Jesse, you need to be more concerned about your snake than what I said or read. I'm not turning that part of this into a public discussion, check your PM's because you have one. You asked "would you rather have your snake die then never to eat canned food, i answered those questions Clementine, answer me one simple question that you should know, why do you feed a snake canned food, why do you feed a snake that doesnt want to eat anymore so you feed it canned dog food??" Here's the deal Jesse...if my snake wasn't eating and my husbandry was (it is, trust me) perfect then I wouldn't worry right away. Some snakes go off feed, it happens. If it continued and the snake was losing weight I would take it to my vet, but here's the difference, if he told me to feed it canned food I would seriously question him and probably go to a different vet for a second opinion. If the second vet said to feed it canned food too I may consider it, but not until every other viable option had been tried and failed and the snake was about die. I would come to these very forums and post about my situation, but I would not wait two months to see if anyone could offer a suggestion. I would politely provide any additional information I was asked. I would have tried (before even going to the vet, and knowing for a fact his viv was perfect) leaving the prey and the snake in a bag, leaving the prey (pinky or f/t so there could be no damage to the snake of course) in the viv overnight, scenting the prey with chicken stock/broth or lizard essence, a pinky pump, braining the prey, trying a rat pup (cut in 1/2 if necessary) instead of a mouse or vice versa, and yes Jesse, I would have by now even tried force feeding a mouse to the snake. No way would I just rush to the store and buy a can of food and feed it to my snake, especially not every day and under no circumstances more than once or twice to get him to feed on his own. Snakes don't eat every day and they don't eat canned food. Would I rather have my snake die than to never eat canned food...no, certainly not. Would I try everything under the sun to avoid getting to that point...I certainly would. Would I start force feeding it canned food because one vet said to and I had husbandry issues prior to that and had not (and I don't know what else you tried) tried EVERY other known trick in the book to get him to eat...no, certainly not. "why do you feed a snake canned food"...I don't and it would take a monumental chain of events to make me think that it would be a good idea. If I ended up resorting to using canned food, as I already said, it would be a last ditch effort on a truly near dead snake that nothing else had worked for. I would never think it a good idea to continue to feed any reptile food that was not what it was built to eat. Snakes eat mice, rats, toads, lizards...I would have tried all of those first. You asked me directly, I answered you. Now, without getting combative, you can lay out exactly what happened when and exactly what you did and did not do, before and after you got his temperatures right. You can ask for help nicely as there are people here who can and will offer you good advice. You can see what they have to say and listen or not, that is up to you, but it will be done politely or not at all. Yes, that does go for everyone.
Clementine's making a point. her snakes are doing well, she must be doing something right with her husbandry. So maybe these jesse guy should just listen to her, dog food isn't proper snake food. E
I don't go on this forum much but Ryan sent me the link and I thought I would add my opinion. First off all, they make canned snake food such as "Snake Sausages which are made to go easily since they have no limbs. These are made out of mice and the producers have added calcium and vitamins. I have no idea if they work well or not but its not dog food. - If this is indeed what he is using, it may be dog food. I wouldn't force feed either. Put the snake in a rubbermaid container. Get one side around 88 F, and the other around 75-80. You want humidity around 60-70 %. Give the snake a hide box on each side and cover the tub with a sheet or towel. Fill up the water dish and leave the snake alone for 1 week. Fill the water dish up if needed at the end of the week, then cover and leave again for one week. After those 2 weeks take a small rat and make it really warm in hot water and offer it. I guarantee you it will feed.
I'm only disappointed I didn't continue to follow this thread. Jesse, I think you need to calm down especially the way you talk to Moderators. Clementine was only trying to help you and you jumped down her throat. When you don't give us a lot of information in the first place, what else are we supposed to think? And I'm sorry, but nothing should come down to you force feeding the snake canned food. And Skunky is undoubtedly correct. If you read what I said, all vets are not created equal. To be a licensed herp vet you need more extensive training than a normal vet. And any licensed herp vet would not recommend canned snake food. I think you should try this site: www.herpvetconnection.com It has lists of all properly licensed herp vets in all the states. Check to see if your vet is on the list. However you have yet to clarify. Is it dog food? Is it a commercial snake can food like the Snake Sausages Kevin mentioned? Even so these snake sausages are proven to be worthless and more so if you are trying to get your snake to eat normally again. We're trying to help you. Many of us have seen dozens if not hundreds of cases of neglect due to ignorance of information on animals. It is not your fault because you trusted your vet and he or she lead you astray. At least let us try to help you and your snake. I know it will save you a lot of future heartache and especially a lot for your snake. You are trying to save it, which is good, but I guaranteed it will mean more to him if you try our ways.
Dog/Cat food! Right there should say enough. I have had snakes go for 2 months without feeding. It will happen with snakes even with proper husbandry. This has been brought up so many times. The key with this is just patience. Keep trying and use some of the methods suggested on this site. But force feeding should be last option and especially dog/cat food. It does not say snakes anywhere on it.
It doesnt say snake or lizard on it. But people feed their BTS cat and dog food, along with monitors and a whole bunch of other things. This food is loaded with valuable nutrience so I dont see the problem with it.
A part of me can understand/rationalize the use of canned dog food.....but I really do not understand the need/recommendation to force feed the snake every day! Now that to me is unhealthy.
Ok i am going to stop arguing with everyone and go through all of this. I hate force feeding my snake too but Under Cuver has the idea, this is why you force feed if it wont eat, this is what you force feed it. Okay now i am going to buy a live new born rat tommorow because it is blind and slow so my snake doesnt get scared. But this is why the vet gives me this canned food, because it has nutrience, today i offered the snake a frozen hopper and it didnt take it after moving it around its face and area. This is why im going to try a live new born rat tomorow.
A snake being force-fed is probably incredibly stressed -- the chances of a stressed snake eating are slim. I could be wrong, and I hope so for your snakes sake. My suggestion is give it a couple of days to relax and then try feeding it. Best of luck..i hope it turns out well.
Skunky is right. Force feeding is so stressful on a snake. I know someone's whose Ball Python died because they tried force feeding it. I would say stop force feeding, wait a week, and then try feeding. I still wouldn't say ok to canned food...even if it does have "nutrients."
well there are tons of methods to try to get non-feeding snakes eating. Here are some suggestions; chicken broth, cut the head open, cut the stomach open, hell even try live. I don't suggest force feeding it, my brother force fed his ball python and it stressed the hell out of it. Maybe try the snake-sauages? I haven't tried them but i'm sure its better than dog-food. But yeah give us some proper info on your husbandry and we can help you out. We rather the snake be healthy and as stress-free as possible. You may need to change your husbandry a bit or alot, but its worth it to keep the snake alive no? We are here to help.
Yea, right now i am waiting a week from force feeding and i am going to try a live newborn rat, because it is blind and slow so it will move slow for my snake and wont scare it by moving fast, and so that when it constricts it, the snake wont get harmed, and trust me, i do know that it stressed him out.
Ok greeeat neews!! I fed my snake a live hopper and he ate it with no problem, then i fed it a little bigger mouse and ate it no problem too, hes getting to be more active and more healthy. I am very glad hes eating again and now i dint have to do that force feeding anymore. Jesse
