Feeding Advice

[ThyTempest]

Hey everyone,

I am wanting to get some advice on what to do with my female bp. She was a rescue, and weighed 450 grams in May, and as of about 2 weeks ago, she made it past 1000 grams. From ~April til late May she ate one adult mouse a week, then for 3 weeks she ate 2, then three more weeks on 3, then about a month and a half on 4/week....I didnt count this out exactly since I dont have the time right now, but that is a rough feed schedule. About a month and a half ago, I pulled her back down to 2 mice/week since I was happy with her growth and did not want to overfeed.

She has always been a picky eater, often taking several hours out of my feeding night so that I can supervise her live feeding. Frankly, I dont have that much spare time anymore, and I need some advice about what to do. She has refused for two weeks now, though had I been more patient I am confident she would have eaten the first time (2 weeks ago). 3 weeks ago she ate 1 live, then after getting frustrated I prekilled the 2nd mouse and she surprisingly took that without much hassle. Since then, she wont take anything. 2 weeks ago she was in hunt mode, seemed interested, etc, but would not strike after nearly an hour of free roaming mouse, me encouraging the mouse over to her as well as tong fed live, which she has taken several times. last week, no interest, defensive burial of her head, etc.

I really dont want to trade or sell her, etc, since she was my first snake/bp and I really do like her, but she is a picky eater and I just dont have 3 hours to devote to her every feeding day. I recently got two boas from jimisnakes, and from the time I get the f/t out of the freezer, to the time I am completely done, is about 30 minutes, with at least 20 of that allowing me to do other stuff while they thaw.

So....I think I made my dilemma clear, but let me know if you want more info.

Her husbandry etc is all fine, fresh water, on aspen, mite treated and no problems for several months, 2 identical hides, 41qt tub cool ~81-83 and warm 90-94, usually around 92.

The only thing I have been thinking about is trying ASF's. I have heard they work wonders on picky eaters, and if it could make her eat quicker, that would be awesome. I have also heard that bp's are major imprint feeders, so do ASF's just kind of negate that rule. I was hoping to switch her to normal rats before I started having this feeding problem, but now I really doubt that will ever happen.


Let me know what you think I should do.

[dr del]

Hi,

Trying a different prey item is certainly worth trying - even just a small rat or a chick if your worried about being able to keep a constant supply of ASF's going?

How long do you normaly pre-scent the room on feeding night?

Even try an F/T rat left in her enclosure overnight (don't offer it to her if she has been getting scared and freaked out when you offer prey items lately) just open the tub and lay it on the cool side and let her find it.

That is not likely to work in all honesty but I always try these sort of things with nervous feeders first just in case it is my involvement that is putting them out of feed mode. Also I like to try the daft stuff while they are nice and fat so they are not in any danger if they don't take it. Yes I know that seems a dumb idea - I'm a dumb guy what'cha'gonna'do.

If she doesn't always freak out when you offer hair dryer its head and offer on tongs but keep it a good 4 -8 inches away from her so she has to come forward to get to it - if she looks intrested but wont strike then just leave it over night.

Has anything in her environment changed recently?

To be honest as long as she isn't loosing weight I would be tempted to not do anything too drastic. I would stop all handling though.


dr del

[monk90222]

Hi,


How long do you normaly pre-scent the room on feeding night?

That is my question also....I would leave the live mouse next to her enclosure for at least 30 - 45 min before trying to feed her....

[SatanicIntention]

4 mice a week is alot, that's what my 2000-2500g girls get every 7-10 days. She's probably just catching up. Wait a few weeks, pre-scent for longer(30-45 minutes) then feed a live mouse in the dark.

You don't have to sit there and hover around her. Just open the tub, drop the mouse in, close the tub and walk away. Mice really don't have the ability to do alot of harm. I feed over 50 every time and it might take me an hour.

[Pandora]

Don't know what to say about the feeding but we both have little Pandoras! =]

[ThyTempest]

I usually prescent at least a half an hour, typically closer to an hour or so. My feeding process usually goes...

Start prescent and 30 minutes later I thaw out the f/t for the boas, then once they are ready I start to feed.

I never thought to leave prey in the enclosure, just seemed like it would never work if she wont take one alive and wriggling. I have not handled her since her first week off feed, and nothing in the environment or husbandry has changed recently. I will try to feed in a dimmer light this weekend, with a longer prescent and see how it goes, and if it doesnt, I can leave a f/t overnight.

I thought about the fact that she just might be fasting from putting weight on so fast, but it seems a little delayed. She was on 4 mice a week, but it has been almost 2 months since I cut her back down to 2/week, so why fast now?

[kc261]

Breeding season maybe?

[Westcoast]

Its not uncommon for ball pythons to go off feed !
I have a female that will go off feed for 2-3 months every year.
I have found that small meals on a regular weekly schedule helps. Let her weight be the deciding factor. If she is 1000 grams I wouldnt get concerned unless she loses over 200 grams. Breeder females will lose up to 50% of their weight when eggs are laid.