Downsize Rat Size?

[BuddhaLuv]

Okay it's been two months since my adult BP male has taken a meal and I am not stressing about it though. He looks good. Temps/Humidity are good. He's still active at night etc...

However, since it's time to rat shop again I was wondering if maybe I should go down a size and see what happens. On 4/27 he weighed 2.7 lbs. He doesn't look like he has lost any weight since. I was feeding him 1 medium F/T rat every 10 days.

If I do feed him a small F/T rat will he need to be fed more often? Or should I just keep offering him a medium F/T rat once a week until he decides to eat again?

[matt71915]

you could try feeding him a small, you dont need to feed him more after a small rat

[RichsBallPythons]

1sm rat ranging 55-85 grams is all the biggest ball python would ever need every 7days. This is all i ever feed to my larger Balls.

[eMonk]

I agree with down sizing to a small rat. My friend has been feeding his 3.5 year old bp medium sized rats but she tells me that it only eats once every month or other month. I told her a small rat is the biggest you need to prevent an off feed. It's better to feed your bp 3-4 small rats then 1 medium rat each month.

[BuddhaLuv]

Thanks everyone! I bought some small f/t rats today. They come prepackaged and the bag says they are 40g. I will try and offer one in a couple days and let you know what happens)

I was reading another thread that said it is mating season. Wondering if maybe that is his issue? He did eat successfully for me up until about 2 months ago. When does their mating season start and end?

[rabernet]

Thanks everyone! I bought some small f/t rats today. They come prepackaged and the bag says they are 40g. I will try and offer one in a couple days and let you know what happens)

I was reading another thread that said it is mating season. Wondering if maybe that is his issue? He did eat successfully for me up until about 2 months ago. When does their mating season start and end?

Actually, breeding season will be starting up in the fall. This is the time of year when most ball pythons that have gone off feed resume feeding again.

[eMonk]

When do balls usually go on off feed, during the winter months?

[BuddhaLuv]

Actually, breeding season will be starting up in the fall. This is the time of year when most ball pythons that have gone off feed resume feeding again.

Well damn! There goes that theory Thanks for the info!!!!

Oh well, I guess he is just being a BP and will eat when he is hungry. I have a feeling he will happily eat his new and improved small f/t rat this Saturday...... oh the suspense of it all LOL.

[rabernet]

Well damn! There goes that theory Thanks for the info!!!!

Oh well, I guess he is just being a BP and will eat when he is hungry. I have a feeling he will happily eat his new and improved small f/t rat this Saturday...... oh the suspense of it all LOL.

You know - if he refuses again on the next feeding, I would wait him out. I'd wait at least 2 weeks before offering him food again. Just keep a very keen eye on him - when you see him "lurking" in his hide - that head peeked out with interest (not in a relaxed, head on the ground pose, but rather with head elevated off the ground and sticking out) - that's when you offer him the next feeding.

Pre-scent for 30 mins and see if he becomes even more "lurky" - more hyper aware. I hope you understand the behavior that I'm trying to describe.

[rabernet]

When do balls usually go on off feed, during the winter months?

Generally mature ball pythons (meaning, not a baby or juvie) will go off feed during the breeding season, which can be any time between Oct/Nov through May/June.

It's unusual for a baby or juvenile to go off feed during the winter months, because they are hard wired to grow more quickly (in the wild, being small makes you a target to predators, so growing quickly is advantageous to them). If a younger ball python goes on a fast, 99% of the time, it's husbandry related, and our caresheet has a great portion called "why won't my snake feed?" that gives the novice keeper a list of items to check to make sure they are not the "trigger" for the fast.

If a mature adult goes off feed in the winter months, most of the time, it can be contributed to seasonal fasting.

Also, smaller meals on a weekly basis can help to keep your snake feeding consistently year round. Most of my refusals are with females who have been paired with males and are nearing ovulation. The rest of my ~40 ball pythons feed year round.