# Rhino Rat Snake advice



## Pjmatt123 (27 d ago)

Hi all- new snake owner here, trying to do my best. I got a rhino rat snake about a month and a half ago. Set her up in a tank with a warm side about 78-82 degrees although she tends to spend most of her time in the water bowl on the cool side. Her first two feedings with frozen/thawed mice went well, but since then she’s refused the f/t mice three times. The pet store I go to suggested trying live, but she seemed completely uninterested in the mouse, she’d come up close to investigate but did not seem interested in eating… is she just not hungry? It’s it the cooler winter months here? It’s been 3 weeks since she last successfully ate. Starting to get a little worried. Any advice would be appreciated


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## ian14 (Jan 2, 2008)

Fish are the answer.
However, check your setup first. Being in the US I bet you are using a mat in a glass viv?
If so, that's your problem. 
Air temperature is the key to all snakes. The more u usual the species, the more reliant they are in very specific environmental conditions.
They are infrequently seen for a reason. Usually because they need a little more care and attention than corns, royals, and boas!
How exactly are you keeping her?


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## Pjmatt123 (27 d ago)

I have a glass viv with a temperature controlled ceramic heater, rock hideout/basking area, vines and sticks for climbing, elevated canopy area, and a large water bowl… considering trying feeder fish next


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## ian14 (Jan 2, 2008)

Pjmatt123 said:


> I have a glass viv with a temperature controlled ceramic heater, rock hideout/basking area, vines and sticks for climbing, elevated canopy area, and a large water bowl… considering trying feeder fish next


Glass enclosuresbare TERRIBLE for heating. That may be your issue. 
An easy fix is to stick polystyrene sheets to the back and sides. 
Try that first.
She was feeding, so the food offered shouldn't be an issue.
I had a pair of these as hatchlings. They only ever fed when in the water bowl. 
My advice is to insulate the enclosure so that the air inside is actually warm enough.
Try a mouse then, offered when the snake is in its water bowl. 
If that fails, get something lime sand eel, and try again.
Mine came to me as assist fed hatchlings.
I never needed to assist feed, I just offered fish while they were in their water bowls. Never failed.


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## Malc (Oct 27, 2009)

Pjmatt123 said:


> I have a glass viv with a temperature controlled ceramic heater,


I would also bet that the all glass viv has an open mesh top on which sits the ceramic heater / dome reflector. So a lot of heat is wasted, as the heater is heating the air around it which is in the room not the viv, and any heat that does get into the viv escapes through the mesh as warm air naturally rises.


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## Thrasops (Apr 15, 2008)

How cool does the cool side get? This species doesn't actually like too much heat; the upper temperatures you mentioned are more than fine; although this species does seem to enjoy sitting in water bowls more than some snakes it could be that conditions are too hot, not too cool (they actually are very hardy montane species active at temperatures as low as 15C/ 60F).

Do bear in mind this species hibernates at this time of year and feeds seasonally, so it could be the snake is simply acting upon its instincts. These (and the related _G. prasinum_ and _G. frenatum_) often will not eat in winter months and can go surprisingly long periods without food. Plenty of keepers do not feed them at all between November to February/ March and lower temps as far as 10C/ 50F.

I suspect this is more likely to be the issue, as if the snake has undergone its ontogenetic change and is already fully green as in the picture any feeding issues experienced by the neonates usually are LONG gone and the snakes are generally quite good feeders - and you state the snake was eating mice previously. (You could certainly try feeding fish though and if it takes them, use them as an occasional treat or change of food item - they are certainly not strictly fish eaters though and should have mice too).

On the enclosure - personally I would not use a ceramic at all with a glass viv. If you have a mesh lid, switch the ceramic to a halogen spot bulb shining down through it. You will need to match the wattage to size of the viv, but this will create a nice basking zone while allowing the rest of the enclosure to remain relatively cool which is what this species likes.


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## LiasisUK (Sep 30, 2019)

I agree with Francis above; my first assumption is that the animal is too hot. Possibly due to the time of year as Francis has said, or maybe the way you are reading the temperatures is incorrect. I would buy a infrared temp gun to get a more accurate reading and re-assess. 

Species like this will often refuse food all winter.


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