Striking repeatedly but not eating

[motorhead1980]

So the feeding attempts continue with my 1000 gram female. Last night tried for the third time in 3 weeks, I have only offered on feeding day. The last two time she struck at the rat a few times and then gave up. So I got another live rat, smaller this time and grey, just in case. Tried again last night with all the lights out this time. She must have struck at the rat about 15 times over a coarse of 25 minutes or so. Never once following through. Then when I went to close up the tank she was striking blindly. She looks like she may be starting a shed, but her eyes are still clear. The last two feedings she did the same thing but not near as often, and not striking blindly. Plus the fact she did not look like she was going to shed during the past two attempts. Very confused now!!

1. Any thoughts on this?
2. Is this defensive in some way?
3. Should I even attempt to handle her or wait until she decides to eat again?

[bcr229]

Those sound defensive. I wouldn't bother trying to feed her again until after she sheds.

Also, three weeks is nothing - one of my females just started eating again after being off since May.

[motorhead1980]

So would you still continue to try feeding every week after she sheds?also would you still continue to handle her?

Thanks,

[bcr229]

I offer to mine weekly unless they're in shed or obviously not interested; I pre-scent the herp room on feeding day, and after a few minutes it's pretty obvious which ones are hungry & hunting, and which aren't going to eat that day.

I would only handle as needed for cleaning, water changes, weighing her periodically to make sure she isn't losing too much, etc.

[motorhead1980]

Thanks for the the info. Seeing that I feed live, how would you scent the room? The rat is in a cage about 20 feet from the snake in another room. Also I guess I'm kinda worried that if I don't handle her then she will be less willing to be handled going forward. I have only handled her twice since I got her about 5 weeks ago so that she would settle in, and she was fine both times, fairly calm and showed no aggression. I just don't want her going backwards handling wise.

I guess I'm stuck between having a snake that you can interact with a bit from time to time that is not overly shy or aggressive ,but also one that will eat. My fear is that the handling will potentially effect the eating.

Please feel free to tell me I'm over thinking it!!

[NWReptiles]

If she isn't eating, I would back off the frequency of the offerings. When a snake of mine refuses the second feeding in a row, I skip them the next time around. If one refuses the next offered meal, I may skip two offerings for her. Space out the offerings a little more each time, and go with smaller and smaller meals until she takes.

I might even vary the food type, and offer a mouse for a change of pace.

If she's not eating, there is a reason for it.. Either she isn't hungry, or she got hurt in a recent feeding, and is afraid.

Don't leave the food in there for long either. That just adds stress.

[bcr229]

Ah, I thought this was a BP you'd had for a long time that had hit the 1000 gram wall, not a new arrival. Contact the prior owner and ask how she was kept, maybe there's something you do differently that's throwing her off. Could be tub size, substrate, hot spot temperature, her enclosure location if you have it in a busy part of the house and she's used to quiet... there are a lot of possibilities.

Or... she may only want to eat every two weeks.

[motorhead1980]

Yes, I actually got her about 6 weeks ago from a breeder, so she was kept in a tub. She is now is a 40 gallon breeder tank, covered on 3 sides, with cypress bedding. She is also in a very quite room, with no traffic other then myself. All temps and humidity are spot on. That being said yes there are some changes from her set-up with the breeder, but she has ate twice for me in the time I've had her. Once on October 26th and again on November 2nd. Guess I should just wait it out right? Plus the fact she may be going through a shed, as she has looked a little dull for the past week and a half. So I'm keeping the humidity levels around 75%.