Should I test for parasites?
I'm really starting to get worried about Madison, my female BP.
(well, she seems to be female; probed 5 subcaudal scales so she is in between male and female. :/)
Anyway, we had been feeding her one mouse a week, and about a month ago she would still do what I call "hunt" in her tank--after feeding her the mouse she would still roam around her tank, getting excited if she saw the mice for the other snakes, etc.
So we started feeding her two at once.
Two weeks ago we offered a mouse, she didn't want it. Next week, we tried a 40g. or larger gourmet rodent brand rat, and she scarfed it down.
IT was weird, she had been eating only mice, and all of a sudden wasn't interested in them and wanted rats. :confused:
But, we fed her that on Saturday, and by Sunday morning you couldn't tell she had eaten. She's maybe 300-400 g., I'd say, if that, and the rat was pretty big compared to her. Next morning my other BP's who are larger are stuffed and she looks and feels empty, like the food vanished right out of her belly. She hasn't grown as much as the others have either.
Her stools aren't runny, and she's been acting normal. I'm wondering, should I get a fecal test for parasites done?
Could she have some parasites that are just eating the food out of her tummy before she can get any? :( she doesn't look malnourished--just about right for her size and length, but she isn't getting bigger, it seems.
Any advice is appreciated. Thanks. :)