Feeding BP during winter

[ian.]

Hey, can anyone help me with this? I have an adult ball python, and he has stopped eating for the winter. How often should I offer him food? I'm not sure when he's going to start eating again and I don't want him to get too hungry or anything. Also, he ate once this winter, at a point after he had already stopped eating. If it helps, he's 1.720 kg as of today and about five or six years old. Thanks for any advice you can give.

[Paul's Pieds]

if he is an adult or even sub adult it really won't matter if he doesn't eat for the whole of winter. weigh him from time to time. If he isn't ill he will not loose significant body weight. It only becomes a problem if he loses weight.

if he is a baby weighing only 100 grams that may be a problem.

[bivman]

I still offer food once a week or even 10 days during non feeding episodes..

[dek593]

My adult male Axanthic also refusing food for 2 months from 10/27. I think he`s looking for a mature female to breed but I don`t have any plan with him now... but I`m pretty sure, he`ll eat again later.

[DVirginiana]

My adult male Axanthic also refusing food for 2 months from 10/27. I think he`s looking for a mature female to breed but I don`t have any plan with him now... but I`m pretty sure, he`ll eat again later.

I've never had a male of any reptile or amphibian species that doesn't go off food or slow down eating for at least part of the mating season. Not to say that there aren't some out there that eat like champs year-round, but they haven't found their way to my house lol.

[AlexisFitzy]

If mine has gone off food I don't even offer it to him unless he starts showing interest in eating, I don't like to waste feeders. While I'm feeding the others if he starts showing interest in eating (coming out if his hide in strike position) then I'll thaw one out for him and feed him later, but if he's not showing those signs (just sitting in his hide) means he has no interest in eating.

[Sauzo]

If mine has gone off food I don't even offer it to him unless he starts showing interest in eating, I don't like to waste feeders. While I'm feeding the others if he starts showing interest in eating (coming out if his hide in strike position) then I'll thaw one out for him and feed him later, but if he's not showing those signs (just sitting in his hide) means he has no interest in eating.

Same. If i have a snake that isn't interested in food, i just weigh him/her and post it and then go on feeding everyone else. If he/she shows interest when i bring home rats and start feeding everyone else(coming out of hide and looking around) then i go back to the shop and grab him/her a rat too. Takes more time but that way im not wasting feeders also and not having to double feed one of my other snakes although my Red Tail boa is a garbage gut and loves to eat anything.

[GoingPostal]

My adult male pretty much skips from fall to spring, if he's out and looking for food I might offer it but mostly I don't bother and wait until it warms up and he feels like eating again.

[Reinz]

If mine has gone off food I don't even offer it to him unless he starts showing interest in eating, I don't like to waste feeders. While I'm feeding the others if he starts showing interest in eating (coming out if his hide in strike position) then I'll thaw one out for him and feed him later, but if he's not showing those signs (just sitting in his hide) means he has no interest in eating.

Same here, except I feed live.

I know not to expect any signs of hunger until late Feb or Mar.

[Zincubus]

Same here, except I feed live.

I know not to expect any signs of hunger until late Feb or Mar.

Why on earth are you feeding live rats anyways ? There is simply no need IMHO .

One it's just cruel on the rats , at least in the wild they have a chance of escaping and try and run . In a confined space they get cornered and fight back to save their lives . Google snakes bit by rats !!! Scary what damage they can do to your precious snakes who don't quite as pretty with scarred heads or eyes missing !!