Attempted feeding

[alydric1]

I recently posted about my BP going on a fast this winter. He's less than a year old, I got him in July and he's been fasting for about 5 weeks now. I tried again this week with a live rat, outside his enclosure because that's how I have always done it since I don't him to consume any of his bedding, which has happened before. He clearly saw the rat, entered that S shaped striking posture, watched it as it walked back and forward, and then just stared at it. He even would move slowly closer as if to position for a strike but as soon as the rat came near his face he would move back and then continue to stare at it. Eventually he turned away.

Should I try feeding him again inside his enclosure? It was a weird situation and I don't know what to make of it.

[cchardwick]

My snakes will do that if the rat is too big. You should weigh your snake and weigh the rat, should be around 10% of the snake at most. I'd try inside the enclosure with a smaller rat or an adult mouse. My big 1500 gram girls will often take a fresh killed mouse when they are in a fast. Or if you prefer live I'd try a rat pup that still has its eyes closed, usually they get bigger than jumbo mice before they open their eyes.

[alydric1]

I suppose that could be it although I got the same size he was eating before but I will try the smaller size rat tomorrow.