# I need help with African Black House Snake



## alex.fierro.0629 (9 mo ago)

Hello, I'm new to the forum and relatively new to the hobby. I'm in the US but this were the better quality forums I was able to find.

I have 3 snakes a Okeetee 1 year old Red Corn Snake, a 2 year old Texas Bull Snake and a 1 and half year old African Black House Snake.

My black house snake has been refusing meals for about a month and a half. I feed him weekly, around early April he was in shed so I thought it was possible due to that, he actually ate shortly after that but ate less than what he usually eats (2 large pinkies.) only took one and has not ate anything now in about 5 weeks.

I'm a bit worried because he has never stopped eating before. There has been no changes in his enclosure its a 40 gallon enclosure plenty of hides,2 water bowls no temperature changes, nothing at all. I'm at a point where I'm beginning to consider assist feeding. I even tried putting him in a small container with jus the pinkie and he ignored it and did not eat after 24 hours.

Please help!











I should add that I have examined him, and it doesn't look like there is anything wrong with him health wise. I think he is about to shed again, but he's never stopped eating this long even between sheds.


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## Saladmander (12 mo ago)

5 weeks is not a big deal for the vast majority of healthy snakes. If he's otherwise healthy and his husbandry is up to scratch, I'd personally just leave him to it.
Assist feeding can be very stressful and could well just make the situation worse.

Plenty of snakes go off food in favour of females in the breeding seasons. Just keep an eye on his weight and activity.


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## LiasisUK (Sep 30, 2019)

His food size sounds rather small for his age....... how big is he?


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## alex.fierro.0629 (9 mo ago)

LiasisUK said:


> His food size sounds rather small for his age....... how big is he?


He's not that big, actually I did the math wrong, he is about 13 months old not a year and half.


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## ian14 (Jan 2, 2008)

Once he's feeding again start offering fuzzies. You can't keep him on pinks forever. They have next to no calcium so you run the risk of metabolic bone disease. You should be aiming to gradually increase food size regularly as the snake grows


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## alex.fierro.0629 (9 mo ago)

ian14 said:


> Once he's feeding again start offering fuzzies. You can't keep him on pinks forever. They have next to no calcium so you run the risk of metabolic bone disease. You should be aiming to gradually increase food size regularly as the snake grows


I don't think he is ready for fuzzies I tried it a couple of months ago, and he regurgitated, so I started giving him 2 large pinkies. Though I could try again I think he is a bit bigger now.


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## ian14 (Jan 2, 2008)

At 13 months old, he should be.
There is a general feeding guide for colubrids from hatching.
1 pink per week for 6 weeks
2 pinks per week for 6 weeks 
1 fuzzie per week for 6 weeks
And so on.


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## Malc (Oct 27, 2009)

alex.fierro.0629 said:


> I don't think he is ready for fuzzies I tried it a couple of months ago, and he regurgitated, so I started giving him 2 large pinkies. Though I could try again I think he is a bit bigger now.


You'll be surprised at what size meals they can take, and often offering something more substantial brings them more into feeding mode. You should really start to wean him off pinks... there is not a lot in them as Ian has already stated.


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## alex.fierro.0629 (9 mo ago)

ian14 said:


> At 13 months old, he should be.
> There is a general feeding guide for colubrids from hatching.
> 1 pink per week for 6 weeks
> 2 pinks per week for 6 weeks
> ...





Malc said:


> You'll be surprised at what size meals they can take, and often offering something more substantial brings them more into feeding mode. You should really start to wean him off pinks... there is not a lot in them as Ian has already stated.


I'll do that I'll get small fuzzies, and offer to him see if he will eat those.


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## LiasisUK (Sep 30, 2019)

He would probably take a small adult mouse to be honest


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## alex.fierro.0629 (9 mo ago)

Thank you so much everyone. I offered a fuzzy and he literally ripped it off the thongs. and I know there had to be a change because just Friday night I offered him 2 large pinkies and he ignored them. 

So from now on fuzzies for him, and I may switch my corn and bull to rats instead of adults.


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