Picky feeding breeding females...

[Bruce Whitehead]

Just wondering it there are any tricks to getting non-feeding female breeders to eat?

Linda is eating more than she was, she is my mega champ right now.

Magda is taking food every second feeding. One 30g pup per meal.

And Olive is my big hold-out. She has a good weight, but I am so used to her never missing a meal that I am concerned about her going through the process of producing eggs without additional nutrition.

Keep in mind, this is still early in the season.

Have others had females that eat erraticly throughtout the season? Or can I expect their current eating patterns to be reflective of the rest of the season?

Thanks in advance,
Bruce

PS: the males that are breeding are eating like madmen, while those that didn’t get to breed have slowed down.
Madga and Yvon

Zoltan and Olive

[frankykeno]

Bruce, my old post finding ability truly sucks this morning so no link, but I remember asking last year about erratic feeding/refusals in our breeders this time of year. I was assured this is perfectly normal behaviour as they are focused more on mating than hunting. As long as they are going into the breeding season in a great shape and are rested appropriately between introductions, I seem to get the impression that you just offer them food and if they want it, they'll take it.

[MarkS]

Just make sure she has access to fresh water and don't attempt to feed every week. Every other week should be fine. If shes hungry, she'll eat. Nothing to get worried about unless she's actually losing a lot of weight. Most of the ball pythons we keep as pets are probably too fat.

Mark

[Bruce Whitehead]

Thanks for the responses.

I gave all the snakes the week off from breeding, and Olive promptly made a liar out of me and ate (2X30g)

I may move Linda to every two weeks, following this feed as well.

Thanks,
Bruce