# Western Hognose Snake stopped eating and hibernation



## Miss P (Nov 2, 2009)

Hello

I'm new here, not a Western Hognose owner myself but been asked by a friend to go and have a look at one which isn't very happy. (I don't charge btw )

I'm worried that he's not eaten enough to survive hibernation, do snakes commonly starve during hibernation?

As he's having emotional problems right now, would it be better to leave him alone in his viv for a few weeks to de stress and keep them temps up so he doesn't feel like hibernating?

I'm currently studying animal behaviour although this studying currently only extends to mammals, (have looked up some reptile courses on Proteous unless someone can suggest elsewhere?) I have kept tortoises and a corn snake before, but am definitley no 'expert' so would be interested in peoples opinions.:2thumb:

Also are there any 'super' foods other than mice/rats that hoggy might be tempted by? 

I'm going to clicker train the snake if I can, he's only a year old and has a bit of a rough time of it, hisses as soon as you put your hand in the viv and is scared of gloves and towels, one can only imagine ey? Poor snakey


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## Javeo (May 4, 2008)

Haha, great trolling there!
They dont need to hibernate, dont have "emotional" problems and dont have ears for clicker training!


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## Miss P (Nov 2, 2009)

excuse me? Nice welcome thanks, who said I was trolling?! :gasp:

So she can keep the temperature up in the tank and not let him hibernate? 

They do have emotions albeit primitive - snakes are sensitive and suffer from stress don't they? They may not feel joy but they feel pain. 

Clicker training doesn't have to be done with a clicker, a clicker is just a tool used in what's called operant conditioning. A torch, a tap on the glass, or any other non verbal marker can be used in snakes or for deaf animals, I'm not getting the snake to do anything except tolerate handling.


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## Stan193 (May 27, 2009)

My hoggie is'nt eating either, shes a 10g baby and hasnt eaten for 6/1/2 weeks. Today I took her back to the breeder (Pauline) and she force fed her a piece of rats tail, this should hopefully get her going again.Scenting often works, heres a few of the scents that have been recommended to me;
the water from tuna fish
cod liver oil
water from hot dogs
chicken soup
lance fish
hard boiled egg white (try feeding a piece of the white then if succesful scent a pinkie with it)
Theres quite a few threads on hoggies not eating, I have one as well. check them out.


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## thetong6969 (Apr 20, 2009)

most snakes tolerate handling although this can vary from species to species and snake to snake
if you require to tame it as it were then frequent handling is to be performed either way or most snakes go back to conditioning ie open rub/viv and food is dropped in(easiest way to get bitten by larger snakes)
s stated if temps arent dropped it should not go into hibernation,may go off food for a while b ut theyre generally hardy snakes
there are numerous care sheets available on here or google it
basically as long as he;s active and moving around there should be no real problem at all


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## Miss P (Nov 2, 2009)

Thanks I have looked at the care sheets (I'm not a total ignoramus :blush, he's hissing a lot when you go near him which is why I say he's not tolerating handling very well.

I will try those Stany thankyou  

Has anyone used Jump Start with good effects, it's an appetite stimulant?

Any other thoughts? 

Are there any biologist/reptile behaviour experts on here out of interest?


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## thetong6969 (Apr 20, 2009)

hissing is what they do ignore it i have a few that are fine one day ten headbutt mentally the next it depends if staartled
also they are light sensetive hence if it ges dark they'll go to bed
it is winter season here also so if they don't have a light on for 16 hrs(to replicate summer)they will go off food if it's a boy it's common apparentley although when ive had hoggies in the past had no trouble.
and the ones i have for sale now all eat fine str8 away
have you tried hot dog juice ??? it's meant to work well
as for animal behaviour expert i cannot really see how it will work with a hognose
they mimic cobras and rattlers it's their defence mechanism only handling will calm it down but that's going to vary from individual to individual.
you can get electrolytes that you add to the water and will at least get some goodness in him whilst he's fasting
have you upped the temperature a bit?
as long as he's active and not lost any weight there should be no problem but you ould add a bulb near him(doesn't have to be in his rub or viv)for 15 hrs a day set on a timer and try that to up the photoperiod and mimic summer
best of luck with it(no one called you an ignoranious as various care sheets vary from each other i've found)


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