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I need help!!!!!!! my female Crotalus atrox don't
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by Tudor on January 12, 2010
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Dear all,
Not long ago I receive a pair of Crotalus atrox CB 2008 (the snakes were born in late November). So far so good, and at beginning, both snakes eat well dead mice.
Gradually, they start to refuse dead mice but accept mice alive. They also refuse to fed weekly or even once at then days, but accept food once at two weeks, usually in the night.
The male feed normally, but the female take the last meal at 4 the December and continuously refuse to fed whit dead or alive mice. My last attempt to feed her was yesterday, when I let a dead mouse in her terrarium, but she not eat.
I wander if she need rest (hibernation).... or just don't need food for a while....
In the last two month usually both snakes takes two mice every time.
I keep the snakes separated in two 80x45x45 glass terrariums with good ventilation, an under tank heat pad and with GBL Solar Repti Sun neon tubes, gravel substrate, heading rocky places in the cooler and warmer areas, a medium narrow water dish and couple mopani pieces of woo for decoration.
Also, the female look healthy and active....
Please, I really need some advices...
PS: Both snakes defecate well, so I don't suspect impaction
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RE: I need help!!!!!!! my female Crotalus atrox do
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by lanceheads on January 12, 2010
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The female could possibly be off food, she could also be in a shed cycle as well, which would explain food refusal.
I would check the temps, it may be too hot.
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RE: I need help!!!!!!! my female Crotalus atrox do
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by lostriverdoc on January 12, 2010
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I stopped pulling my hair out when it comes to my Crotalus not eating. I have a 3 yo femal Atrox that refused to eat for the first 7 months I had her. She has not refused a meal in over a year and a half now. I have a 4yo male Atrox that I've had since Labor Day that still hasn't eaten yet, but is still very active.I have C. molossus that will take a meal only once a month or once every two months. I have 13 Rattlesnakes consisting of 6 different spp. and they are all healthy(even with minimal food intake.)My biggest nightmare so far is a 10 yo femal Ball Python that took her first meal for me 4 weeks ago after nothing for 14 months ( yes 14 months with only water).I never force feed my snakes and I have not lost a snake from starvation in 6 years. They will eat when they are hungry, so try not to get too upset if they don't take a meal every week.
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RE: I need help!!!!!!! my female Crotalus atrox do
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by AquaHerp on January 12, 2010
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It's that time of year that many of the rattlesnakes feed "hit and miss"
I would get them back off of live mice though. Most of the pit vipers will take dead mice if you warm them in water and offer it from forceps. The warmth kicks in the loreal pits and once they strike it they will normally follow through.
DH
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RE: I need help!!!!!!! my female Crotalus atrox do
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by FSB on January 16, 2010
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Marian - C. atrox is not a particularly difficult or delicate species to maintain. All of the above posts make valid points, but i would add that you may be overdoing it a bit on the setup [which is understandable since I'm sure atrox are not common in Romanian collections]. How are you keeping your ammodytes? What is your ambient room temp? I also suspect that you could be keeping them too warm with the undertank pads and lights. Atrox shouldn't require any special lighting and too much light could be a cause of stress. Too large a cage could also cause stress, especially with smaller snakes... the dimensions of 80x45x45 sound excessive for 2008 snakes, even if you're talking centimeters. I would also suggest a different substrate - some kind of mulch, either aspen or cypress. I keep all of my Crotalus on aspen - I have heard it said that it even stimulates appetite, but have no evidence to back this up other than the fact that it has always worked for me. Not being able to actually see your setup, I am kind of limited to guesswork here. I would just suggest more simplicity. Do you know Alex Strigaru? He's a herpetologist in Romania also interested in the conservation of your native Vipera.
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