Shipped Proven Breeder (Not on Off-Feed) Won't Eat?

Okay, so I received a healthy 2500+ female proven normal 8 egg layer female on May 23, 2014. Her previous owner informed me she had recently come off OFF-FEED (I capitalized off-feed because there were too many "off"s next to each other xD) and preferred small rats. Though to me she looks like she could easily, easily manage medium rats. This female is a monster. Her name is Arizona. But anyway, she won't eat for me at all. I waited a full week before even messing with her or offering food. Her enclosure is perfect temperature range according to her previous owner- I have been texting him (82 degrees ambient, not sure on hot spot but a lot warmer- not roasting or anything, 75-80 cold side). I don't have the perfect rack system in the world, I'll be honest, haha. But that's what I've got going on temperature wise.

In any case, I wonder if I try to keep offering her food every couple days or just leave her alone and attempt only a week at a time? I have never had a ball python actually go off-feed on me believe it or not. They have all had the hunger of Godzilla. It's a little crazy. I did soak one of her frozen thawed in chicken broth and give that a try because I hear they enjoy the smell- she flickered a lot, but returned to ignoring it all the same. Complete disinterest.

Any help would be appreciated. Thank you kindly.

Just try once a week. They are meant to be opportunistic feeders, and sometimes they forget that, so you can't coddle them. She'll eat when she's ready :gj:

Thanks I really appreciate it. Have a great one!

I had a snake that was eating perfectly fine before i got her and after i got her she stopped eating for me only ate 3 times the whole time i had her. She snatched up live no problem but refused to eat f/t even though thats what she was eating before i got her. I ended up selling her to someone who really wanted a spider and didnt mind that she was off feed

Sent from my SPH-L720 using Tapatalk 2

Do you all think that I should try a live one instead to see if she will take it if she doesn't accept a frozen in another week or so? I hate to feed live but oh my gosh I don't want her to go right back on to off-feed when she just got off of it! D:

Live won't hurt. Might jump start her. I've never heard of chicken broth working with a ball. They generally go off feed for breeding, or if husbandry is off. I think you really need to know the temps of your rack, and hot spot. How are you measuring it? And how can you say it's good if you don't know what it is? could be she is just adjusting to the move, could be the temps aren't right. Many things can put a ball off food.

It's not unusual for adults not to feed once with their new owner, it can take time. Obviously she is 2500 grams so you know she is a feeder she just need to resume normal activities.

Don't offer every several days offer once a week even once every 10 days. (the more you offer the more it can lead to refusal)

In the past I would say that 50% of the females I have received as adult (loans or purchased) failed to eat for me and it was anything from 2 to 8 months.

Check your husbandry, downsize the enclosure size if possible, feed the same prey type that was offered in the past and most importantly be PATIENT.

And remember it's VERY important to know your temps

Quote:

---

I have been texting him (82 degrees ambient, not sure on hot spot but a lot warmer- not roasting or anything, 75-80 cold side)

---

A lot warmer can be way to warm, 88-90 is really what you want to shoot for (make sure to use a digital thermometer not a dial to measure your temps)

To Deborah, thanks for specificity on the temperature gauge. I just placed one on there let it sit and it is sitting at 89 hot spot. It is isn't a very high tech gauge because my other one was recently broken. Like I said, my rack and temperature system are a bit odd to say the least right now.

As for the chicken broth, I don't know if it's voodoo or something, but someone suggested to me once, I believe it was a veterinarian during an annual check up? Has anyone else heard of this? Lol, I thought it was common knowledge but I guess not- maybe I am the crazy one.

And I will attempt a live here in a little over a week. I will give her more time as opposed to less. Thanks again Deborah and others. This was really good information. I have never ordered an adult female before. Thank you.

I recently had a monster feeder shipped to me. I tried a f/t 2 times over a month period. By this time it was over a month since she ate. I have never fed live.
We tried a live mouse this weekend and after a minute she snapped it up. She did not take the f/t that was offered after but at least she ate something.

I have a male who was off feed since Nov got him a live mouse too and he snapped it and then ate a f/t.

Live is not preferred by me but when they ate it was such a relief it was worth getting over my misgivings about it.

Make sure your husbandry and temps are spot on, not by feel. Here is a good read from Justin Kobylka about picky eaters.
http://jkrballstreetjournal.com/2014...-eating-again/