Call my snake Mary Kate! HELP!

[xesvuli420]

Ok, Hello everyone. FIRST POST!!! WHEW!!! I have a snake (no kidding right?!?), a Ball Python to be exact, Im not sure male or female, and I have a problem. My snake just WILL NOT eat. It has been about 6 months since its last sucessful feeding. I have tried to feed it 5 times since (including today). Now when I used to feed it, as soon as I would drop it in the tub, it would start looking, if the rodent was around 8-15 inches away, it would act like it could see the prey, it would get still, wind up, and strike. Now on the other hand, it just acts completely blind. it will move around the tub even when the prey is less then 2 inchs away, it will act as if the prey isnt there, by some chance if it touches the prey, it will wind up as if to strike, and just watch that general direction, sometimes it seems to foolow the prey until it is about 6 inchs away, then it just looses it. My friends told me not to worry, it was hibernating, but that doesnt make much sense to me. esspecially since its late may. I have been told to put a heat lamp on the cage, but the snake doesnt like it, its only like 25-50 watts but when its on, the snake goes to the cooler side of the 4ft tank. Im so new at this, so please give me all the advice you can. I will answer any question i can. Thanks again for your time. -Shane

p.s. If its just "not hungry" how do I know when it is hungry? or just keep trying mice every week until my woods become infested? lol

[xesvuli420]

I wish, if that was the case I could just put it in rehab, but it seems to be a lil stickier situation

[tmlowe5704]

I had a snake that has not eaten since November and I was recently told to put her on cypress for a week and keep it real moist. Since November, she has refused a rat when offered. I offered weekly up until February and then every 2 weeks since then. This time, she was out of that hide and on the rat in seconds. Good luck with it and if it works, PM cueball and tell him thanks!

[SnakeEyes]

well my post got deleted, so I'll let someone else ask the common basic questions that I had on there. Good luck.

[dr del]

well my post got deleted, so I'll let someone else ask the common basic questions that I had on there. Good luck.

If you consider that a common basic question that should have been asked of someone with a non-feeding snake then I fear for your state of mind.


dr del

[SnakeEyes]

if you wouldn't of jumped to the delete button so fast you would of seen it edited to a list of things to check in the tank and common problems and causes why a snake goes off feed, but since the post was deleted I got an error when I clicked saved. All good, the questions will all be asked again, so no worries.

"attempting to lie about what was in your post was not a nice thing to do - dr del" thanks for the negative feed back bro.

Original post read had a funny question about drugs, which I edited to asking about tank temps, size, size of feed, area the tank is in, asked for pics of the tank, how many hides it, what was the humidity in the tank, when are you trying to feed, have you tried f/t...etc etc....however, like I said, when I clicked saved, the post was already deleted so I got an error msg. good luck on the problems, sure others with jump to your aid.

[bearhart]

My ball can clearly (and instantly) identify a rodent at least 2' away.

Have you tried to test your snake's vision?

Was there anything that happened prior to the hunger-strike?

I don't have alot of experience but I've pretty consistently read that trying different scenarios is important with troublesome eaters.

Dead prey may allow you to get your snake fed if he's having trouble seeing or something.

Also, "The Ball Python Manual" outlines at least four schemes for feeding that involve putting the snake in different situations.

You might try feeding in a seperate enclosure.

I read somewhere that hamsters (or was it gerbils?) were more appealing and good to get a non-eater started again.

[bearhart]

This page has some feeding troubleshooting:

http://www.kingsnake.com/ballpythonguide/#FEEDING

[dr del]

if you wouldn't of jumped to the delete button so fast you would of seen it edited to a list of things to check in the tank and common problems and causes why a snake goes off feed, but since the post was deleted I got an error when I clicked saved. All good, the questions will all be asked again, so no worries.

"attempting to lie about what was in your post was not a nice thing to do - dr del" thanks for the negative feed back bro.

Original post read had a funny question about drugs, which I edited to asking about tank temps, size, size of feed, area the tank is in, asked for pics of the tank, how many hides it, what was the humidity in the tank, when are you trying to feed, have you tried f/t...etc etc....however, like I said, when I clicked saved, the post was already deleted so I got an error msg. good luck on the problems, sure others with jump to your aid.

Your welcome on the rep - i'll think about it.

Your drug question wasn't funny and it wasn't relevant or allowed under the TOS - this doesn't mean you post it then change it later - it means you don't post it.

I'm glad you thought to try and help by posting the correct questions that would have allowed people to help the O.P.

However we have hijacked this thread enough - feel free to PM myself or any of the staff should you still have questions.


dr del

[lord jackel]

OK Back on Topic...First welcome to BP.net.

Yes BP will go off feed but in a lot of cases there is a husbandry issue that needs to be resolved. From your first post I gathered you have him in a 4' tank (which is too big for even a full grown BP unless extra care was taken to set it up)....also you stated he has eatin in 6 months but you have only tried to feed him 5 times...why aren't you trying to feed him weekly?

I think this is what Snakeyes was going to ask before he got side tracked.

temps (cool side 82-85 / hot side 88-92)
What are you using to heat the tank?
humidity (50%-55% unless in shed)
Substrate
# hides and placement (a picture would really help too)
How big of a rat/mouse are your trying to feed
How big is the snake?

Let us know and we can take it from there to figure out what is going on.