New Blacknecks (w/ PICS this time)

[chris-uk]

Dang, they are a strikingly beautiful snake.

Whether it's Eastern or Western, Blacknecks are beautiful. Shame they seem to be one of the more delicate species.

[d_virginiana]

Whether it's Eastern or Western, Blacknecks are beautiful. Shame they seem to be one of the more delicate species.

Just out of curiosity, have you noticed any of the issues you have with blacknecks with you cuitzeo garters? From what I was reading, blacknecks can occasionally range down into the same areas of Mexico.

[chris-uk]

Just out of curiosity, have you noticed any of the issues you have with blacknecks with you cuitzeo garters? From what I was reading, blacknecks can occasionally range down into the same areas of Mexico.

Nope. My female Cuitzeo is a food monster. The male Cuitzeo can go for short spells without eating, and I suppose he's shy like the Blacknecks but not in the same league. My female blackneck is currently on a massive eating spree, I'm making hay while the sun shines with her.

[d_virginiana]

When the blacknecks get older I'm curious to see how the males will react to my male easterns. Maybe the enthusiasm for food will rub off on them.

Do your blacknecks usually go off food at any particular time of year (mating season/winter) or just randomly start fasting?

[EKS56]

Big Momma eats pretty much year round. It's the male that will go for 2-3 weeks at a time with out eating.

[chris-uk]

My female is random. My male just doesn't eat for most of the year. I'm getting to a point with him where I think I either force feed or I might loose him. But I've said in the past that I won't force feed on the grounds that if they aren't eating there's probably an underlying problem that won't be resolved by force feeding.

I dream of 3 week fasting periods.

[d_virginiana]

But I've said in the past that I won't force feed on the grounds that if they aren't eating there's probably an underlying problem that won't be resolved by force feeding.

I think you're right about the underlying issues. Out of the four sickly babies I was working with, three of them I tried forcefeeding; like you said, it had gotten to the point that if they didn't eat they were going to die. It worked for one, but not the others (looked like kidney failure, but can't be sure).

I think the only reason it worked on the one (the one with neuro issues) was that maybe he had always felt like eating, but could never really get the food? He basically opens his mouth and waves his head around like crazy trying to get the food, and you have to be ready to put it in his mouth for him or he'll never get it.

I dream of 3 week fasting periods.

My oldest male always fasts at least a month during breeding season. Not a huge problem when he was younger, but at his age it's worrisome.

[chris-uk]

My male shows no interest in food when he's not eating. I can put the food near his head, or right against his mouth and he'll just pull away. I can leave the food in his viv and it will be there the next morning. I can put him in a tub with food and it will be there the next morning. The only thing I've not tried over the last month is forcing food into his mouth.
HHe's never eaten well, but this current fast is his worst so far. Over the last couple of years he's eaten just enough to keep himself alive, so he doesn't have reserves to do half a year without eating.

[EKS56]

My male shows no interest in food when he's not eating. I can put the food near his head, or right against his mouth and he'll just pull away. I can leave the food in his viv and it will be there the next morning. I can put him in a tub with food and it will be there the next morning. The only thing I've not tried over the last month is forcing food into his mouth.
HHe's never eaten well, but this current fast is his worst so far. Over the last couple of years he's eaten just enough to keep himself alive, so he doesn't have reserves to do half a year without eating.

Helpless feeling isn't it

[EKS56]

Here is a picture of my female Blackneck. "Big Momma".

Big Momma.jpg