Feeding problems

[LynnGunn]

I have a 10 month old BP that hasn't eaten since I got him a month and a half ago, I've tried every tip and trick but I don't want to resort to live feeding yet. If I do switch to live would fuzzies be a good thing to try so they don't hurt him? I've triple checked temps and humidity and tried both rat pups and nice but he just shows no interest and I'm beginning to get worried as it has been 2 months since he ate (2-10-16)

[Caspian]

The first female that I got would not touch f/t mice or rats. She still won't. I tricked her into eating one once, and only once. She went for over a month without eating when I first got her, as a tiny worm, and as soon as I offered her a live mouse she nailed it. Your BP at 10 months old can probably handle adult mice just fine - but if you want to get him to eat, you may have to break down and feed live. Just supervise to make sure he kills it. Some BP's just won't eat F/T.

How much does your BP weigh? Photos?

[LynnGunn]

I have no idea what he weighs but he's 22 inches long and 1.25 inches in diameter at his thickest and he's rather small for his age, he ate f/t at the breeding facility for 8 months before I got him so that shouldn't be an issue. He's never eaten live so I'm nervous to give him a full sized live mouse since I had a friend who's boa was killed from the inside as a result of the mouse still being alive when he started swallowing it. It's starting to warm up here now so maybe the weather changing will make a difference? I'm not sure but since this is his first winter he might just be one of those BP's who go off feed for winter but since he is still so young I don't want to take any chances.

[PitOnTheProwl]

They told you or did you see it eat a f/t?
Constrictors know how to eat a live animal so I have issues believing the boa story too.

Is weight is what you want to watch. How much has he lost in your care?

[LynnGunn]

Like I said I have no idea what he weighs and the boa was owned by a close friend of mine who gave it too big of a mouse (the boa was a baby and had never fed live). I plan to get a scale soon so I can monitor his weight but currently don't have one available to me. The breeder only said he ate f/t and gave me his feeding card with a list of all of his past meals but that could have easily been a ploy to get me to buy him.

[ReptiMoto]

Well if the owner wasn't lying to you, then it's probably a husbandry issue. How reputable was the seller? I know many people that "say" that the bp's on f/t but in actuality is not. My ball python didn't eat for 4 weeks after I got him because he refused f/t then I fed him live and he was on that for 5 months before I switched him over to f/t recently and now he is a great eater. Best advice is to get a rat pup that live (with its eyes closed). Rat pups are as big as a adult mouse but can't hurt your snake. As for the boa story, I call bs. Snakes aren't stupid and they know if the prey they are strangeling is alive or dead. It's natural instict that they were born with.

[Coluber42]

What kind of enclosure is he in, and what does he have for hides? It could be that he was living in a teeny little tub before, maybe even a little tub WITH a hide, and now he has all this open space and just doesn't feel safe. Try cluttering it up with stuff so there is little to no open floor space between hides. You could also find out what size bin he was in at the breeder's and buy a tub that size, cut a chunk off of the lid, and put that into the larger enclosure. That way he can have the familiar, tight feel of his old tub but he has the option to come out if he wants and if he's in there, you can offer the feeder right in without making him move.

[LynnGunn]

I honestly can't say wether or not the boa thing was true but I'm still nervous to switch him to live, if he doesn't eat this week when it warms up I'm getting him live

[LynnGunn]

He's in a 10 gal with two hides with some vines for clutter, I'm setting up a larger tank with much more clutter but I won't switch him over until he eats a few times

[Willowy]

Are the hides a little too big? If so, try stuffing them up with paper towels. Make them feel a little cozier.