My ball python still doesn't eat!!!

[psycho]

My normal ball python has gone off feeding since December & hasn't ate since then...the temps are right on & so is humidity...she weighted 694g when she went off feeding & she is now 650g...I was wondering if any of you guys still have some snakes that are still fasting? Do you guys think this is normal?

[Mitch21]

The pair I bred this year both last ate in December and haven't showed the slightest interest in food yet... They look thinner now compared to December but really haven't lost much weight. I wouldn't worry about your BP though... He/she hasn't lost any alarming amount of weight.

[Dianna]

I'm in the same boat as you guys- No interest in food since December.

[mattramsfan]

my year old bp male just ate for me this week after not eating for two months. i feed outside of his enclosure and i was told to make it dark in his feeding box. so i put him in along with the rat. and covered it up with a towel and no more then 10 seconds later he tagged that rat so hard and gulped it down like it was nothing. i would say try making it dark in his or her enclosure when u feed. it worked for me. you might as well give it a shot.

[Jimi_Reptile]

If he has not showed any dramatic weight loss, I would not worry. I had a female that I got a few months after she laid her eggs for the year. She was 1450 g and looked very skinny. The last time she ate was April of 2009, two months before I got her in early July. I tried every trick in the book to have her eat,

pre-scenting
crumpled up newspaper in the bin to make her feel more secure
live
smaller items
F/T and snake in a paper bag overnight
even assist feed and force feed

after all else failed, I had no other idea but tube feed with slurry. (By this time she was down to 1050g) After a three months of tube feeding, I found a African Soft Furred Rat breeder locally and tried one, she took it with no hesitation.

11 MONTHS and she is now 1829g. and gaining. I have yet to switch her over to noways, but I breed ASF's for all of my snakes, so yeah, try a Srt Furred if you're really concerned

[Crazy4Herps]

She's probably fasting. Don't worry about her. Weighing her regularly is great, just keep an eye on the decline. I'd say if she loses much more run a fecal test. My big girl hasn't eaten more than a few mice since October. Happens every year. Last year she went four months, now it looks like she's going to beat her old record. Breeding season fasts are perfectly normal, as long as the snake is healthy and hydrated.

[psycho]

thanks, it's nice to know that Im not the only one...well should i just keep on offering until she eats?

[broadude]

Your BP said to post this: http://www.ball-pythons.net/forums/s...d.php?t=116666

Seriously, they will eat when they are hungry and not before then. But it's amazing that when they do decide to eat, we will think it was that "trick", that prey,that worked... anything other than they happened to get hungry.

She should eat soon.

To save stress, I would stop offering until I saw her cruising her tub more regularly.

[Lolo76]

One of my big girls (Nerissa) hasn't eaten since October, maybe even longer... she started at around 1900g and now weighs about 1750, so she's still plump enough. It does worry me, but everyone has assured me she is fine - I just hope she starts eating after laying her eggs!

P.S. That's a recent picture of her in my avatar... as you can see, she still looks pretty good.

[Lolo76]

11 MONTHS and she is now 1829g. and gaining. I have yet to switch her over to noways, but I breed ASF's for all of my snakes, so yeah, try a Srt Furred if you're really concerned

I would do that for Nerissa, but they're illegal here in California... I might have to drive to Nevada, if she doesn't eat in the next few months.