Old Male Eating Very Little ?

[Brich]

I have an older male who has really slowed down in eating and I am getting worried. I have had him for about 4 years and brumated each winter. When I got him he had been eating 2 mice every other week and had been kept quite warm year round, cohabiting with a female. The previous owner had just flushed each clutch. He weighed about 1000 g. When I acquired them I housed them separately and followed the breeding protocol at VMSHerp.com

http://www.vmsherp.com/LCBreedingCorns.htm

and the next summer we had 21 hatchlings from 22 eggs. Anyway, he has not been bred since, but his eating has really dropped off. In previous years he would not eat much until after the post brumation shed and even then, not regularly until the summer. This past year, he only ate 7 mice, two of which he regurged in November. In previous years I would give him a good stuffing until November 15, keep him warm until Dec 7, and then put him at 50 degrees F with a towel over his tank. However, this year he ate very little, then ate 2 in Nov, regurged a couple days later and went blue. wtf? So I decided to keep him warm, let him shed and see if he would eat. Well he shed but won't eat. That said, he looks OK and still weighs 900 g. Does anyone have any thoughts about whether to keep trying to feed or just chill him and hope for the best in the spring?

Thanks,
Ben

 

[Dorgrim]

He might be dehydrated? Ive seen a lot of snakes stressed from shedding regurg because they dont have enough fluids to work with with digestion. maybe ramping up to larger mice from smaller ones too if his stomach isnt feeling well?
One of my snakes goes off feeding as well though in the winter without burmation, and doesnt pick up until the summer.

Im sure other people will probably have better ideas, but I wouldnt worry till he hasnt eaten for a few months, and watch his weight and how much he is drinking.
hope he feels better!