How long is unhealthy w/o feeding?

I am moving across the country and I will be shipping my snakes to a friend overnight so they won't have to brave the drive across the country with me. The drive will be about 2 1/2 weeks and I don't want the snakes to have to be in the car that long. My Ball Python is about 1 year old and she's been eating two F/T adult mice a week. My friend that I am shipping her too has no hesitation about housing her however has hesitation about feeding her. I just fed her today on Sept 22nd and I'm shipping her overnight next week on Sept 29th. Once my friend has her what is the longest that she can go without being fed? Is three weeks to a month ok as long as she has fresh water? I'm trying to recruit someone else to go over and feed her so it should be find but how long is too long without feeding?

I wouldn't worry about a month, she will be fine. Snakes can goes months without eating and be fine. Tho i think she will prefer to be fed if you can arrange that lol.

She can last that long but I would arrange for someone to feed her if it's possible!

don't feed her again before you ship her. she's better off being with no food in her while being shipped. also 2 1/2 weeks is nothing. don't have someone else that doesn't know what they are doing feeding a snake that just went thru all that stress being shipped, plus being in a new enclosure. the 2 1/2 weeks that she doesn't eat waiting for you, will give her time to settle into a new place to live. I would tell them to just leave her alone, no handling and this will help getting her back on feed. even if you was flying and being there the next day. the snake still needs time from all the stress and new enclosure. it might take longer than 2 1/2 weeks to get her to eat again. best to setup the tank with proper heat, humidity ect... and make sure there is clean water and leave it alone, no handling.

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Originally Posted by don15681

don't feed her again before you ship her. she's better off being with no food in her while being shipped. also 2 1/2 weeks is nothing. don't have someone else that doesn't know what they are doing feeding a snake that just went thru all that stress being shipped, plus being in a new enclosure. the 2 1/2 weeks that she doesn't eat waiting for you, will give her time to settle into a new place to live. I would tell them to just leave her alone, no handling and this will help getting her back on feed. even if you was flying and being there the next day. the snake still needs time from all the stress and new enclosure. it might take longer than 2 1/2 weeks to get her to eat again. best to setup the tank with proper heat, humidity ect... and make sure there is clean water and leave it alone, no handling.

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This is the most solid advice right here!^^^^^

Just let her be, it will be fine! A friend of mine i had gotten a 2 year old Male Ball Python for, had an even longer time. It was 4 months before he ate, but the entire time he would shed, pee, poop, everything normal. He also ended up getting about 10 shades lighter in the process. But hes always been handled and proper temps and humidity, but he just decided when he was going to eat.

1 month is child play to these snakes, don't worry about it, just make sure temps, humidity, hides, ventilation are all appreciated and everything will be fine.

I have one who went 9+ months without eating, and she only lost about 300g (originally weighed 1950)... so I think 2-4 weeks will be fine, as long as there's fresh water and a clean/proper environment. :gj: