Symptoms
- Snake refuses 2 or more meals
Cause
- Bacterial infection in gut
- Parasites
- Low temperatures
- Poor husbandry
- Respiratory infection
- Stress
- Other illness
Treatment
If your hognose isn’t yet full-grown, refusal to eat is a definite sign that something is wrong, and it may be sick.
If you just brought your hognose home from the breeder, expo, or pet store, your pet may also refuse to eat due to relocation stress. Wait at least 1 week after bringing them home before offering them a meal. If they still refuse, wait another week and try again. Do not handle the snake for as long as it’s not eating, as handling can make the problem worse. Depending on the snake’s age, the process of settling in enough to eat can take up to a month.
While you’re waiting for your pet to come around, check the enclosure’s temperatures. Snakes aren’t stupid — they won’t eat if it’s not warm enough for them to be able to digest the meal. Make sure you’re using a digital thermometer to check air temperatures and an infrared temperature gun to check surface temperatures (because these readings require two different tools).
It’s best practice to weigh your snake weekly or at least biweekly to establish a baseline for the snake’s weight. If it is dropping weight considerably while refusing to eat, that usually indicates illness. If all other causes have been ruled out and the snake continues to refuse to eat and lose weight, make an appointment with an experienced reptile veterinarian.