Sorry for long post, but let's taIk about those 'bed eaters'!
I know I'm kinda new to BPs, 1,5 years experience, but I'm starting to think for a while, that the problem is might be not in my care, but my ball python. This is my first bp, a piebald female I bought in February 2016 250 g. Now she is 520 g which is terribly little weight gain. She was hatched in 2015 September, if I can belive the breeder, but might be even earlier. (I think she was held back for a reason...) I kept her in terrarium for some month, but since then in a dark rack. I always use and used thermostats, I keep temps and humidity in the recommended optimal range. All my other bps kept in same conditions are thriving, gaied a lot of weight, eating almost every time. But this girl is killing me. She accepts food occasionally, like eating once or twice, then off feed for 2 months. I tried mice/ASF/rat live/ dead it is all the same: she eats if she wants, ignores when wants. I tried every single feeding trick. Doesn't work. How I know her, she is so very-very shy, and lives so secretly. Best bet to try is those night she seems to be out hunting, late at night, in dark, minimal disturbing, and she must not see me. When she notices me, she drops the prey. And after the first month having her, I completely stopped handling her! Otherwise, she seems to be healthy, always good shed, thermoregulates, etc.
I know, some of you have some bad eaters. How are they like, how behave? Are they the same like her? Is it kinda 'normal' that some animals are like this? She is not adult, not only adults are normal to behave like this? What is your experiance, what to expect in the long run? She dies soon, remains stunted, catch up?
Other thing I noticed about her, is that she has certain different physical characteristics. Ok, she is more skinny, but kinda different body shape. And different head shape. Its difficult to describe, but a little bit like duckbilling, but still normal.
Please, share your experience with bad eaters, I'm so desperate! Tell me I'm not alone or tell me, I'm doing something wrong![IMG][/IMG]