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What's wrong with Suzy?

whiffin

whiffin

Just Another Member
He's 2.5-3 years old, 4ft long, male, Anery.

He's been eating 2x Supersize mice every Friday - I've had him since he was 6 inches long, and he has ALWAYS eaten.

I put him into a new vivarium that I made a few months ago - there is no smell ( I used yacht varnish and waited AGES for it to dry - weeks and weeks). It has a heat mat over 2/3 of it (INSIDE), and a water bowl on the other. He has hiding places on both ends and aspen in which he sometimes burrows.

The hot end ambient is around 25 deg, but if he wants more heat he can 'dig down' to the heat mat which is a bit warmer (thermostatically controlled). The cool end is about 23 deg C.

The water is changed every 2-3 days, the aspen is spot cleaned and maybe a full replace every few weeks.

He climbs, seems happy, handles well, sits on both ends of his vivarium, on top of things, in hides and burrowing.

He was feeding well, but his last two poos seem to have been hard work (like he's costipated), but I gave him a tepid bath and he pooed fine.

I went to feed him Friday week before last (7 days since last feed), and he wouldn't eat, didn't seem interested (2x F/T supersize mice) - so I left him.

This was strange - but he did she that week (he normally eats whilst in the shedding process) - all of the skin did come off (in 2 or 3 bits) from what I can tell. I did check him head to tail.

I tried today with a F/T rat (a bit larger, but mainly longer, he should cope easily) and he wasn't interested. It's been 17 days since his last feed.

I don;t know if this is related but his skin below is dry, like he's shedding - but it hasn't been long enough. The top is smooth, the sides are smooth, but the bottom seems dry (see photo).

So I gave up feeding and put him in his viv. He immediately had a drink (which is again rare to drink in front of me) last about 45 seconds. fresh water. And has been exploring his viv for past 10 mins (he always does that).

When I put him in he had a small poo - looks strange - see phtos, like a white gunk followed by a cone thing (see photo) - probably nothing, but could be related.

I can;t see any ticks or mites on him.

Any ideas ?????

Anyone know an expert of vet in Salisbury, South UK (if you think he needs it).

Suggestions? - He seems happy, but has never had any problems. He was handled a lot the weekend before last, and before that, but not been handled for about a week. When I picked him up today he was very very calm.

Please help - cheers

skin.jpg


poo.jpg
 
I am no expert, but i have gotten alot of help from the great people here.
I had the same problem with my corn not eating, 23 days later she finally took to the food... I wouldn't be worried about him not eating, he will eat when he is ready, But I would be concerned about that stool you just posted, thats a funny looking stool sample, and that looks alot like blood, on that aswell. I would keep an eye on other poops your snake might have, and hope u see no signes of blood,( i am no expert, ) but if this was my snake, with a stool sample like the 1 you posted, I would be taking him to see a vet..
 
Yeah - that's what I was thinking - only did it today - all others were normal ... and it's sooooo small.

Does look like a mouse tail. Maybe undigested.

Thanks for your comments
 
Don't be concerned just yet. There is some very important info as to what may be going on aready stated in your post...2.5 - 3 yr old MALE. He looks to be a good size, and it is the start of breeding season. Many males will go off their feed during this time of year...some skipping an occasional meal while others not eating at all. And since your snake hasn't eaten for 17 days, there isn't much for him to poop, which could explain what you found. And I wouldn't be too concerned about the tiny amount of blood seen. At least not unless you start seeing alot more of it. Just give your snake some time, offer meals at the regularly shceduled time, and he'll eat when he's ready. As long as he's acting normally, he'll be fine.

And I've noticed drier belly scales on some of my males as well. Might be part of the normal breeding status...the males do rub their bellies on the females and the extra dryness may be part of the stimulation needed.
 
Susan said:
Don't be concerned just yet. There is some very important info as to what may be going on aready stated in your post...2.5 - 3 yr old MALE. He looks to be a good size, and it is the start of breeding season. Many males will go off their feed during this time of year...some skipping an occasional meal while others not eating at all. And since your snake hasn't eaten for 17 days, there isn't much for him to poop, which could explain what you found. And I wouldn't be too concerned about the tiny amount of blood seen. At least not unless you start seeing alot more of it. Just give your snake some time, offer meals at the regularly shceduled time, and he'll eat when he's ready. As long as he's acting normally, he'll be fine.

And I've noticed drier belly scales on some of my males as well. Might be part of the normal breeding status...the males do rub their bellies on the females and the extra dryness may be part of the stimulation needed.
Click to expand...

OKay, there has been no blood, no poop and no eatng either - this is now 6-7 weeks after his last feed.

Is this still OK?

I've been trying his usual FT weekly. He still drinks and is active.

How long do they go off eating when they're trying to breed?

CHeers
 
I agree with susan on this one, my Male has now gone 3.1/2 months without eating, perfectly normal, happens every year.
Just a thing though, being from England as well, one thing I have noticed is that the humidity, over last few weeks has been unusually low, around 40%.
Whether its the weather or my house i`m not sure. But my male Bairds Rat is struggling to shed, along with a yearling Corn.
I`ve been spraying all my snakes enclosures to keep humidity up and to help them shed. You may be having the same problem.
Hope this helps.
 
That is the weirdest looking stool sample i've ever seen. I have heard that males will often be trouble feeders around the breeding season too so i wouldnt worry too much yet about him not eating. Was that stool hard like a piece of cartilage or what? strange
 
I'm not seeing the pics so I can't comment on those but I personally think that 2 big mice is a lot of food for an adult male. Once they've reached mature size, you can cut back to 1 feed every 2nd week. My mature males (about the same size as yours I suppose) get one mouse every 2nd week and have had that for quite a while -they're putting on a small amount of weight each month but aren't growing like when they were 'teenagers'. This feeding regime may prevent your snake getting obese and putting strain on its organs later on in its life. Females need extra food when they're used for breeding but your male will continue to put on weight modestly and healthily on a reduced feeding schedule.
As for the other stuff, sorry I can't help more than anyone else has.
 
Perhaps you could offer a moist hide??

Just got your photos when I looked again!

I use a system of moist hides using icecream tubs in appropriate sizes with forrest bed (coconut fibre) inside. Most of my snakes use it all cycle long as a hide and all of them use it before they shed. I have all my snakes shed in 1 piece for me so I'm guessing it works.

You can see the holes cut in the side for entry/exit, the top is usually snapped on tight.
 

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That almost looks like the plug the males release when they are going to breed. Your male (did you name him Suzy?) is probably going into breed mode and just doesn't want to eat. Mine finally started eating after 3 months, and before he shed, he looked just like yours. He spent so much time cruising around his viv that he just beat the snot out of his scales. I wouldn't worry too much.
 
Brilliant thanks, feel much better. I'll try him every two weeks.

Is it still OK to handle him?

The stool sample was like cartilidge - yes

And yes, I called him Suzy before I knew his sex. Then I bought www.suzythesnake.co.uk and found out he was male. (via scale count on his shed).

Cheers guys
 
Yes, go ahead and hold him. Actually, it was kind of nice. He wanted out anyway, and since he wasn't eating, I could hold him anytime.
 
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