Hi folks!

I just recently acquired a 2009 Ivory male ball python from a woman looking for a quieter home for him. She bought him from a breeder (he was a past breeder snake) and had him for about 6 months. He ate for her a couple times, all within the first month of her owning him, but hasn't eaten since. So, he's about 5 months without eating. I know that this isn't unusual for adults, as they do fast at times, but seeing as he hadn't been in my possession, I'm not sure if he has dropped any weight and she hadn't been keeping track of his weight I guess. I just pulled him out to weigh him (I've had him for about two weeks and he was really stressed with the move, so I wanted to let him settle in) and noticed that he is about to shed, which is something he never did for his past owner.

His husbandry has changed since I acquired him. He didn't have belly heat before, only above heat from an infrared light. He is in a 20 gallon enclosure as he FREAKED OUT when I put him in something larger, and he was not happy until I cluttered it up for him. He seemed pretty interested last week when I offered him food, but didn't take it. Last night he snubbed me again, but now that it's obvious he is shedding, that doesn't surprise me either.

My question is, because I have no weight history on him, when should I start worrying about his lack of eating? Could it just be that not having belly heat put him off his food and that now he has it again, that may change? My other two pythons are chow-hounds so I've never had to deal with this before!

Thanks,
Kourtney