feeding problem i need your help

[graham2004]

hi i obtained a royal python from a friend who kept his snakes in a racking system ,he never handled any of his snakes and fed them rarely,he is now in jail for something else which is why i took the royal,now the royal is adult about 4 foot and male,i have had it for about 3or4 months and been unable to get it to feed at all ,i have been told that he was feeding it on fuzzies but i cant even get it to take them,he would just open its tub and throw the food in and if it didnt feed it fair enough,i put in 3 fuzzies last night and it eat 1 which is good to me but is still terrible due to its size,i have tried warming the food up and putting it in front of it but it seems really scared of the food,will this snake ever take bigger food,or any
thanks in advance for any advice given
graham


p.s really scared to be handled as well

[JLC]

Feeding it fuzzy whats??? Rats or mice??? Of course, either one is way too small for a 4 foot snake, and its a testiment to their amazing metabolism that he was able to grow that big on such a meager diet! Why on earth would someone bother owning snakes if they just want to throw food into a box and have nothing else to do with them? Sheeez, what a jerk!

Ok...now that that's out of my system...sorta :?

Can you describe the setup the snake is in now? What size/type of enclosure? What is your temperature gradient and what are you using to get it? What are the humidity levels like? What kinds of hides do you have? Is the cage in a high or low traffic area of your home? How often do you handle him?

It could be a combination of things for why he isn't eating. One - he is a sexually mature male and could be more interested in finding a female than in eating. Although for most royals, that season is coming to an end. Two - he could still be very stressed and frightened after years(?) of neglect, especially if you're handling him very much. He may never fully acclimate to being handled, but hopefully will come to tolerate it someday. Three - he may barely recognize fuzzies as food because they are so small, even if that is all he's been fed.

If I were in your shoes, I would first make sure the husbandry is spot-on. Then I would make sure the enclosure is as private for the snake as I can make it. And I would leave it completely alone except for providing fresh water as needed, for two to three weeks. And I would probably try a gerbil to get it to eat something more properly sized. A single gerbil would still be considered too small, but MUCH better than a fuzzy anything. Pre-killed, of course! Or if gerbils are not an option for you, I would choose the largest mouse I could find, or a small (but sexually mature) rat. I'd set the pre-killed prey in the enclosure and leave it overnight....right inside his favorite hide, if I could get away with it without freaking him out.

I wouldn't try to handle him again in any way until he's eaten at least three good sized meals, and then only minimally. A rescue like this will take a lot of time and a LOT of patience on your part.

That's my .02. Maybe Rusty or someone else with experience in rescues, will have some better advice. Good luck with him!!

[gozetec02]

I agree with Judy and adult Ball Python or Royal Python should be eating small rats. If the snake is reluctent to take fuzzy try a small rat or a gerbil my adult python wont ever take a fuzzy anything unless i use the tongs and move it around to make it look more active. Snakes depend on movement, temperature of the prey, smell, and the general shape of the rat or mouse to identify it as a prey item. I would try a gerbil and if they are hard to come by ask one of the pet store workers to give you some old bedding and put the rat with that bedding for a little while. But you got to get this guy to eat somehow even though they can go a long time without food its not good for them. How does he look is his body thin or does he look triangular in shape or is his midsection round. And Judy said make sure all his temps are right and make sure he is in the appropriately sized container. Also try feeding him at night instead of during the day as they are nocturnal animals. If this is your first snake do your research a ball python is a relatively easy snake to care for given all its requirements are met. If the snake is too cold he might not even have the energy to eat or he could be sick or dehydrated.

And I cant stress this enough take this guy to a vet ASAP the feeding maybe caused by something else.

This website has an exellent care page read it many times till you have every thing your new guy has to live.
http://www.ball-pythons.net/Sections...es-secid-1.htm

[elevatethis]

Did you really even want to take on the responsibility of taking care of these snakes? I mean, I could be wrong, but the "tone" of your post sounds like its more of a burden to you than it is a passion. If you can't say right now: YES I WANT THESE SNAKES AND I'LL DO WHATEVER IT TAKES TO GIVE THEM PROPER CARE, it is your responsibility to find it a good home or take it to a rescue shelter before its too late.