Chris' garters

[guidofatherof5]

Keep us posted.

[chris-uk]

In the last couple of hours two more fish have disappeared from Mr Vimes viv. Now, either he's eating them or he's removing the fish and hiding them under the substrate. So that's three smelt in 24h.
I don't want to tempt fate, so I'm not drawing any conclusions. Either he's going to eat just enough to stop him starving to death or hopefully he's going to go the same way as my female cyrtopsis and turn into a little piggy. There's not much time for him to eat if he's going to go off food again in the Autumn like he has the last couple of years.

[snipstedy]

Are non eating spells common? I have a very young eastern ribbon(I think) that has been eating every night I feed since I caught it, but all the sudden stopped eating and hasn't eaten in well this makes the third night ( I know thats not long but compared to before its definetly a change. Every thing else seems fine with behavior. I am assuming that it may be close to shedding or something or maybe just growing. I understand that when they are really young that eat alot but that fades a bit as they grow larger.

[chris-uk]

I don't have any that feed (or are offered food) every day, most of mine are at a size where they are fed every 5-7 days, although my two youngest (both now over a year old) are fed every 3-4 days.

Non-eating spells aren't unusual, and you're right that duration isn't as good an indicator as a change from the individual's normal pattern. The one I mentioned in the last couple of posts is my worst feeder. I have some individuals that eat every time they are offered food, some where missing one meal in four is not unusual, one that will fast for a couple of months, and a couple that will stop eating for one or two feeds before a shed. I have others that eat every time even when their eyes are completely blue.

Saying all that, I also have an adult female that had eaten every meal for years (even when blue) but she stopped eating for five weeks recently. She started again after she threw a fee jelly beans. I was worried about her after she missed her second feed. On the other hand I have a male radix that will regularly stop feeding for a 6-8 weeks at a time, he's eaten one smelt in that last couple of months, but I'm not worried about him yet because I know it's his normal pattern and this week there's a good chance he will stuff himself like a little piggy.

With your young snake I wouldn't worry for a couple of weeks. Look for the signs of a shed coming, that would seem quite likely. It's also possible that with food being offered every day he's learned that there is an abundance of food and that makes him more content to skip meals knowing another is going to arrive tomorrow.

[snipstedy]

I just noticed that his eyes are blue and overall he has that sort of wax look all over so Im assuming shed soon. I am offering food a good bit so probably expects it in abundance too. Thanks

[chris-uk]

Expect a shed within a week. :-D

[guidofatherof5]

Expect a shed within a week. :-D

9 days

[chris-uk]

9 days

Give or take a couple of days.

[snipstedy]

How long does the shedding process last? My snake seems like his eyes have been blue with waxy look for about 3 or 4 days. This has to be the 4th shed.

[guidofatherof5]

Sounds normal. I've had a few last 7 days. It can be different for each snake.