Feeding problem with possible cause (need suggestions)

I have had Ivy since 5/9 and she has fed once since I have had her. Yes I know it is common for BP's to go off feed or refuse food but I think I know the cause and was looking for suggestions. She is roughly 600 grams which I have seen that the 5-600 in some BP's is a weight they possibley get more pickey at. I have tried F/T rats and mice of various sizes and live rats and mice of various sizes. The one time she ate was a small live rat so mostly that is what she has been offered. She ate the first time 5/16 after adding a hide to her tub (It was 1-2 days after when she ate). Now this was maybe 2 weeks or so after I got her. She blued out 10 days later which is why I assumed she refused the next feeding. She was offered again the day after shed and refused. She is extremely head shy and has been since I got her. Some time within the week after shed (I had tried feeding at least twice I noticed the tip of her nose appeared to have what I thought was a stuck shed. It had seemed almost wrinkley then one day I checked and it had popped up. It looks much clearer then in the picture but I had assumed it would rub off. She doesn't seem to be irritated by it I never see her rubbing her nose but she hasn't eaten still. At first I had been thinking she may have been bit during a feeding attempt but there was no blood and it looked to perfectly match the scale underneath. I watch her through feeding attempts and she often will follow the rat around her enclosure (its almost comical) wherever the rat has been she goes to and will even poke the rats butt with her nose but if it turns she pulls her head back so fast she knocks over her water dish and even hides it under her body if the rat gets too close. I don't want to hurt her and remove it if it's an actual scale but was wondering if I should try to put her in a damp snake bag and see if it comes off (which I know would also be stressful)

http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h1...o/IMG_1432.jpg

What are your temps and humidity?


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Originally Posted by pigfat

What are your temps and humidity?


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90-92 hot side 79-80 cold side and about 60% on humidity. I have two other bp's in the same rack the male has never refused a meal (think he would even eat mid shed if I caught him :D). The other female has eaten every time since her first succesful feeding.

If she seems a little scared then it might be a security issue. You could try a couple things here but make sure to do the changes gradually as any change you make can stress the animal even more.

You could add a second hide, fill the tub with crumpled newspaper/paper or add fake plants for cover, or you could put her in a smaller tub.

Other then that, I wouldn't worry too much. Just keep offering once a week (more often then that might stress her out more and make her less likely to eat). She will eat when she is ready!

*****UPDATE!***** She ate! So I think I may have found the problem (a weird one). That turned up scale I may think could have come from a nip (rat). Since she is my only grown rat eater I have been housing unfortunately 3 rats. The one is black (I think this one may have nipped her since he seems bitey), a hooded male which is far too large and I haven't tried him now in week, and a smaller female which she has refused the past few weeks of feeding. Monitoring Ivy I noticed she has been EXTREMELY head shy as in violently retracting when a rat gets near. When the female rat was thrown in she would follow it around the bin and what seemed like smelling it from behind. Well today I went out and bought yet another rat and made sure it was male. She still was very head shy then hit it and HARD within about 2 minutes of being in there. Water dish flew and everything so I guess Ivy is a MALE live rat eater. :banana::banana::banana::banana:

If you're worried about the rats biting, especially as she gets bigger and the rats get bigger, you could always do a quick cervical dislocation and toss them in the cage then. They're still nice and warm and aside from the broken-neck thing, "live", and sometimes even still twitching so she might just go for them, and then not be in any danger of getting bit.