question about BP fasting

Is it unusual for a female baby BP to go off feed during the winter months?
Hatch date is unknown. I havent had it sexed yet but was told it is a female.
She ate 3 meals , 1 per wk (f/t rat fz.) then went off feed.
Her going off feed coincided with a winter cold snap we had here in the midwest.....below are some husbandry details if it will help w answers....

Her last weight jan 4 was 137 grams , up 25 grms from the day I got her.
temps 90 wrm., 77cold side , hum 60-70%, 3 small identical hides ( 1 hot
1 cold ,1 in the middle ).
She is in a shoe box sized plastic tub , allowed a week to settle a week before
attempting to feed , then not handled till after she fed twice.
The cage set up is the same as my yearling female ball (who hasn't missed a meal yet) that I've had for a year. BTW Im not new to snakes but this is
only my 2nd ball....
Any suggestions or ideas ?? thxx in advance :-)

give a time to come back. Babies usually are not affected by winter as long as they have heat.

If your feeding f/t try a live rat fuzzy to get her back or a live mouse. At that age they are pigs and usually will take mice and rats

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Originally Posted by flameethrower

give a time to come back. Babies usually are not affected by winter as long as they have heat.

If your feeding f/t try a live rat fuzzy to get her back or a live mouse. At that age they are pigs and usually will take mice and rats

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I agree I read that they can fast for months as long as they don't lose more than 15% body weight but at that age she should be a pig indeed.

Go for live food. Don't worry fuzzy terroris just a myth lol

My ball female is in a glass tank outdoors and the cold doesn't phase her for food at all. But she is picky about where she is fed

with that in mind where do you feed her? In her tub?

Yes , I feed them in their tub & I use aspen shavings for their substrate.
I use a piece of paper on the cage floor to reduce the chance of swallowing
shavings with the meal.:)

How are you measuring your temps? Where are you measuring them from? Do not handle her at all until she starts eating on a regular basis again. She should be pounding down everything in sight! Usually when they go off feed at that age it's stress from being handled too much or a husbandry issue!

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Originally Posted by seeya205

How are you measuring your temps? Where are you measuring them from? Do not handle her at all until she starts eating on a regular basis again. She should be pounding down everything in sight! Usually when they go off feed at that age it's stress from being handled too much or a husbandry issue!

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With a temp gun from pro exotics , I shoot the floor where the hides are,
measure humidity(digital) with a probe , I use a herpstat II , UTH.
I havent handled her since she started refusing meals (3+weeks).
She seems to Hunt every night , she seems interested when I offer it with
tongs but she just doesnt follow up with a strike. I then leave it in the cage
with her for 2-3 hrs and give her some peace & quiet , she still seems interested in the fz when I remove it.
I guess I'll try live & a few tricks ive read about before I take her in for a "check up"

Thxx for the advise so far guys !! :)

Ya, I would go with live until about 6 months! Young balls seem to love to hunt their prey!

A baby bp should not go through winter fasting. If she seems hungry, she probably isn't enticed by the f/t meal you are presenting her. Try live.

Or, if you haven't already you could heat up the head of the rat with a hair dryer so the smell gets through the room and it is easier for her to recognize as food.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Kaorte

A baby bp should not go through winter fasting. If she seems hungry, she probably isn't enticed by the f/t meal you are presenting her. Try live.

Or, if you haven't already you could heat up the head of the rat with a hair dryer so the smell gets through the room and it is easier for her to recognize as food.

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I am going to try her on live & see what happens
When i fed her f/t it was warmed to the upper 90s.
I just didnt think she would go off feed after eating 3 times w/o problems
or environmental changes. thxx man ! Brettset

bump up that cool side to 82-83....that is the only thing I saw with your husbandry.