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getting wc baby copperhead to eat
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by goldieburm on November 26, 2002
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We have a baby copperhead (northern) that was brought in to the university after a person found it in his apartment and called the police. We've now had the baby for about 6 weeks. It ate a fuzzy mouse a week after it was captured but has refused since. It has good body weight, is active and alert. It is in a little cage with a waterbowl and cypress mulch. It is located in a room that is not accessed by anyone other than those caring for the snakes.
Is there something that we're not doing or doing wrong that may be causing it to refuse food? We have adult wc copperheads (both northern and southern) here but this is the first baby we've been given.
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RE: getting wc baby copperhead to eat
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by PIGMAN on November 26, 2002
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The baby copperhead is most likely doing just fine. It is know time for him to be hibernating/burmating so his natural instincts are telling him to clear his digestive tract and go underground for the winter. You can hibernate him by cooling his surroundings to around 50-55 degrees until late February or early March then raze the temp to around 76-82 degrees wich then he should be ready to begin feeding three to five days after the rise in temperature. If you do not want to hibernate him offer him a basking lamp on a timer where he can bask for around 12 hours a day or crawl over to a cooler side of his enclosure. That may start his apitite again but after about two weeks of 76-85 degree temps and if he still refuses food I would suggest hibernating it. Actually if it isn't skinny I would hibernate it after all that is what he would naturally do. I hope this helps. and good luck!
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RE: getting wc baby copperhead to eat
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by Marty1st on November 26, 2002
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I agree with PIGMAN ,it probably wants to hibernate.I'm not sure exactly how big your "baby" copperhead is,but a "fuzzy" would be a good meal for a neonate.You said its been 5 weeks, I've seen them go alot longer.One thing I would do though, as suggested by Chris H. on other posts, is put the snake in room temp water for about 2 hrs. and then at least you know its hydrated.After that I would give it a cool down til about March.(as long as it appears to have good body weight)Thats when I start warming mine up.
Called the police for a snake? Oh well, at least they didn't arrest it. Marty
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RE: getting wc baby copperhead to eat
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by goldieburm on November 27, 2002
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Thanks for the information. That's what I thought....maybe it's trying to go down for the winter...but I wanted the opinion of someone with way more expertise than me.
sherry
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