Paranoid/Worried New BP Mommy :D

[OFRD_GRL]

So I have had Meerah for about 2 weeks now. (Saturday will be 2 weeks). And she hasn't eaten since I have had her.... +1/2 week before that.

So I am a little worried. Im soooo used to dogs/horses/etc that eat multiple times a day so I dunno how long is a "safe" time for BP to not eat.

P.O. (previous owner) said she ate every 1.5 week, medium rat. Even gave me some frozen rats to start us out. When attempts with those rats failed I thought maybe she is a snob and only wants fresh ones..

So today I went and got a freshly "euthanized" rat... gave it to her and no interest what-so-ever. I took her hides out, closed her back up and left the rat in there with her, and still nothing (1hr later).

She has never had live rats, so I know that is not the problem...

Am I being a worrywort for nothing? Should I leave the rat in there longer?

Thanks for any advice

[OFRD_GRL]

I just tried warming it up more (hair dryer) to no avail....

[dr del]

Hi,

It's possible she hasn't settled down completely yet - or you could simply be doing the "zombie mouse dance" the wrong way in her opinion.

Since it's F/T you can certainly try leaving it in her enclosure over night to see if she eats in the dead of night.

We generally try not to panic unitl they start losing weight.

Just do the best you can to help her relax and settle into her new environment and feel safe and secure.

Also asking the P.O. to describe how he thawed, prescented and offered the prey might help spot anything you are doing differently.


dr del

[Hock3ymonk3y]

if all else fails just try live

[OFRD_GRL]

She explained it to me, and that is what I did with the last 2 attempts.. Which is why I decided to change to fresh...

She is still healthy and whatnot, and just pooped yesterday and shed as well. I would think she is settled? But I truly don't know.

My zombie rat dance is most likely wrong hehe, as I don't know how she likes her zombie rats to dance yet.

Worst case I guess I will wait and try something smaller at least to entice her some. I do know the PO recently switched her to the medium rats VS big, small rats before I got her..

Thanks for the input I just wanna make sure shes happy and healthy!

[mechnut450]

don't panic snakes can go a couple weeks ( months) with out eating.
My male bp that just about 2 years old has gone with out eating for 4 months+ with out eating he ate 3 weeks ago a single asf and has not eaten since.

[OFRD_GRL]

OK that makes me feel better

I was just expecting her to be such a good eater because the PO said she was her best eater (she had 3 snakes, 2 BP and one corn IIRC)....

[Argentra]

If she just shed yesterday...the refusals could have been due to the shed. I have two snakes here that are pigs except when they're in shed. Then they refuse anything and everything.

Also, as Del said, it could just be that she isn't fully settled yet. Give her a nice long break without bothering her (hard I know) and then try her with a FT overnight. She may just be unnerved by the new surroundings.

[OFRD_GRL]

so excuse my total newb "?" what is an FT?

the only things i could even come up with were:

freshly thumped
freshly thawed

LOL

[Montie Python]

so excuse my total newb "?" what is an FT?

the only things i could even come up with were:

freshly thumped
freshly thawed

LOL

Frozen/thawed...