Tracee
Grrrl
Hello everyone I've just registered here as it's the only site I've managed to find where the users seem to offer real help, so thank you thank you in advance and I shall explain my problem 
I've had my cornsnake Charlie exactly 4 years this week and he has always been a brilliant eater, in fact he ate the very day after I got him! Even shedding has never put him off a meal before.
He first refused a mouse on the 11th of January but ate a week later. I figured/hoped it was just because he was about ready to shed, which he eventually did on the 2nd of Feb. He also ate a mouse the same night. Since then, he has refused 4 attempts at feeding, and now I'm getting very worried.
He does seem in perfectly good health; bright eyes and skin colour, no lumps or bumps etc, the only thing noteably different is the amount of time he spends outside of his hideyholes. I've called him 'Sir Sleepsalot' a number of times as he's usually pretty lazy (!) but for the past month or more he has rarely entered them, he's very active.
I have not changed his environment in any way. The temperature is 80 degrees on the warmer side of the vivarium. I've tried heating the room further to raise the temp a few extra degrees. I've tried using tongs and waving food right in front of his nose. I did the unthinkable (to me) and cut it open slightly to try and tempt him, all to no avail.
The discussion about mice of different colours was interesting - the first one he refused was a black mouse (he's always eaten white ones) so I hope this isn't what's put him off.
I'm sorry for going on, I know 4 weeks isn't THAT long for a snake to go without food but for His Excellency over here, it's an ice age!
How long is a "safe" period of time before I should start getting really worried (and maybe seeking medical attention)?
I understand he's likely reached sexual maturity and could be looking for a mate or something but again, I can't imagine this would put him off his beloved food.
Any tips or help you can give me would be greatly appreciated, he's a lovely little snake and I would hate for him to get ill.
Apologies for such a long post again. xxx
I've had my cornsnake Charlie exactly 4 years this week and he has always been a brilliant eater, in fact he ate the very day after I got him! Even shedding has never put him off a meal before.
He first refused a mouse on the 11th of January but ate a week later. I figured/hoped it was just because he was about ready to shed, which he eventually did on the 2nd of Feb. He also ate a mouse the same night. Since then, he has refused 4 attempts at feeding, and now I'm getting very worried.
He does seem in perfectly good health; bright eyes and skin colour, no lumps or bumps etc, the only thing noteably different is the amount of time he spends outside of his hideyholes. I've called him 'Sir Sleepsalot' a number of times as he's usually pretty lazy (!) but for the past month or more he has rarely entered them, he's very active.
I have not changed his environment in any way. The temperature is 80 degrees on the warmer side of the vivarium. I've tried heating the room further to raise the temp a few extra degrees. I've tried using tongs and waving food right in front of his nose. I did the unthinkable (to me) and cut it open slightly to try and tempt him, all to no avail.
The discussion about mice of different colours was interesting - the first one he refused was a black mouse (he's always eaten white ones) so I hope this isn't what's put him off.
I'm sorry for going on, I know 4 weeks isn't THAT long for a snake to go without food but for His Excellency over here, it's an ice age!
How long is a "safe" period of time before I should start getting really worried (and maybe seeking medical attention)?
I understand he's likely reached sexual maturity and could be looking for a mate or something but again, I can't imagine this would put him off his beloved food.
Any tips or help you can give me would be greatly appreciated, he's a lovely little snake and I would hate for him to get ill.
Apologies for such a long post again. xxx
