bp still not eating.

[Malaika]

I am still worried about my ball python. He hasn't eaten since Halloween, and its really starting to annoy me. I have tried live, f/t, pre-killed, brained...everything!

I recently bought a new uth for him, that runs at 90F and his lamp runs at about 89F, his cool side is about 84F. He's in a 20L tank.

I offered him a small f/t rat today, and was not interested in it at all, so I heated it up some more, didn't want it, decided to brain it and he still wasn't interested.

Its really starting to cause me stress, I have lost over 7 Rats/Mice now , bought a new uth, and I am now considering trading him for another milk/corn snake.

I haven't had this problem with my corns/milks...only him.

Here is a very recent picture of him.


What am I doing wrong??

[dr del]

Hi,

What is his weight holding up like?

Did you stop all handling and try to increase his feelings of security?

Does anything else seem "off" in his behaviour or anything?

Have you tried a different type of prey item such as a mouse?

Can you remind us what size he is etc?


dr del

[amystours]

A lady once told me if they "go off their feed", to try a gerbil instead of a rat or mouse. Kitana ate a gerbil once, but then again, she'll eat anything.

[jotay]

How old is your bp?
How long have you had him ?
Where did you get him from?
Has he gone on fast before?

Mine goes on fast every year from Nov/Dec until March/April and has done it since he was a yr old.

[Malaika]

Hi,

What is his weight holding up like?
Did you stop all handling and try to increase his feelings of security?
Does anything else seem "off" in his behaviour or anything?
Have you tried a different type of prey item such as a mouse?
Can you remind us what size he is etc?

dr del

He lost weight from the Halloween to Christmas, started out as 410 grams down to about 370ish, but since has jumped to 483, which I believe is just water weight. He weighs more, but his girth has dropped, by how much I'm not sure. There is extra skin hanging on the sides. Last time I measured him he was about 34" long.

I have stopped all handling with him, I haven't done anything to make him more secure...

Well, he doesn't seem very active anymore, but recently, he has had his head out of his hide, and moving around a lot more.

I have tried both mice and rats. I bought him as a live feeder, easily converted him to a f/t feeder in May/June with no problems, then switched him to f/t rats in early september with no problems.

A lady once told me if they "go off their feed", to try a gerbil instead of a rat or mouse. Kitana ate a gerbil once, but then again, she'll eat anything.

As much as I want to try a gerbil, my mom is firm against me feeding him ANYTHING except rats/mice. No amount of convincing will get me around it. :/

Re: bp still not eating.
How old is your bp?
How long have you had him ?
Where did you get him from?
Has he gone on fast before?

He is about 1.5 Years Old.
I have had him for 1 Year 4 Months.
I got him from a pet store, who in turn buys their snakes from a fairly local breeder. Its a great store and have bought all my herps from them.
He has skipped a few meals here and there, but is generally a great eater, but has never ever skipped more then two in a row.

[bsd13]

As much as I want to try a gerbil, my mom is firm against me feeding him ANYTHING except rats/mice. No amount of convincing will get me around it. :/

With all due respect to your mother you're talking about the life of your pet. I won't tell you what you should do but there's an old saying... "It's easier to ask for forgiveness than it is to ask for permission"

[ChrisBowsman]

Would it be impossible to obtain a gerbil and feed it without her knowledge? I don't want to encourage someone to lie to a parent, but all things considered....

You could tell her it's one of those ASF rats

[Malaika]

Would it be impossible to obtain a gerbil and feed it without her knowledge? I don't want to encourage someone to lie to a parent, but all things considered....

You could tell her it's one of those ASF rats

Unfortunately for me I don't have a drivers license yet, so anywhere I go she tags along.
And I can't say I just want him as a pet and be like oops, because than it would be a certain no, as I am highly allergic to small animals and just feeding my snakes I have to wear gloves and a mask.

Do you think that a gerbil will make the difference? If so, I can always print this out and show her how vital it actually is.

[ChrisBowsman]

I don't know firsthand.

I have heard a lot that gerbils are their favorite food, though, that a gerbil is essentially like prime rib to a bp. I've also seen people recommend that if your snake gets lost, that you use a dead gerbil to bait them. Never a dead mouse or rat, they always say gerbil. I *think* somebody makes a product that dusts on a rat or mouse to make it smell like a gerbil.

I would tell you not to give up on bps, though. They are notoriously finicky eaters.

[jotay]

I would say keeps his temps 82-83 cool and 90-92 hot and keep humidity around 50-55. Leave him alone only opening the cage to give fresh water and clean.
Get a mouse and pre scent the room and his cage then drop it in for about 10 mins if he balls up and stays unresponsive I would take out the mouse and wait another 7-10 days and try again.
Maybe next time try a f/t and if no strike leave it in the cage over night right at the entrance to his hide.

He may just be one of the small % of bp's that go on fast every winter.

Have you taken him to be check by a vet and had a fecal done?