BP Size okay?

[blubudgie]

Hi! My BP hasn't eaten in about 4-5 weeks now and I just wanted to make sure his size was okay for his age.

He's about 1.5 years old and 818 grams. He might be 2.5 ft long? I haven't measured. He eats 3-4 week old rats.
He was around 800 grams last week too so I don't think he's losing weight, but he's just not as round as I'm used to (he used to eat every meal until last June he started going on and off food).

Is this a healthy weight/size and is it ok for him to continue fasting? Not sure how long he's going to keep this up :/ I'm offering him food every week to 10 days or so.

thanks!

[pariahdog]

Sounds fine to me. 5 weeks isn't that long, especially for a boy his size and age. I had a similar sized male go 9 months without eating and he was okay, just being a fussy jerk

[stickyalvinroll]

Yeah he's at a good weight. Bp usually go on a fast around that age. I wouldn't worry too much

[ItsAllNew2Me!]

He is a good size. You have nothing to worry about. He can go for quite a while without eating and be just fine at that size. Now worries just keep trying. Instead of wasting prey items maybe you should try every 14 days.

[pariahdog]

Instead of wasting prey items maybe you should try every 14 days.

I agree with this. When mine haven't eaten and I know they probably aren't going to eat, I don't even bother trying to feed them every week. Let him get a bit more hungry

[Hammertime1977]

One thing I have noticed in my short time in this hobby is that Ball Pythons eat, when Ball Pythons want to eat.

What I am finding is that when I watch the queue's that my Ball Python gives out when he is hungry, he ends up eating anywhere between 9-13 days.

I look for him to be hunting for prey on 3 consecutive nights before I feed him.

This is where the glass cage is king...

The first night, he might just cruise around a few times and then go into his hide.

The second night he will cruise around for an hour or two, but then retreats to his hide.

The Third night he normally will come out 1-2 hours before sundown and begin his hunt. I've waited 3-4 hours and he's still crusin around and poking his head up to the top of the tank.

This is when I feed him.

I think we all get sucked into the "It has to eat every Saturday on Saturday or I'm a failure as a pet owner" but the reality is that it's a Ball Python and it's going to eat when it wants to. The best thing you can do is keep their enclosures (whatever kind you prefer) as balanced and comfortable as possible.

They're animals, they don't abide by logic. However animal instinct, is actually quite easy to predict.

[blubudgie]

One thing I have noticed in my short time in this hobby is that Ball Pythons eat, when Ball Pythons want to eat.

What I am finding is that when I watch the queue's that my Ball Python gives out when he is hungry, he ends up eating anywhere between 9-13 days.

I look for him to be hunting for prey on 3 consecutive nights before I feed him.

This is where the glass cage is king...

The first night, he might just cruise around a few times and then go into his hide.

The second night he will cruise around for an hour or two, but then retreats to his hide.

The Third night he normally will come out 1-2 hours before sundown and begin his hunt. I've waited 3-4 hours and he's still crusin around and poking his head up to the top of the tank.

This is when I feed him.

I think we all get sucked into the "It has to eat every Saturday on Saturday or I'm a failure as a pet owner" but the reality is that it's a Ball Python and it's going to eat when it wants to. The best thing you can do is keep their enclosures (whatever kind you prefer) as balanced and comfortable as possible.

They're animals, they don't abide by logic. However animal instinct, is actually quite easy to predict.

He's actually been super active this last week which is why I thought he was hungry. D:
I've been taking him out for a few minutes to let him slither around maybe use up some of that energy. But I'm running out of rats so I think I'll wait longer before trying to feed him next.

[Caspian]

Just curious - 3-4 week old rats seem kind of small for a BP that size. Have you tried offering one a bit larger? My Pastel het. Pied female is under 300g, and just ate a 4.5-week old rat with no problem at all.