Tell me this is just a BP thing.....

All three of my bp's that eat f/t have all went off feed for the past few weeks - what is up with them now.

Nothing has changed in the rack or tubs - so I just don't get it.

Are they simply doing what bp's do and just be annoying - lol.

They are probably not liking the f/t's anymore...try live rats and see if they eat? :cool:

Itis BP thing You can offer them weaned live rat to kick them back... but that could switch them back to live feeders... On the contrary my live eater male refused last meal.. but I believe crazy Rat just spooked him :rofl: we'll see next week :P

It just drives me nuts. We go along just fine for months - everyone eating just fine and then the bottom falls out again.

Each year it seems I have some (if not all my bps) go on some extended fast - so you would think that I would be used to it by now - but it still upsets me when they don't eat.

I am going to try to wait them out - I hate to switch them back to live prey.

They are all a good healthy weight - so we'll just see how long they hold out.

I'm not an expert by any means on bps, but this is what I experienced with Shadow (my bp).

When I first got my BP he was eating f/t medium rats, once a week. He ate normally for about 4 weeks, then received a bad burn on his belly during a shed (he wouldn't leave the heatpad very often and the shed burned to him). After being burned, he stopped eating for about 2 months. I tried everything, f/t, live, gerbils, etc. He finally snapped a live gerbil on week 8, so I waited for his next feeding day and he ate a f/t rat. The next week he stopped eating for close to 3 months this time. When he finally ate again, it was 2 live medium rats in 2 days (was advised to feed that close so he would get some strength back). He's been eating every week since, but will only go after live rats.

My advise, keep a close eye on them, check for any possible injuries and try live feed. Maybe they just need a jump start. Good luck :)

If they are at a good weight, and all husbandry is wnl, continue to offer warmed f/t weekly, they will eat again.

What are their weights?

It really is just a ball python thing. At one point I was watching one of Justin Kobylka's husbandry tips videos, and he mentioned how all of his juveniles between 500-800 grams seem to suddenly stop eating. As hatchlings they eat and eat and then the get up to 600 grams and.... they just stop. For weeks. Or months. And it's normal, and it stresses owners out, but it's really just natural for the snake to take a break the 2nd winter.

And when he said that, I said: "Oh."

Because all of my animals have done that. Every last one. Some of them have done it several times in a row. I had one het pied male go 5 months without eating, and my het lavender male had to go back on live mice twice because he was eating every 6 weeks.

Sometimes it's seasonal. Sometimes it's hormonal. Sometimes they just reach the magic weight. And sometimes they're just out to raise your blood pressure. I try to think about all the money they're saving me on mice....

Mine all go off feed occasionally. Well, all except for the one who is the resident garbage can.

The odd thing I've noticed with mine, which are all at a year or under, is that they tend to do this right before they hit a period of rapid growth. They'll look like a little fat sausage, go off feed for a couple of feedings, and they they put on some length and the appetite comes back. Weird.

Yea mine do this too and I really couldnt figure out why but they all start back up again. You will know when they are exploring the entrance area or in my case the front of the tub, that they are ready to eat again

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Originally Posted by loonunit

What are their weights?

It really is just a ball python thing. At one point I was watching one of Justin Kobylka's husbandry tips videos, and he mentioned how all of his juveniles between 500-800 grams seem to suddenly stop eating. As hatchlings they eat and eat and then the get up to 600 grams and.... they just stop. For weeks. Or months. And it's normal, and it stresses owners out, but it's really just natural for the snake to take a break the 2nd winter.

And when he said that, I said: "Oh."

Because all of my animals have done that. Every last one. Some of them have done it several times in a row. I had one het pied male go 5 months without eating, and my het lavender male had to go back on live mice twice because he was eating every 6 weeks.

Sometimes it's seasonal. Sometimes it's hormonal. Sometimes they just reach the magic weight. And sometimes they're just out to raise your blood pressure. I try to think about all the money they're saving me on mice....

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I wouldn't worry too much they do that, I have a little pastel that likes to eat every 2 weeks. He is around 400g but I don't worry b/c he will eat when hungry. Just keep an eye on their weights.