My corn snake isn't eating. Is it normal or should I be worried?

I honestly would not be overly concerned at this point. Snakes can go for very long periods of time (months) without eating at all. At least he is still eating something. He may be getting ready to shed or possibly the tank temperature has fallen too low. I suggest you check the temperature of the tank to make sure it is staying at the correct levels. There should be a temperature gradient of 70-85 degrees so that one side of the cage is warmer than the other. That way he can move around to the temperature he needs at any given time. When they are digesting their food they often need higher temps. After making sure the temperatures are correct, I recommend skipping one week of feed all together. Then the next week, try feeding him again to see if his appetite is back to normal.

Thanks for reaching out about the snakes. Breeding season can be an explanation for not eating, but these animals remain very active and alert. If lethargic, weak or quiet, a veterinary visit is recommended to assess and provide a diagnostic/treatment plan. Being together, intestinal parasites would be a plausible explanation also. Good luck.

Thanks for reaching out about your ball python. Seems like your husbandry is good. Intestinal parasites are common in snakes, more prominent in recent acquisitions. A fecal examination by a veterinarian is probably the first idea. Metabolic disorders or systemic infections are other possibilities. Good luck.

Thank you for reaching out about your ball python - she is really cute! There are a few things you can try/check for the appetite. Often times, when we are seeing issues with appetite, the first thing we try to do is check the husbandry and ensure that it is as perfect as it can be. Sometimes in between seasons the temperatures can get off in the enclosure, and I would recommend checking that first. Also, the humidity can affect the shedding intervals, in addition to the temperature. I would recommend evaluating the temperatures in the enclosure with digital thermometers to ensure that they are appropriate. Also, based on how she looks in the photos, she appears to be in fair body condition, so she may also be regulating herself as far as her weight/appetite goes. This would be a bit of an exception for a ball python, as most of them will overeat and become overweight. But, there are exceptions to the rule and maybe she is one of them! For the prey items - I like that you are using a separate container, and that you are warming the prey items in warm water. Please ensure that the water gets them to body temperature for rodents, which is around 100-102F. Often snakes will eat prey items that are cooler than that, but if a snake is being picky I try to encourage owners to get them measure the temperature to ensure it is warm enough. I hope that this gives you a place to start, and if she doesn't eat despite all of these changes, I would recommend a veterinary visit for her!

An adult corn snake should only eat once every 7-10 days. Here’s a helpful rule of thumb that applies to most snake-feeding situations. It relates to the size of the prey items. You should offer your snake feeder mice or rats that are roughly the size of the snake at the snake’s widest part (the mid-body area). In other words, the feeder rodent should be 1 to 1-1/2 times the diameter of your snake’s middle. You can go slightly larger than this, but not much.

Hello, and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. There are lots of reasons why a snake might go on a hunger strike, but it sounds like you've narrowed it down to a food preference. Rats are a bit more nutritious and ideally preferable over mice, but mice are also a perfectly acceptable option. Some snakes simply prefer them, in which case you are welcome to keep feeding Luminescence mice, and depending on her size she may simply need multiple mice per feeding as she grows. If you want to encourage her to switch to rats, you can try rubbing a dead mouse or mouse bedding on the rat prior to offering it, to give the rat a more familiar scent. Keep trying - but don't stress if the end result is she ends up staying on mice. Hope this helps!

You may want to consider a follow up appointment with your veterinarian to make sure there are no signs of continued infection such as respiratory disease. Also verify that your temperature and humidity are appropriate. My favorite resource for this is www.anapsid.org Sometimes force feeding with a pinkie may stimulate him to start eating. Best of luck and I hope he improves soon. Thank you for using Pet Coach.