Feeding Problem

[gr8gugly]

I bought a pair of Ball pythons about two weeks ago. Both are just under 1000 grams. I bought them from a guy who told me his rat colony crashed and he hadnt been feeding his snakes since. SO, he said it had been about two months since they had eaten. I get them home and get them settled. Since it was so ong since they had eaten I offerred food to them about three days later. I was gonna start them out small at first so i tried a rat pup. Nothing. The male however did eat two live mice. This week the male killed two live mice and tried to eat them backwards. Both times finally giving up cause he couldn't make it work. I left a small f/t rat in the enclosure with him and he finally got it down. The female isnt interested in anything. So two questions. Is it just random that he tried to eat both mice backwards? And how long before I do something about the female. I am not too concerned now because she may just be off feed naturally, but she looks very sunken in her belly. Thanks.

[satomi325]

How is their husbandry?
The female can be off feed due to a number of reasons. (breeding season, husbandry, wrong food size, etc etc)

How long have you left them alone? Maybe the female is still stressed and requires more time to adjust. I would just leave her alone for a week. Don't handle or bother her. And try feeding her again after.

Eating backwards was probably just coincidence, but it's not harmful. I have ball that eats backwards quite often.

[gr8gugly]

92 hot side mid 80s cool side in a rack. 55% humidity. I havent messed with either of the new arrivals much more than to change water and papers and offer food. They were housed together with the other owner. I just wondered how long you guys would wait to actually try something more drastic. I still have a few tricks I want to try but didnt want to try them all at once. I can only imagine adding and removing food several times in one feeding session would totally freak her out. But seeing as how she hasnt eaten in two months and isnt actively breeding I'm not sure how long to wait. 1 more month? 3?

As far as the guy eating backwards I have had a few do it too , but they always get them down. He tried twice and wasnt able to. On a small adult mouse that he should be able to devour quickly.

[Slim]

Sounds like your husbandry is good to go. The female might be off her feed for any number of reasons. You said the previous guy had them housed together...is it possible she could be gravid? If you're sure she's not, just keep offering on a regular schedule and hope she comes around after having more time to settle in the new environment.

As long as your new male is trying to eat, that's better than the alternative. He'll get it figured out sooner or later.

Interesting the previous guy would just quit feeding them because his rat colony crashed...it sounds like they're in a much better situation with you.

[gr8gugly]

I thought about her being gravid since they were housed together previously, but she is only about 850 grams so I hope not. Plus her belly is sunken. I am gonna try dipping the rat in tuna or chicken broth maybe next time. Just keep trying different things.

[Annarose15]

It sounds like they simply aren't that interested. Get a scale and base weight (if you haven't already), and just keep offering weekly and weighing every couple of weeks. I don't even notice my adults not eating until they lose 10+% of their body weight. The only parts of your post that I found worrying were: The previous owner saying his rat colony "crashed" - What does that mean? Were they ill? Since the two BPs were housed together, how can you know they weren't actively breeding? I'd keep an eye on her for signs of gravidity and have an emergency plan for if you wake up to eggs one morning.

Ha - Slim beat me to it!

[gr8gugly]

Obviously while he was on vacation his rat rack flooded. So he didnt feed them after that. I weighed them when I got them, but got no history on them while they were with him, so I dont know what her peak weight was.

[gr8gugly]

Also I can take care of the eggs if she did go, but at her size I just cant imagine any normal size eggs coming out of her.

[Slim]

Also I can take care of the eggs if she did go, but at her size I just cant imagine any normal size eggs coming out of her.

I didn't realize she was so light. Yeah, she's probably not gravid...at least I hope not for her sake.