I obtained my older corn snake, Butters, on September 14th, 2007 at which time I believe her to have been between 1-2 months old. She grew up with me eating and shedding consistently and well. In the last year, she has acquired a distaste for cheaper quality feeder mice. (I use f/t for the record.) I determined this by having small stubbornness battles with her, and she always won, so I have just settled to buying the more expensive kind to keep her happy. But she's been kind of crazy the last few weeks. She's been refusing food, even her "good" brand. She is attempting crazy escape schemes and is generally more active in her cage, cruising in a way I thought indicated hunger. But I'm starting to wonder if this has to do with her being an adult this breeding season? (If now is, in fact, their breeding season...) This is also the first breeding season that young female Bug has been in our home. Bug was popped by her breeder. But Butters has not been popped or probed- however, I am about 85% positive she is female, due to the look of her tail's tapering and a scale count of 114. (I do understand that she may still be too young for an accurate scale count, though.) Could little Bug be setting off a hormonal reaction in Butters, even if they were both female as I believe they are? Butters lives in a 40 Gallon Tank; it has the width and length of a 20 Long, but is much taller. She has a ceramic heat emitter on one side for warmth sans visible light. She is located downstairs, but when this behavior began, she was still in our bedroom, which is where Bug's 20 Long is located. Your thoughts are infinitely appreciated.
Ok, so, consider that Butters IS a male... how long is "normal" to refuse food during breeding season?
