Food difficulties.

[Pokersnake]

I brought home a '10 Mojave male on June 4th. He ate for me on 6-7 and 6-14 on a f/t rat pup. He has refused food since then. I tries removing him from his cage like I did originally. I tried letting him take it from his cage, like I hear a lot of people have success with. Last night I tried both in his cage and a technique a friend showed me. Cut the skin so the blood and scent attracts the snake. And no luck. Each feeding he's skipped, I leave the rat in the cage overnight just in case he decides to change his mind.

I'm starting to think he wants a live food. I can easily go to the store and bring him a mouse, but he was fed live rats from the vendor. I don't really want to have to feed him live, but if I have to I will.

Does anyone have suggestions for something I haven't tried? Also, how long can his hunger strike go on before I should start to worry about his health. It's times like these I wish I had a scale.

 

[fl_orchidslave]

Is there a shed coming on? A lot of times they'll skip a feeding or two during that time. A pair of metal salad tongs is what we use to tease feed some balls that are a little more stubborn, making the rat move about thus simulating a live motion. Since yours was fed live previously, you'll likely have to master some tease feeding techniques.

 

[Pokersnake]

I use chopsticks to make the rat wiggle. Also to keep my fingers away from strike range. What's funny is that last night, he decided to investigate the chop sticks instead of the rat. He was obviously interested in the smell coming from the sticks and the rat, but just not enough to go for it.

 

[Pokersnake]

I broke down and bought a live mouse. It was smaller than I would have liked him to eat, but Jude the Mojave snapped it up like thanksgiving dinner. I guess I just might have a live eater on my hands. Maybe I'll try transitioning him another time.

 

[fl_orchidslave]

Maybe he'll do better after a good settling in period.

 

[Pokersnake]

I don't know. He seems pretty settled. I didn't get a chance to bother him the first two weeks besides feeding. He likes his two hides. The heat tape stays around 90-95. Next feeding, I'll try f/t again, but I'm not going to expect much. At least I have a voracious spotted python that will eat anything I put in front of her. She would eat me if she could.