Okay, since he hasn't eaten for so long,

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Posted by sue on January 10, 2001 at 08:12:43:

In Reply to: Re: Try to feed him frozen/thawed or fresh killed.... posted by ian dungan on January 10, 2001 at 06:45:36:

his stomach is probably (definitely) empty. If there is food left in their stomaches, it can rot over the brumating period.

Put a 2-6 inch layer of aspen or reptibark (some kind of burrowing snake-safe substrate) on the floor of his tank. Give him fresh water that you keep checking and replacing once a week. Then cover the tank with a light sheet or paper (leave air space, though) or put it into a dark room and reduce the temperature about 5 degrees a week until you get it down to about 55 degrees. Then leave him alone except for checking on the water for about 1-2 months. Don't hold him or feed him or do anything with him. Then you start warming him up about 5-10 degrees a week. After he gets back up to his regular temps for about a week, then try to feed him a small meal.

This is how I brumated my red milk, except that the tank warmed up faster than I wanted. It got back up to regular temperature gradient in about a week. So I gave her a few days to get adjusted and then fed her. She had no reluctance to eat it after the brumation period.
The reason I said to feed him frozen/thawed is because I have heard that some snakes are afraid of live food.

sue

Follow Ups:

Re: Okay, since he hasn't eaten for so long, ian dungan 01/10/01 (1)
- that was a fast drop.... sue 01/10/01 (0)
Re: Okay, since he hasn't eaten for so long, JY 01/10/01 (0)

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: his stomach is probably (definitely) empty. If there is food left in their stomaches, it can rot over the brumating period. : Put a 2-6 inch layer of aspen or reptibark (some kind of burrowing snake-safe substrate) on the floor of his tank. Give him fresh water that you keep checking and replacing once a week. Then cover the tank with a light sheet or paper (leave air space, though) or put it into a dark room and reduce the temperature about 5 degrees a week until you get it down to about 55 degrees. Then leave him alone except for checking on the water for about 1-2 months. Don't hold him or feed him or do anything with him. Then you start warming him up about 5-10 degrees a week. After he gets back up to his regular temps for about a week, then try to feed him a small meal. : This is how I brumated my red milk, except that the tank warmed up faster than I wanted. It got back up to regular temperature gradient in about a week. So I gave her a few days to get adjusted and then fed her. She had no reluctance to eat it after the brumation period. : The reason I said to feed him frozen/thawed is because I have heard that some snakes are afraid of live food. : sue

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