Dae]

Your not killing him, Try leaving him alone for 5-8 days, like no touching, no offering food, no staring closely into his tank, just leave him alone for now, let his mind fully settle n relax. he won't starve to death or anything, just make sure he has water. He'll be just fine.

After leaving him alone for at least 5-8 days then simply put a dish of nice wet worms or slugs in the tank n again leave him to it. You could probably watch from afar just don't have your head right by his tank.

Trust me, he will be fine with out eating for a while.

Any way you can post some pictures of him?

[Eliza311]

Hahahah thank you all for dealing with my neuroses! Okay, so starting to tomorrow the only interaction i will have with him is filling up his water. other then that, nada. So do I start counting an addition 5-8 days starting tomorrow?
Here is the only pic I have of him- the first day I caught him. Id take another better one but i just promised to not touch him.
Do you want me to get a closer shot?
Thank you everyone so much!

[SilasBannook]

Good for you Eliza and good luck. Not interacting with your little guy may be tough but the advice the team here gives is solid. Good luck and I look forward to your report in a week.