Hi everyone. I'm a bit worried about Eric. I can't seem to work out his eating patterns and, as is the case now, I worry when he doesn't eat for awhile.
First a bit of history. I've had him for 2 years now and during those two years he has fully matured, he'll be 6 next year. I have him in more or less the same environment as he's always lived in. The temperature has been constant, the area he can move in has gotten bigger (I've added rooms to his pad using a simple tube system), it's all pretty consistant. So why won't he eat?
I feed him dead rats, but even though he displays alot of interest in hunting (we play this silly game called "dangle the dead rat" which usually he loves) he hasn't taken one for about a month.
If there are some experts out there, please help. Sometimes I think it would be better for him if I found him a new home with a more experienced owner, although no one could love him like I do.
He's curled up in a bag on my lap as we speak, bless.

Hello,

I'm not an expert on snakes, but I remember a student of mine who had a python, and I saw it grow up from babyhood to a respectable 1 meter

I might be wrong, but 1 rat par month is enough for a snake, no? They eat a bit more when they are very young, because they're growing fast. But when mature their growth slows down and they need less. He might also starting his shed, in which case snakes are tired and itchy, and eat less.

Also, does your snake shows signs of sickness? How is his skin? Flaky, pale? And his eyes? Dry, runny?

I guess a visit to the vet could be a good idea.

Thanks. He looks perfectly healthy, and he has just completed his shed.
Sometimes he'll eat three rats a month, and sometimes nothing for weeks.
He's a corn snake, about 160cm's.

Need.pictues. (but only cause I'm nosey...)

This might help: http://www.cornsnakes.com/forums/showthread.php?t=90920

I know very little about snakes, but as with Mélusine, I'd always thought that constrictors are slow eaters, i.e. gobble once in a while and enjoy the meal over a long period.

I don't expect these Sites are new to you, but someone else might ask sometime.

Western North Carolina Nature Center

Corn Snake Care Sheet UK

Hope Eric will be OK. If only they could talk...

Well you should have bought Scott's calendar! He made a lovely Mr. March.
Thanks for the link.
If he showed absolutely no interest in hunting I wouldn't be worried, but he seems to get all fired up if I tap on his vivarium, which makes me think he wants to but won't for some reason.

Ohhh! Snakes, as in long linear reptile, thought you where talking about your husband.

If only he could hear....
Thanks for the links.
He's such a well behaved boy, still sitting on my lap like an orange angel.

I am loving reading that forum, really interesting, I had no idea.

I have an idea! Maybe the rat's are a bit too big, although he's eaten this size before, he may well prefer something smaller.
Or maybe he doesn't like the taste.

I have 1% experience in this, in that my childhood friend had a corn snake about 2meters or so. Very occasionally, to stimulate the snake to eat, he was given a live mouse. Also if you turn up the heat, his metabolism will increase and he'll eat more.

I can see the headlines already:

"midget slain at Zurich paradeplatz"

"a crazy woman was detained yesterday after attacking a midget
at Zurichs main banking square, the paradeplatz. The police spokesperson
said the woman was ranting about 'needing a small rat to feed her pet
snake'. No trams were delayed due to the disturbance"

Thanks for you 1%er. I have given him live food, hell he lived with 2 mice for three months one time without eating them. Mind you he was in his first mature mating season without a lady snake so his mind wasn't really on the rodents. he eventually did eat them which must have been quite a shock to Pinky and Perky.
The heat is not the problem... I think.

I believe that was Planthead!
Is he trying to frame me?

Maybe Eric gets depressed and needs a bit of female company?
A real snake girl you know!

In my experience, herps aren't constant/regular eaters.
My boa would sometimes go a couple months without eating, for no apparent reason. And then start eating again perfectly fine. She's a healthy (and big) 8-year-old right now (still in the states, sadly).

My pacman does the same thing. His last eating lull was about 6 months. Sometimes two months, sometimes four, whatever, it's hard to tell when the little bastard is going to eat.

Ohhh! Nice avatar! Did you do that for my thread? Coz he should be orange.
If anyone has a mature lady-snake, when the time comes, maybe Eric could finally get laid. But now is not the season, so that can't be the problem.

Maybe, if no lady snakes available, get him a long baloon like the clowns use to make animals

Frustrating isn't it!? Reading that puts me at ease. Seriously, at one rat every so often, he's gotta be the cheapest pet on the block.
Beautiful frog you have there!

Hello,

Been reading this forum for a couple of years now unregistered but this post has moved me you could say

I have been keeping herps for around 12 years and this refusal to eat is normal. I have a 10-12 yrs old python who does this to me at least every year or two. The worst time was for like 6-7 months. I wouldn't worry too much. I typically feed my snakes each 2-4 weeks...usually after a defecation. Has yours gone since the last feeding? If not, you could soak him in a bowl of water (max. temp: luke warm) for about 15-20 minutes and then message him GENTLY.

I would recommend though that you NEVER ever leave live rats/mice in the cage with your snake...this could turn into a very sad situation where rat ends up eating snake.

Currently have a 1.5 yr old Green Tree Python, 10-12 yrs old Ball Python, and a black/gold Boa (unsure of his age but I've had him for 2 yrs now so I would guess around 4yrs old). To top it off my wife has 2 Leopard Geckos and we have 5 cats

You could say we run a small zoo at home

Hope this helps!
Moridin