Advice for new royal python: Not eating

[Naom9Anne]

I know that this question has been posed numerous times but I thought no harm in asking again.

I bought my CB13 pastel royal at the beginning of this month (October) she was in shed when I bought her from a very reputable reptile store (who have been nothing but helpful). Although she was in shed I did abstain from handling her at all in the first week and attempted to feed after that time. As I suspected she refused due to being in shed and instead proceeded to strike at the glass on the vivarium for a good while in my general direction.

Her first shed with me was not at all a good one and included me having to bath her twice, put her in a damp pillow case over night and eventually take her back to the place I bought her from so they could remove the retained shed. (As I said nothing but supportive and brilliant aftercare!) After this I have left her well alone except for changing water for another week (she does still have one retained eye cap which would not come off!

Tonight was my second attempt in feeding her and she would not take for love nor money! I abandoned rat number one after I accidentally ruptured the stomach whilst moving it out of the plastic bag in preparation for feeding (a delightful experience for a vegetarian) and attempted later with a different rat. My little girl attempted one strike before completely ignoring the rat and deciding to hiss at me! I have left the rat in which her and completely covered the vivarium with a towel in the hope she may decide to take overnight. although I think she has no interest in the rat weaner!

If anyone could give me any advice in perhaps starting her off feeding that would be fantastic! I would ask where I got her from but I think I have asked them quite enough questions. She is 192g and was feeding fine before I got her, I understand the settling process but was hopeful for any advice from those more experienced!

[The Serpent Merchant]

Welcome to the site!

Can you give us some info on your snakes cage?

1. How big is the cage?
2. What are you using to heat the cage?
3. What are you using to measure temperatures in the cage?
4. What are the current temperatures in the cage?
5. What are you using for hides in the cage?
6. What substrate are you using?

Here are some great threads to read through to make sure you know what you are doing.

Care: http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...ius)-Caresheet

Cage Heating: http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...t-Thermometers

How I setup glass tanks: http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...With-Pictures!

[Naom9Anne]

1. How big is the cage?
2. What are you using to heat the cage?
3. What are you using to measure temperatures in the cage?
4. What are the current temperatures in the cage?
5. What are you using for hides in the cage?
6. What substrate are you using?

I have her in a typical 3ft wooden vivarium, glass fronted.
I have a ceramic bulb connected to a Habistat Pulse proportional thermometer set at 31 degrees Celsius , cool side is around 26 degrees, I have a hide in the warmer side and a hide in the cooler side and also a water bowl, she is currently on liquocell substrate (which was supplied with her)

[The Serpent Merchant]

Ok, all that looks good, though I've never heard of that type of substrate (or find it on google for that matter)

How are you currently feeding your snake? (Just describe the process with as much detail as possible)

If it was a frozen rodent how did you thaw it, and about how hot did you get it before offering?

[Naom9Anne]

No I tried to find it on google to clarify spelling and I couldn't find it either, it strongly resembles aspen!

I used frozen thawed (by use I mean I defrost, offer and end up throwing away)

I take the rat out of the freezer and leave to thaw at room temperature until you can feel that the rat is fully defrosted, normally an hour or two. I then use warm water (not boiling) and place the rat in a plastic bag and place it into the warm water to bring the temperature up slightly (as room temperature here is freezing). I placed a hairdryer on the nose for about 10-20 seconds.

In attempting to feed I used tongs and attempted what has been described on here as the "zombie dance". She did attempt to strike and then gave up completely. I don't think she is open mouth striking. I have left the rat in there with her and covered the front glassed area with a towel in the hope that she will take but I fully expect to be removing the rat in the morning.

Not sure if I'm doing something dreadfully wrong...


Th rat wasn't overly hot at all, I would describe as warm to the touch as you'd expect a usual live rat

[The Serpent Merchant]

Ok, Your feeding process looks good too.

There are 2 things I would change:

1. Defrost the rodent in a tub of cool water and not on the counter (this helps prevent any unnecessary bacterial growth)

2. warm the rodent up a little more. The body temperature of a rat is about 38 degrees C so that is what your BP is looking for.

If that doesn't work then it is just your BP not eating, you are doing everything right as far as I can tell. BP's are notorious for going on hunger strikes for no apparent reason. All you can do is offer an appropriately sized rodent once per week. Don't try to offer food any more often than that as offering food too often can actually stress the snake out.

[Naom9Anne]

Sorry I should have made myself more clear! I place the rat directly from the freezer into a tupperware with a tight lid to stop any bacteria and I make sure that the rat is nice and warm before feeding (I did two warm water changes today over the space of 20 minutes to make sure that the rat was warm then heated the head a little further as I had read that a lot of people go that route)

I may still be heating it too little, I think my worry was in making it too hot and perhaps I'm being overly cautious and need to heat it through a little more! I won't be trying again now until next weekend I was just hoping that if I was doing something wrong myself maybe I could find it out here. She seems very reluctant to come out of her hide to feed and I'm not sure if I should try to entice her out more or just leave her to decide if she wants to come out?

[The Serpent Merchant]

A hiding BP is a happy BP. your snake might just need some more time to settle in.

You can try leaving a rodent in the cage with her overnight (Only with a pre-killed/frozen thawed... never a live rodent) Some BP's will eat when nobody is around.

[Naom9Anne]

Yeah, I did that last week with no joy so tonight I have left it in and placed a towel over the glass screen in the hopes it will make her feel more secure! (I only feed frozen thawed and that is how she was fed in the reptile shore where I got her from too) I'm hoping that it won't come to live food (terrible vegetarian who won't even have meat on the same shelf in the fridge, the rats have a separate compartment in the freezer and are kept in an airtight container!) Live food is frowned upon here in the UK too but if worst comes to worst! Hopefully she will take overnight if not I'll try again next week. she seems to shy away from the food...no attempt to constrict or even to bite

[anatess]

More than likely she just needs more time to settle. Just give her some space for a while and hopefully she'll feel better by next week. That stuck eye cap might be bothering her too.

Do you have pictures of her? Would love to see the royal lady!