How long can she last without eating?

[mc5guy]

I got this 200 gram female ball python May 22nd. I put her in my reck with other snakes.

A week after I had her, I feed her a rat pup, she took it with no problem. That was May 29th.

Then in the past 3 weeks, she didn't eat anything I offered. I tried 3 times, every 7 days. She looked at it, and looks very interested in the rat pup. She will go around and around of the rat pup for hours, but won't eat it.

She poop twice in the last 3 weeks.

Also the past few days, she spend half of her time in the water tub.

The cool side of my reck is 82-83 Hot side is 88-90

She is in the reptile basic hatching reck.

How long can she last with out eat at only 200 gram? How long should I worry? She took one rat 3 weeks ago, nothing have been changed in the 3 weeks. I didn't handle her either. Just cleaning twice when she poop.

Any help will be appreciated !!!

Thanks

[Eric Doane]

Did you offer live or f/t? If you offered f/t, then try offering live. Or maybe try a slightly smaller prey item. Sometimes they are afraid if it seems large to them.

[Stewart_Reptiles]

Did you offer live or F/T?

Are you sure she is a rat eater?

[benwallage9]

if she took the rat pup she'll eat rats, if she took it frozen thawed even better... Don't change unless its a last resort.. ball python can go months without eating it isn't uncommon the most important thing is keep an eye on her weight and if it starts to go down you need to start worrying. That being said here are a couple of tricks to try and help her eat..

Scent the room, meaning leave the rat pup next to her cage for the time it is defrosting if your feeding live you can use like a tubbereware container or something to keep it in, i usually do this for about 30 mins to an hour and i do it for all my snakes i get a higher feeding response this way. I was also able to switch my live feeder to f/t by doing this

Another thing is always feed at night about 30mins to an hour after lights go out balls are nocturnal so they are looking for food at night and that is the best time to try and feed

also try place the food in the cage overnight I'll leave a f/t feeder in all night and leave a cover over the front of the cage so it's completely dark and that too can do the trick

finally go to your local pet store and ask for used gerbil bedding (if you tell them why they should have no problem and give it away for free) and rub the rat in the bedding to get the gerbil scent all over it and then feed it to the snake. gerbils are more closely related to there native food and the scent is more attractive to them. This worked on my sub adult female that went on a 2 month feeding strike.

Additionally make sure if you are feeding f/t that the food is nice and warm, balls have heat pits across there top lip and can tell when the food is the ideal temp.

you can try all of the above tricks at the same time and that too could trigger a feeding response also you may want to try mice if rats aren't working although when it becomes an adult you'll find you are feeding it 2 to 4 mice at a time

If feeding f/t don't go to live unless an absolute last resort, i mean the snake is losing weight an you have tried all other option. Also make sure to only offer feed once a week more than that can stress the animal. also you can try force feeding but this should only be done if you know what you are doing and as a last resort. I ahve had snakes go on 4 to 5 month feeding strikes and they always come around and eat again don't stress out just yet also search youtube and google thats where i found all this info and its a great help

I hope this helps and that you can get her to eat soon good luck

[benwallage9]

I have also heard taking a needle a poking it into the rat pups brain to release that scent to trigger a response i think its gross and it has never worked for me but it's worth a shot

[mc5guy]

I offered live rat pup the fist time I feed her May 29th. She took it with no problem

Since that I have tried 3 more times with rat pup. I don't think I can go smaller, she is 200 gram. The pinky will be too small. I use those rat pup almost pinky eye not open and can't really move around.

That is why she can go around the rat pup round and round. She just won't eat.

I did offered at night and leave over night in a total dark room. There is no window inside my snake room.

I wil try the bedding thing and also try to leave the rat in a tub inside her tub for 30 mins first.

Thank you every one for the help. I am so happy that so many people cares about my snakes.

Thanks again

[mc5guy]

I have also heard taking a needle a poking it into the rat pups brain to release that scent to trigger a response i think its gross and it has never worked for me but it's worth a shot

Thanks for the help. I heard that too, but I am not sure I can do it.... Maybe the later when she lost weight.

[Stewart_Reptiles]

While BP can go off feed for months it's important to remember that the animal is only 200 grams.

Here is what I would suggest if it's not done already, get some aspen bedding to put in the tub, don't offer food for a week and than leave a LIVE rat crawler overnight (right crawlers are big fuzzy rats that do not have their eye open)

If your snake has been consistent with eating (prior to you acquiring it) it will take rats again, if the rat pup was a one time thing he might still need some perseverance on your part to be completely consistent.

[Kinra]

I don't there is any more advice I can offer that hasn't already been given, but I can offer some reassurance. I currently have a small BP on a hunger strike. She was 301g on May 26th and is currently only down to 294g. She last ate for me May 9th. BPs have this amazing ability to control their weight and you really don't need to start worrying until they've lost a lot. Good luck!

[Orlandoflor]

i got a female that when i got her she was 350 or more grams and she did not eat for like 3 months i tried everything then one day i tried it and she ate sometimes they just stop eating