BP not eating.....

[Mina]

Here is the problem. Dax, our BP has not eaten in 4 weeks. Before this he was an eager and rabid eater. Dax is supposed to be a male (we have out doubts) and is about 48 inches long, and as big around as a soda can. I can't give you a weight, he has surpassed the ability of my little gram scale, so more than 2 pounds. According to the information we have he is almost 1 1/2 years old.
We haven't changed his feeding routine at all. He still gets 1 medium rat offered every 7 days. He has no interest at all.
He did have a bowl movement after the first week he didn't eat, but none since then, and he is drinking and peeing. He has been very active, out and about during the day more than usual, and is calm and does not mind being handled. He looks healthy, is active, clear eyes, nose, mouth, and is not in blue.
Any suggestions? I'm getting worried.

[JLC]

Welcome to the world of keeping BP's! (As experienced keepers always say to me when I mention mine has gone on a mysterious fast! LOL)


Kisasa just did that recently as well...went six weeks without eating, without any discernable reason for the sudden change. Tracy Barker calls it "teenaged angst" in BP's about this age.

Two very experienced and trusted BP guys (totally independent of each other) suggested that I toss a mouse in with Kisasa and see what she would do. She pounced on it, and has been pounding mice ever since. Even snatched one right out of my hand as I was about to drop it in her cage the other day. (Much to my chagrin!!)

Worth a try.

[SatanicIntention]

Yep! It could also be those medium rats too. Try a small, just weaned rat and see what he says about that, or try 2 mice per feeding.

Darn teenagers! I have a 1300g(could be bigger now, she's hard to weigh unless she's in a pillowcase) 05 female though that hasn't once missed a meal. She's a bit bigger than her britches though and thinks she can fling herself OUT of the tub at feeding time. She's a turd bird, hehe.

[Stewart_Reptiles]

If everything is optimal husbandry wise I would also suggest feeding smaller preys to allow your BP to be more consistent.

BP can fast to catch up and while they can eat a medium rat, this does not mean they need to.

Even my biggest BP do not get anything larger then a small rat (4 weeks old 45-65 grams).

[frankykeno]

Like I've said before Mina, I'd get Dax sexed LOL. It could just be a stage but I suspect it's those medium rats and just Dax fasting to self-regulate his (or her) weight. I know most of our females act quite different during that teenage angst Judy mentioned. Changing their feeding habits or style, become more or less able to be handled, hiss when they usually don't, that sort of thing. Seems to pass as they mature into the lovely bigger females but for awhile it's like they are a different snake.