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  1. #1
    Registered User _Rumbler's Avatar
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    My pastel won't eat

    Okay, so I got her about a month ago. She is 560grams. I have been offering food once a week since I got her. The breeder had her on live rat weanlings, so that is what I have been offering. The temps are 88-90 hot side and 80 cool side. Ambient stays between 78-80 mostly, if it gets too cool I have a space heater. Humidity stays at 80% with slight drops every once in a while if I don't catch the humidifier on time, but since I have cypress mulch in there it retains the moisture pretty well. I have hides on hot and cool sides.

    Now, when I offer food, it is a live rat weanling. I have tried feeding her in a feeding tub and her enclosure. I have tried at night and during the day. I even tried feeding her live mice. I talked to the breeder and she was a strong feeder when he had her. but for me, She just seems to get really stressed out. There was one time where she poked her head out of her hide like she was gonna go for it, but she just went back in and stayed there.

    I have her In a 25 gallon long glass terrarium, with sliding doors in the front. With foil across half to retain moisture/heat. I do however have an animal plastics economy rack coming within the next couple weeks, so she will be going in a tub soon. She is not sick, no signs of an ri or stuck shed or anything else I can see that would be stressing her out. And I don't handle her very often so I don't stress her out more.

    So basically I am just looking for opinions. I think I have all my ducks in a row with her and her husbandry. If I have something wrong, please let me know. If this was your ball, what would you do? Just keep offering food once a week till she eats? I mean I know she won't starve herself to death, but I don't want her to keep losing weight either.

    EDIT: also I just want to throw in there, I have a normal female ball with the exact same husbandry, just in a 10 gallon aquarium. She eats just fine and is happier than could be. In fact, last night she just took her first rat pup coming from small mice.

  2. #2
    BPnet Veteran The Serpent Merchant's Avatar
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    While 80% humidity isn't bad for a BP, it is higher than it needs to be. 60% normally is more than sufficient. Only during shed do you need to boost it closer to 80%.

    This time of year a lot of BP's will go off food. I would just keep offering once per week. If a few more weeks go by it might be time to try some more drastic steps, but for now I would just try to wait her out.
    ~Aaron

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  3. #3
    BPnet Lifer Annarose15's Avatar
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    My pastel won't eat

    You can throw some tighter hides in there, and clutter up the cage a little. I've had girls that size that didn't want to eat unless they were carrying their snurtle shells around on their backs. And x2 on dropping your humidity down to around 60%.
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  4. #4
    Registered User _Rumbler's Avatar
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    My pastel won't eat

    Okay thanks for the responses. I will get that humidity down a little. And I was kind of wondering about her not feeling secure enough. Being that she was born and raised In tubs, and then getting thrown into a big glass tank. I do have some smaller reptile basics hides, so I will see if maybe that helps. I am really hoping she eats for me soon. But if she doesn't, I'm hoping that once she gets back into a tub when my rack arrives, she feels more secure and starts eating good for me.


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  5. #5
    BPnet Veteran BHReptiles's Avatar
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    Re: My pastel won't eat

    You can also put some crumpled paper in the hides she's got. Just fill them up with crumpled paper and she'll make herself feel snug in there. Also add some more clutter to the actual cage. Good luck! I know stubborn feeders can be well...stubborn. I had one not too long ago.

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  7. #6
    Registered User jedidiah578's Avatar
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    Im guessing if she came from a breeder she was probably used to her 16qt tub in a rack in a room with little traffic. now shes in a large enclosure in what looks to be a bedroom. Maybe try switching the snakes around or try covering the sides of the enclosure. keep offering her food once a week maybe it will take the new rack to make her feel at home & settle down.

  8. #7
    Registered User _Rumbler's Avatar
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    My pastel won't eat

    Once again thanks everyone. I actually just added some deco and newspaper to the existing hides. And all sides of the terrarium are covered with cardboard, so only the sliding doors are transparent. And thats actually my living room in my apartment, but my gf and i work so there is not too awful much traffic. still more than what shes used to though im sure.I'm hoping she comes around soon. I hate knowing she's not happy


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  9. #8
    BPnet Veteran BHReptiles's Avatar
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    Re: My pastel won't eat

    She may just be taking a little bit longer to get used to her surroundings. Try not to hold her until she's eaten for you. I know it's hard, but she may just be stressed. Once she's eaten a few times in a row for you, then start handling her again.

  10. #9
    Registered User _Rumbler's Avatar
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    My pastel won't eat

    Yeah I have actually only handled her for more than cleaning or whatever, twice.(At least she has pooped for me haha) But I agree, I am not even going to bother her until she starts eating for me. I just hope she doesn't take too much longer, when I got her she was almost 590grams and now she's 560


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    Last edited by _Rumbler; 02-15-2013 at 07:27 PM.

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