2011 Female Off Food since December - Tips?

[Marissa@MKmorphs]

Hi everyone!

I've been trying to put off posting for as long as I could, hoping this girl would eat for me, but no luck!

My 2011 F Bumblebee het Hypo has been off food since December 11, 2012. After that last feeding (after she defecated) she was 738 grams empty.
As of last night, she is sitting at 650 grams. I have been offering her both live and f/t rats and f/t mice, no luck I know this isn't a terrible long time to be off food and she hasn't lost all that much weight, but what worries me is that she looks obviously thinner, even though she has only lost around 100 grams. Her spine is starting to protrude a little, which is worrying me. I've had a male go off food for about 6 months but he only lost around 30 grams and didn't look as skinny as this girl does now.

The only thing I can think of that would have caused her to go off food was that the last meal she took for me was a f/t small/med rat, which was a little bigger than what she had been taking before (f/t smalls). Any tips to get this girl eating for me again? I am thinking of trying a live mouse this week, but I just wanted to get some more input.

What can I do to get this girl to eat?

[Mike41793]

What does her tub look like and what size is it?

[iCandiBallPythons]

I wouldn't worry as long as you're within parameters. She will eat when shes ready.

[Marissa@MKmorphs]

She was in an RBI Sweaterbox rack (32qt) with a hide and water bowl, newspaper substrate. I recently (about 2 weeks ago) put a divider in her tub that RBI makes in the hope that the smaller space would make her feel more secure and get her back to eating.

[Jonas@Balls2TheWall]

It is normal for BP's to go off feed, especially in the winter months. Most never look really skinny though, show us some pics to be sure.

[Mike41793]

She was in an RBI Sweaterbox rack (32qt) with a hide and water bowl, newspaper substrate. I recently (about 2 weeks ago) put a divider in her tub that RBI makes in the hope that the smaller space would make her feel more secure and get her back to eating.

Does she still have a hide? Add crumpled up newspaper to take up space and make her feel more secure.

[Marissa@MKmorphs]

Since putting in the dividers she does not have a hide. I will try adding some crumpled newspaper.

Here is a pic of her from around November or December



I am at school now but I will snap a recent pick when I get home.


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[martin82531]

Not sure if this would help, if I was worried and exhausted all options I would give an live ASF rat a shot.


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[Jonas@Balls2TheWall]

She will be ok. Give her peace and quiet, try to disturb as little as possible. Sometimes blacking out a tub by putting a piece of cardboard in front of the rack really helps. Offer once a week, if you want try a mouse but I wouldn't worry.

[oskyle1567]

I have one thats in the same boat dont worry rather get use to it haha its always the ones you want to grow fast that end up going off feed.