Ball Python Fasting

[BPGator]

Do both genders fast or is it typically only males? I have a female who stopped eating in June and am trying to figure out if it's husbandry related or just normal behavior for her. She hasn't lost weight, so I'm not worried.


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[Alicia]

Yep, both males and females fast.

[Stewart_Reptiles]

They both will, it can be husbandry related in that case make a few changes (temps,substrate, downsizing), it can be the wall, which is commonly seen when they are 800/1000 grams. Or it can simply be an animal being overfed that is catching up (too large of preys or too often will do that)

Finally health issue but I think by now you would have noticed.

Fast are normal in older animals as their metabolism is much slower however in younger animal (under 500 grams) it is not as common and often every time link to husbandry.

[BPGator]

They both will, it can be husbandry related in that case make a few changes (temps,substrate, downsizing), it can be the wall, which is commonly seen when they are 800/1000 grams. Or it can simply be an animal being overfed that is catching up (too large of preys or too often will do that)

Finally health issue but I think by now you would have noticed.

Fast are normal in older animals as their metabolism is much slower however in younger animal (under 500 grams) it is not as common and often every time link to husbandry.

Thanks, Deborah. I purchased this girl in June 2016 when she was about 1200g. She fed consistently until about Nov 2016 at which point she fasted until March 2017. She then ate again until June 2017. Her latest fast coincided with me moving her from a T8 enclosure into a tub. After a couple of months in the tub I moved her back to the T8 to see if perhaps she would eat again, but she hasn't. However, her weight from June 2017 until now hasn't really changed - she's about 1800g.

[Stewart_Reptiles]

Thanks, Deborah. I purchased this girl in June 2016 when she was about 1200g. She fed consistently until about Nov 2016 at which point she fasted until March 2017. She then ate again until June 2017. Her latest fast coincided with me moving her from a T8 enclosure into a tub. After a couple of months in the tub I moved her back to the T8 to see if perhaps she would eat again, but she hasn't. However, her weight from June 2017 until now hasn't really changed - she's about 1800g.

Well the good thing is that at this weight there is obviously nothing to worry about, both consecutive move might have affected her, it could be the prey size if you feed anything bigger than medium, or she could try to tell you that she wants to breed, I have seen it many times in mature females and even males.

When she is ready she will eat if every other aspect of her husbandry is optimum (hide, temps, humidity) it's all about patience with animal that size.