Feeding Help

Hey guys,

We are at a total loss. For the first time in our 6 years of owning BP's, no matter what we do, all 3 are refusing food. We need your help.

2 of our BP's ALWAYS eat no matter what. They've refused food for a month now, along with our picky eater. We've offered it in their respective homes, outside their homes, in different types of boxes, everything. We've gotten rats from different places, and in different colors, and different sizes. Nothing has changed in our snakes homes at all, aside of a complete cage cleaning, but that was done after they started refusing food. They always have fresh water, and all the other things BP's require.

Is it possible that the weather could have something to do with this? Here in Wisconsin, we are having some crazy storms and a ton of rain, which of course brings pressure changes. It's been going on since the middle of May or so. That is the last thing we can think of that could have something to do with this.

Please spare us the questions about temp/enclosure/hides. It's way beyond that now we think. Each snake has perfect BP temp and humidity. I hope you all can help us.

Thanks in advance,

Andrea and Matt

A month is not too long for a healthy ball python to go without eating. Got pics? Also, tank temps and setup info would help.

Hi,

What ages and weights are they?

How often are you offering - because you seem to have tried a heck of a lot of things in only a month. :confused:

Offering food too often can actually decrease the chances of them eating - especially if you routine keeps changing from what they were used to.

Are you handling any of them?

How certain are you that nothing has changed in their setup - are you using thermostats or dimmers for example?


dr del

We're certain nothing has changed aside of the aspen, daily water changes, and cleaning poop when it happens. Their hot side temps are always between 88 and 90, depending on the humidity levels here due to all the rain we're having. The cool side's have gone to 79 once, but never lower. They're almost always spot on at 80. We've tried a lot of things because it's so strange that all 3 would go off feed at the same exact time. Humidity is around 45-50%. We've been having freak storms lately so the humidity will spike or drop really fast and we quickly raise it, or try to lower it, whatever is needed. That's what we're leaning towards now since we really can't figure out why all 3 would be doing the same thing. Our storms are also consisting of constant, and I mean absolute constant lightning and a crazy amount of thunder.

Weights and ages are as follows:

Charlie is a year and a half old, and he weighs 860 grams.

Lucy is roughly 6 years old, and she weighs 1761 grams. She's our rescue. When we got her, she weighed 1100 grams and she's almost 5 feet long. Her ribs were sticking out, and since we've gotten her, she's eaten like a cow.

Superman is around 4 years old, and he weighs 1655 grams.

They've only been handled when absolutely necessary, like a quick bath after laying in poop (silly snakes!).

Lucy also made an escape Friday night, and we found her under an RC Hummer about 3 feet from her home. She was only out an hour or so.

Thanks for all your help!

Hi,

Ok.

Just to rule out the obvious... :)

They are all in seperate enclosures yes?

You could try bumping their warm ends up a couple of degrees but theres not much in it - you are measuring inside the hides with a digital thermometer yes?

They may be intrested in breeding - not that you have to let them you understand. :P


dr del