Yet another urgent feeding post...

[EasternBlackNeckedGarter]

Hi all, my name is Daniel. I realize that there are hundreds of other food-related posts on here but I figured I might as well post. My adult female Eastern black neck hasn't eaten for a couple months, possibly longer. Unfortunately I didn't record the exact date of her last meal – the last RECORDED date is December 15th. Anyways, she's had eating problems in the past, especially during brumation, but I don't think she's brumating at the moment. Certainly seems active enough. In the past, her diet consisted of small mice, but I switched her over to pinkies due to the fur. Whenever she won't eat mice, I try minnows. (Yes, I'm aware of thaiminase and parasites.) Of course, she's refusing them as well now, which is why I'm posting. She lives in a 20 gallon terrarium with aspen bedding, two hides, a soaking-size water dish, a branch for basking, a fake fern, and two pieces of juniper wood. Her heat source is an overhead heat lamp which turns off at night, and I recently added a UV fixture, in case that would help her appetite. Any suggestions or comments? It's probably nothing, but it's been long enough since she ate that I'm getting worried.

[d_virginiana]

I'd say you don't have to REALLY worry until you see her starting to drop weight. Blacknecks are notorious for being poor eaters... I've never had any issues with either of mine, but they are in a room set up for tropical herps. Not at tropical temps, but the ambient temp stays steadier. I really think that helps keep them eating. They seem more sensitive to changes in temp and humidity than the easterns. I'd recommend anything you can do to keep the ambient temp steady 75-80.

Other than that and trying a variety of foods I don't really have anything. Good luck getting her to eat!

[gibble888]

I have from time to time snakes that just want to be brumated and seems to reset their eating. Since your snake hasn't eaten lately you're ready to go. Probably doesn't have to be long just a few weeks. It's worked for me but wait for a second opinion from more experienced advice.

[Tommytradix]

i personally would brumate her

[ObsidianDragon]

Well, you could try tweaking her husbandry. I tend to use belly heat rather than lamps--and on the far side of the enclosure, rather than the middle, for a better warm to cool gradient. The overhead light might work for the rest of the year, but perhaps your house temps have dropped enough in winter that she no longer wants to risk eating? Just a guess on my end, I don't keep this type of garter.

[EKS56]

I have male and female Blackneck pair and both of them have been fasting. They eat like pigs or they don't eat at all.

[chris-uk]

I have male and female Blackneck pair and both of them have been fasting. They eat like pigs or they don't eat at all.

I've got a pair of Western Blacknecks, and their eating habits are the same as their Eastern counterparts. My female hasn't eaten since October, the male actually stopped after the female. My male doesn't ever gorge himself, but the female does eat well... For about 4 months a year.

[snipstedy]

I use a heat emitter throughout day and night and a pad also. Seems like to me in comparing to before I bought the emitter that I saw a major increase in eating habits.. I've been noticing also that (with mine anyway ) the tilapia has to be really fresh. Recently she(T.Sauritus) wasn't eating and then I bought some good fresh tilapia and right away she started taking it all down.

[EasternBlackNeckedGarter]

Sorry I haven't updated this. So far no luck. I turned off her heat lamp (and turned on the ceiling fan) earlier today and she crawled under her (hollow) water dish. It's a tighter fit and completely dark, so it's the closest thing she has to a burrow. Do you guys think I should keep her heat off for a while or start using a red bulb 24/7?

[EKS56]

I have the same experience Chris. My Female ate for the first time in about 3 months last night. Skimpy at that, 2 pinkies.