severe weight loss in baby checkered garter that refuses to eat

[astraltressa]

I've been keeping garters for over 10 years and have never had an issue with nightcrawler worms. Just make sure to never buy trout/panfish or red wigglers because they are toxic. I also wanted to add that tilapia is not a very good staple and should only be used as a snack. If you get it back eating i would start mixing the diet up a bit maybe throw in some night crawlers, pinky parts, or frozen thawed silversides. I use mice and nightcrawlers for mine and have great success, but i know some people don't want to feed mice.

That's a good point! Maybe he/she is just tired of the same old "fish" taste, because it completely went off fish even though that's what the breeder gave it. I usually dust the filet with vitamins but I don't know if that's enough. I've recently tried pinky parts for the first time yesterday but had to assist feed that also, although he took it in quicker than the fish. I'll try night crawlers and silverside next, thanks! I really want my snake to survive so I'll try anything! Are garters just more finicky/picky with food than other snakes? To get it to gain weight how often should I feed it the pinkies? I'm hoping that eventually it will just understand that it is food without me assist feeding.

[Albert Clark]

Try giving the little guy a break from assist/ force feedings. They both are very stressful on the animal. You can offer a soaking with pedialite/ water which is a good electrolyte replacement and rehydration formula. These guys are all individuals with their own personalities and yes some are more picky than others but they all stress easily and that needs to be curtailed as much as possible. Fluid replacement is the way to go when trying to restart a non feeding animal. It's easier on the snake and on you. Nightcrawlers are mostly moisture/ water so they really are a great choice for now.

[astraltressa]

Sorry to hear about this situation. There is only so much you can do. If it's a situation like "failure to thrive" there isn't much you can do. Developmentally something isn't right in the little one. I'll post a YT video I did on troubled eaters. I hope it helps. The problem with losing so much muscle it causes organ damage and the future is dim. Please keep us post on this situation.

To get it to gain weight how often should I feed it? I tried to examine my snake a bit today and I can feel a hard moveable lump about in the middle of its belly. Is that something I should bring up to a vet?

[astraltressa]

Try giving the little guy a break from assist/ force feedings. They both are very stressful on the animal. You can offer a soaking with pedialite/ water which is a good electrolyte replacement and rehydration formula. These guys are all individuals with their own personalities and yes some are more picky than others but they all stress easily and that needs to be curtailed as much as possible. Fluid replacement is the way to go when trying to restart a non feeding animal. It's easier on the snake and on you. Nightcrawlers are mostly moisture/ water so they really are a great choice for now.

Today I found a lump in the middle of my snakes belly... It is noticeable when slightly handling it, but you cant really see it. it is moveable and I'm not sure what it is.

[BLUESIRTALIS]

When is the last time you fed the little guy? Can you show a pic of where the lump is? How far does if move when you massage it? When i first got into garters i was using tilapia as a staple because i had read that it was a safe fish and i found out that if you give them big pieces of tilapia or let them eat too much at one time that it's hard to digest and can get hard like a stone. This may or may not be the case in this lump that is moving around but just thought i would share. I thought if they could eat something the size of a minnow that i would cut the tilapia the same size but it's just too much meat for them to digest sometimes so it gets hard like a lump or stone. If you think about it the whole fish are hollow with bones and organs and probably digest faster. You also have to be careful if you buy frozen tilapia fillets because of what it could be treated with.

[Albert Clark]

Today I found a lump in the middle of my snakes belly... It is noticeable when slightly handling it, but you cant really see it. it is moveable and I'm not sure what it is.

It's very difficult to make a certain diagnosis on a animal no matter how exact the description. That's why we need exotic vets for these animals. Was this snake captive bred or wild caught bc that is a very critical distinction? And will weigh in on a diagnosis. Any swellings or protrusions are always suspicious.

[astraltressa]

It was captive bred. I got it from undergroundreptiles

[Albert Clark]

Captive bred reptiles are usually in better (healthier) condition than their w/c cousins. Their (captives) enviornment is pretty much temperature controlled, devoid of predators and a diet of safe disease free food. Mostly anyway, there are a few exceptions. We can only make a presumptive diagnosis or interpretation of your snakes pathology based on the information you relay. I would consider the vet if the swelling remains or gets any larger this way you have a baseline from a professional.

[astraltressa]

UPDATE ON SEVERE WEIGHT LOSS IN CHECKERED GARTER

He's gotten a bit better. He just recently started eating without me assisting about a week ago. He has a big appetite right now. He won't eat pinkies or worms. Just silversides, but I don't care I'm just glad that he's eating SOMETHING. I'm so happy he's actually eating. For a while there I thought this was actually it for him, but I never gave up. It had been months. I'm sure he's severely smaller than a normal checkered garter his age, but I will continue to try to get him up to proper health and weight. Right now he's about 9 inches and 3.5 grams. Can someone tell me how underweight that is? I know he is about 10 months old now, as I got him at about 1 month old. Can someone give me a good food regimen for a situation such as this? I've been feeding silversides every other day (That is all he will eat right now) . Letting him eat as much as he wants. Anyone got anything better than that?

[Albert Clark]

Congrats on getting him back to being on food. However, you are feeding too much silversides by giving it every other day. Silversides contain thiaminase, a enzyme that destroys vitamin b1 and can cause a nutritional deficiency in reptiles. Silversides should only be used as a intermittent treat and given in small amounts. I have a garter that has been affected by being fed mostly silversides. The vitamin b1 deficiency can lead to neurological issues as well. Even dusting with a multivitamin may not be good enough if the snake is being fed solely silversides. Thiaminase in small amounts destroys large amounts of vitamin b1. You can always pre scent pinky mice and nightcrawlers with rhe silversides. Just don't feed the silversides themselves. A younger snake will be more susceptible to vitamin b1 deficiency bc their reserves are already less. At 6 months old he really should only require feeding twice a week. Stop the silversides immediately and switch to mice and nightcrawlers scented only with silversides.