Captured corn snake ate the first two mice, now not eating. Why?

Question

She was captured in late April and ate two mice, but she refuses to eat the mouse currently in her cage. In fact, the snake and the mouse cuddle at night. Could the snake be pregnant? Upset? Too hot or cold?

Answer 1

take it to a vet to have it checked and also make sure that vet specializes in reptiles elsewise you could have a dead snake on your hands . did you get this snake from the wild ? and if so be carefull because it could have ticks or lice that burrow up under the scales . good luck .

Answer 2

First off, TAKE THAT MOUSE OUT! Live prey can do extreme damage to a snake when left in with them--mice chew and a trapped mouse can fatally wound a snake.

Secondly, you need to realize that if she will not eat after you try some other methods, you cannot keep her and must release her back to the wild, or she will die a slow death of starvation.

She may not be eating because she is about to shed--if her eyes have turned blue or white recently, she is about to shed, though she could still be ready to shed if her eyes have not turned yet. Snakes will not eat when they are in shed.

What it her enclosure like? Does she have a heat pad or heat lamp? (DO NOT use a heat rock, as they can get hot spots and burn your snake, or live prey can chew up the cords and electrocute the snake or you.) If not, she needs one, because snakes will often refuse food that they know they cannot digest, and they need a basking spot to raise their body temp and digest their food. Also be sure that the tank is of appropriate size for the snake so she is comfortable.

Some wild-caught snakes simply will not take to captivity, and if you can't get her to eat, you will have to release her.

Answer 3

Most snakes will, for whatever reason, stop eating for a period of time ranging from a few weeks to months. Watch the snake closely for signs of starvation like sunken baggy skin, raised spine, dull coloration. If these signs appear, release it back where it was found. If the snake appears healthy just uninterested in eating, make sure to have fresh water available at all times & correct temps. in the enclosure & a secure hiding spot & just wait. Offer food 1-2X/ week till it decides to eat again In the meantime, it would be best to remove the mouse from the cage as it can pose a threat to the snake.

Answer 4

Wild caught snakes very often do not fare well in captivity. Captive bred, healthy, and feeding corn snakes can be purchased very reasonably. Why make a wild caught animal suffer?

And as has been said, GET THAT MOUSE OUT OF THE SNAKE'S ENCLOSURE! They are not cuddling, and when that mouse gets hungry, it will start taking bites out of the snake.

Let the wild caught snake go, and if you really want a pet snake, make sure your enclosure is properly set up, and buy a captive bred animal.

Answer 5

Im not a vet, but either the snake is full, or no longer is interested in eating mice. Maybe the snake and mouse are bf/gf. Who knows.

After all, the bible says the lamb shall lay down with the lion. So why not a snake with a mouse?

sounds odd to me, but i recommend taking it to a vet who specializes in reptiles.

Good Luck

Answer 6

well first of all it could be because the snake is so unhappy being put into a cage when it use to be free...it could also be because its time for it to shed skin... if it was pregnate she would eat more...so either let the snake go so it doesnt die..or wait and c if its shedding...and they do not cuddle the snake is just not intrested in the mouse so it lets it run all over it....

Answer 7

Are you feeding live? That can be very dangerous for the snake. Although if she was caputred, she might very well eat only live. Try offering her different food. Remove that mouse and try another one. It may just be that that one, for whatever reason, isn't doing it for her. Then, if she still doesn't eat, take her to a vet and see if she has an illness or if the vet can suggest anything.