How To Get BP Eating Again

[ANikeAddict]

I've had my BP about a 1 1/2 now and he ate f/t fine for the first 2 weeks. I would just lay them in there and he would eat them when he felt like it. Then he went into shed and hasn't eaten in about 3-4 weeks. The temps and everything in the tank is spot on. Should I try shakin the mouse to seem alive? Or should I try live? Or any other ideas? I just would like to see him eating again.

[T_Sauer]

Sometimes they simply go off feeding for a while, sometimes for extended periods of time . For instance I have a Male that didn't eat for 4 1/2 months the beginning of this year. If your temps are right and his set up is right this "could" be the case. He will eat again when he feels like it. If he doesn't drop a noticeable about of weight there is no need to worry. You really haven't given us enough info to come to any other conclusions. Can you post a pic. of your cage set up and him? Someone could notice a problem you may be overlooking. Also what has his behavior been when you put the rat in his cage ? Does he come out of his hide because he smells it? Does he come up and lay beside it but then just go back to his hide or elsewhere in the enclosure? ..... I do a lil dance in front of them with my feeders (grab the scruff of the rats neck with the tongs and bounce it gently around about 6 inches in front of him to mimic the movement and actions of a live rat , just remember slowly .... To fast or violently and you will only scare him and then the game is over till next week

[JPR]

I agree with what was said above... in fact I just had my normal male end a 9 month hunger strike. http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showthread.php?t=214706

[ANikeAddict]

Sometimes they simply go off feeding for a while, sometimes for extended periods of time . For instance I have a Male that didn't eat for 4 1/2 months the beginning of this year. If your temps are right and his set up is right this "could" be the case. He will eat again when he feels like it. If he doesn't drop a noticeable about of weight there is no need to worry. You really haven't given us enough info to come to any other conclusions. Can you post a pic. of your cage set up and him? Someone could notice a problem you may be overlooking. Also what has his behavior been when you put the rat in his cage ? Does he come out of his hide because he smells it? Does he come up and lay beside it but then just go back to his hide or elsewhere in the enclosure? ..... I do a lil dance in front of them with my feeders (grab the scruff of the rats neck with the tongs and bounce it gently around about 6 inches in front of him to mimic the movement and actions of a live rat , just remember slowly .... To fast or violently and you will only scare him and then the game is over till next week

When I put the mouse in the tank he doesn't come out right away to smell, but when he eventually smells it for a quick second then leaves it. And I will try to mimic a live mouse the next time I feed.

But this is his tank and as of this morning the heat lamp died so I'm going to get another one today

[T_Sauer]

One HUGE problem I see immediately is the electrical tape holding up the plastic dam you have .... Any kind of tape should never be used in a snake enclosure it can be very harmful they could get it stuck to their skin and scales and rip or tear the snakes skin

[CORBIN911]

To be perfectly honest there is no need for the water, its a good idea, and you did do your best, but for simplicity thatll be too hard to clean and as others said the tape. Itll be very rare to see your snake in the water, and usually is a sign of bad husbandry anyways.

[T_Sauer]

The tape however has nothing to do with his appetite, your set up looks fine other than the fact that it's going to be a pain in the butt to maintain and clean the pond/water supply especially when he uses the bathroom in it. The water supply should be cleaned at a minimum once a week or when you notice he went to the bathroom in it. If you have the time oncea week to drain it down take the rocks out clean them and wipe down the water area then your fine , if not you might want to consider eliminating that part of the tank and just giving him something that is easier to clean, Yet big enough he can coil up in if he chooses.

As far as his health goes he looks fine and beautiful, if the sides of his back on both sides of the ridge from his spine start to sink in or appear wrinkled with loose skin and he is not in shed then you may need to take him to the vet. But for now he looks good, I would just offer him food again this feed day this week and if he refuses it then skip a week and try the next, until he starts eating again. He is very young tho so in my opinion there should be no reason for him to go off feeding on his own for more than a two weeks at that age. How do you prepare the frozen mouse for him?

[T_Sauer]

To be perfectly honest there is no need for the water, its a good idea, and you did do your best, but for simplicity thatll be too hard to clean and as others said the tape. Itll be very rare to see your snake in the water, and usually is a sign of bad husbandry anyways.

LOL, you beat me to the water issue .... Hate using the forum from my phone

[ANikeAddict]

LOL, you beat me to the water issue .... Hate using the forum from my phone

Yea I've been consistently cleaning it even though there's a small filter in it and I do plan on getting rid of the whole thing. And I thaw the mouse out in hot water then lay it out on a little piece of cardboard in the tank.

[T_Sauer]

Ok try this .... Thaw the mouse out in hot water like you have been, if you have not been using a zip lock sandwich bag then do that , some ball pythons can be super picky and sometimes totally refuse a wet feeder mouse/rat. After thawing it in a plastic bag in the hot water take the feeder out of the bag and if it did get wet just take a paper fowl and dab the feeder against the paper fowl a few times so it's not soaking wet and that will be fine. Now take your tongs and grab the feeder by the skin on the back of its neck (like a mother dog would her pup's) and hold the rat up to you heat lamp so that the head of the rat is about 1 inch away from the bulb for one minute(this will give the rat a better more life like appearance to your snake, since ball pythons use their heat receptors to hunt with) now take rat while holding it with the tongs and in front of your snake slowly move it towards and away from your your snake ... Remember SLOWLY ... Too fast a motion will scare some smaller snakes ..... Let me know how it goes ... Good luck