*Another* Feeding Post

[mamaodie]

Hey all! I've got a near yearling bp here who has eaten 3 times in the last 6 weeks. He seems to be on a 2 week off 1 week on schedule. He's on small rats from perfect prey, and although I've not measured him since this started he was well over 600 grams the last time I checked. He took a while to get started and then was a beautiful feeder for months. For about 3 months now I've had to warm the meal, leave it with him overnight, and on occasion cover the tub entirely to get him to take his meals. He's been so finicky and sensitive lately that I don't handle him except for cleanings and I try to stay completely away and out of his habitat as much as possible for fear of stressing him. I caught him last night laying his head and upper body on top of the rat once lights are out (which is common), but he just doesn't eat. He actually tries to jump away from the prey if I lightly touch his body with it, no zombie dances for sure.

My temps range between 80-81 given time of day, he is on a firm 12 hour light cycle, humidity stays around 60% (beautiful sheds never an issue there), hot spot sits about 90-91 (I have caught it at 92 but never higher), ample hiding space with clean fresh water on ecoearth.

I should mention I believe that the feeding issues started when I began experimenting with bedding changes; first newspaper then shelf liner and on to ecoearth. Prior I had been using kritter krumbles with no issues. We've been on ecoearth for a solid 5 weeks now.

I'm curious about the behavior. Obviously, I realize that some bp do go through an off feed here and there for no particular reason. This guy is becoming more chore than anything since I can't interact with him and I'd like to remedy the problem. I'm not breeding in any capacity, pet only.

Fresh kills aren't an option, live isn't an option.

[JodanOrNoDan]

First, stop changing the cage. Second post a pic so we can see if he is healthy. If he is healthy there is no a lot to worry about. He just doesn't need to eat. Handle him if you want. Five minutes a day isn't going be the end of the world. Changing the cage often is going to have more of a negative affect.

[mamaodie]

I have stopped changing the cage. I said it's been 5 weeks since I decided to go back to a burrow-able substrate. He's totally healthy. I'll try to post a photo later today. I just was hoping to be reassured.

[mamaodie]

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[JodanOrNoDan]

Pretty animal. Looking healthy for a boy, I tend to like my girls a little plumper. Won't hurt him to miss a few meals so I wouldn't worry too much about it. Just keep an eye on his weight. I have seen them go on a six month fast at that size.

[EL-Ziggy]

He looks healthy and your husbandry seems dialed in. Sounds like normal BP behavior to me . If he only wants to eat bi-weekly I'd feed him bi-weekly.

[redshepherd]

I only offer to feed my finicky male sporadically once every 2~3 weeks now, which gets him accepting the meal more consistently. Sometimes they just don't need or want to eat that often.

[ballpythonsrock2]

I personally would not try to feed anymore for a while till you see signs of hunger. Which are, peaking out of or just inside of his hide waiting to ambush, and or roaming around in the evening. When you see that thaw out your rat till soft. I let mine just sit out on top of the enclosure for 3-4 hrs till nice and soft. Then I use an heat lamp or hair dryer to warm the rat up good, constantly turning to not burn it. I use a infra-red gun and get the temp up into the 90's or higher. Grab by the back area and put it in nose facing the snake. If it doesn't take it then I bring the rat back out and heat some more usually the second time will do the trick. I found keeping the rat to a small size instead of medium makes for quicker hits. But as said it is normal for these snakes to fast but so far I have been lucky to never have one hardly even refuse one meal. But I always wait for the hunger signs. And usually 2 weeks is the longest I have to wait.