Checkered garter not eating

[ObsidianDragon]

My checkered garter ate--albeit lightly--all winter, only to quit two weeks ago. He's missed a week before when he was in blue, but this is new. Nothing has changed in his enclosure, and a friend suggested he may be too mentally occupied looking for non existent ladies. Could this be the case? If so, how long might it continue?

When I say he ate lightly, I meant he'd accept only 1 of multiple pinkies offered, even though by weight he should have had more. His food is always left in his enclosure and then his enclosure covered because he's a complete ninny. This is his second winter with me, but he was still a youngin' last winter.

I realize that 2 weeks without food is nothing in the scheme of things for most snakes, but I'm still new enough at this to worry, especially since this is unexpected, new behavior. (I expected my Russian rat to be a goober about food all winter, and yes she has been.)

I'm also reluctant to monitor his weight TOO often because again, he's not really keen on humanity. He'd much rather you didn't even LOOK at him never mind TOUCH him. I'll do it if I have to, but I try to stress him as little as possible.

[guidofatherof5]

You are correct about 2 weeks being nothing. Other than not eating is everything else normal? movement, eyes, tongue flicking, drinking, pooping?

[ObsidianDragon]

It's easier to objectively know it's nothing and harder to accept it when none of my snakes have done this before, haha.

He's pretty reclusive, but as far as I can tell, his behavior is normal--I spot him out, he flees the moment I look away, etc. He did tongue flick as per usual when I reached in to remove the rejected mouse (and had the nerve to act interested--too late, buddy!).

[guidofatherof5]

Try night crawlers.

[Albert Clark]

Well, you may be witnessing the snake sensing he's ready to go into a brumating state. Which is evidenced by the food refusals. Now , since it's been two weeks he is part of the way there. You can start by lowering his enclosure temperatures and turning off the extra or existing lighting. That will really start to clue him in to a brumation state. In that case you don't feed him for the next 60 to 90 days and just give him fresh water. On the other hand , keep the lights and heat on and see if he will accept different foods or come around to feeding once again. Make sure he is not ill also as a differential. Even if you just cool him down and turn off the lights for like 30 days that might be enough to reset his feeding clock.

[ObsidianDragon]

Wouldn't this be a little late for brumation? (Especially considering his native habitat--I'm jealous of Texas weather right now.)

I think I'll just double check his temps and try night crawlers or maybe fish. I wish he'd accept hand feeding but...nope, humans are terrifying.

[Albert Clark]

Wouldn't this be a little late for brumation? (Especially considering his native habitat--I'm jealous of Texas weather right now.)

I think I'll just double check his temps and try night crawlers or maybe fish. I wish he'd accept hand feeding but...nope, humans are terrifying.

Well, it may be late on the calendar as far as wild populations are concerned. But in the captive world there is a set of different conditions. Wild groups of checkered garters brumate for shorter periods of time than their northern and eastern cousins. In captive populations there are varying cues that can stimulate the behavior. Number one is food refusal or inappetance. Especially if there are no signs of illness or any females present. Just my .02 cents.

[d_virginiana]

IMO two weeks of food refusal doesn't indicate anything in and of itself, especially if he's as shy as you say he is (still needing to be left alone with the food after living with you two years is pretty shy). Especially jumpy snakes can be more easily put off eating by minor changes in their environment. I have a couple that won't take a meal if they've been startled or upset at all on feeding day. I personally wouldn't recommend brumating one just because he refused two feedings... Seems like an overcomplicated fix for something that probably isn't a problem at all.
Keep an eye out for other behavioral changes like Steve said, just to be safe.

Odds are he'll start eating again soon, or could be 'food-striking' for a specific food; I have several that will suddenly stop eating mice unless I scent them with whatever that animal's 'go to' fasting food is. Sometimes nightcrawlers, sometimes fish. One of mine hasn't eaten unscented mice in over a year lol. He's my super old blind one so I think he legitimately believes he's eating fish.

[Albert Clark]

Well, two weeks of food refusals should certainly raise a red flag. Taking into account the high metabolic rate of garters. Number one reason for food refusal fall on the keepers husbandry and enclosure accommodations or lack thereof. Food refusal is a sign that something is not right and the process of elimination should be undertaken starting with husbandry. If you were talking two days or four days even I could see it. Two weeks for a garter? At the least he should be cooled down to reset the feeding clock. High metabolic rate means a higher need or more frequent meals in a healthy and well adjusted garter who is comfortable in his enclosure.

[d_virginiana]

Um... No, usually about a month without food is when you should start to worry unless they are dropping weight. I'm well aware of garters' metabolism, as is Steve. Saying that two weeks without food for an adult garter is inherently dangerous and needs immediate action is just plain incorrect.

Telling an inexperienced garter keeper to brumate without a good reason is more likely to be dangerous than helpful, when the first course of action should be making sure the temps are staying on point and offering a wider variety of food items. Nine times out of ten offering nightcrawlers or silversides (scenting with the fish usually works too if someone is wary of using fish) will solve the problem.

"Two days or even four days": Most people feed their adult garters weekly, sometimes with snacks in between. You can't seriously be suggesting that two to four days is the threshold for a healthy food intake schedule... My sixteen year old blind garter doesn't even drop weight that quickly.

My usual feeding schedule for healthy adults is a pinkie mouse feeding once a week and a small snack of more easily digested food in between. That being said, my oldest male would often hunger strike for nearly a month during mating season when he was younger with no ill effects, and my subadult female blackneck will often skip two feedings when she's nearing a shed (one before and one after the shed); she's an absolute monster of a snake for her age.