Appetite Loss

Symptoms

  • corn snake refuses 2 or more meals

Cause

  • incorrect husbandry
  • relocation stress
  • illness
  • too much handling
  • offering the wrong prey

Treatment

  • Check your husbandry — make sure that your temperature gradient and humidity is correct. If the snake doesn’t have a hide, it may need one.
  • If you move your corn snake to a different enclosure to feed, try offering the prey in their “home” enclosure.
  • If you handle your corn snake frequently, stop handling until it starts eating again.
  • Note that some snakes lose their appetite if preparing to shed.
  • Some snakes have a preference for live prey over frozen/thawed or vice-versa. If you offer live prey, supervise the interaction carefully and do not leave the rodent in the snake’s enclosure for more than an hour at a time to prevent possible injury.
  • If your corn snake is young, try scenting the prey with lizard scent (like Reptilinks’ Anole Juice). This can stimulate a better feeding response.

If you have tried all of these suggestions without success, the root problem may be more serious. Make an appointment with a certified reptile veterinarian ASAP.


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