11 Month Fast -- Mostly Out of Options

Stats on our girl:

Age: ~5
Current Weight: 2481g
Weight Loss: 400g (10-15%)
Tank: 41gal under-bed style tub
Humidity: 60%
Temps: 91F belly, 78F cold side, 82F hot side
Single hide on hot side, water dish on cold

Below is a snip of our data sheet. She's had frequent good sheds for the last 6 months and urates regularly. But is TOTALLY disinterested and possibly afraid of FT and live rats in many sexes, sizes, and colors. We've tried offering in tub with tongs, out of tub with tongs, and leaving it in. The FT is definitely warmed up enough (I use an IR temp gun to check the head at 95F). We haven't tried gerbils but are hesitant to hassle unless it's strongly suggested. Below is also a video showing her disinterest in the rats.

We took her to the vet twice when she was about 3 months into the fast and they declared that her blood work and exam all seemed normal and that she'd need an ultrasound (expensive!) to look for stuck eggs? Seems a little far fetched so we haven't taken her back. Her previous owner was a breeder but reassured us that she was not locked up before giving her to us. http://youtu.be/ArOUHREhxuM

We're starting to feel a bit defeated. Thoughts? http://i.imgur.com/bHdAwkF.png

Rats body temp is around 100F, and f/t start to cool pretty quick. How are you warming them?

Have you tried feeding in the dark when its nice and quiet? I feed after dark wearing a red led headlamp.

My bp is in a busy area and will only feed after it has been quite and dark for a good bit.

I have a male normal right at 2500 grams that will.not.eat if he doesn't have a hide. He's in a 41 qt rack and stuffs himself under one of the Reptile Basics large plastic hides.

I would also contact the seller and ask exactly how your girl was kept: tub type and size, temperatures, substrate, what time of day she was normally fed, was she on live or f/t, was she eating ASF, rats, or mice, etc.

This is also an excellent read: http://ballpythonbreeder.com/2014/8/...thon-appetite/

She's got a black box hide that's an appropriate stuffed-in size. She's in and out of it regularly. She was in a similar size tub with her breeder, newspaper substrate, and was fed live medium rats that he bred himself. We've tried all this and it's no go. We've also tried midnight dark feedings.

Hot tap water for 10minutes in a bag and then dunk the head in really hot water for a few seconds right before offering. I can definitely go warmer though -- just don't want to cook it! I've tied dark, late night feedings but not with a red headlamp. I'll try this next, thanks for the idea.

You might just have to wait her out. I got in an import female and she refused to eat for 18 months. I tried it all. Live, f/t , gerbils, hamsters, asf, this color, that color and the other color, morning feeding, afternoon, evening, late night, leaving food in overnight, chicken broth, tuna broth, braining, you name it I tried it. She was totally not interested. Totally. I moved her tub up, moved it down. Different room, different part of the house, nothing changed.

Then, one evening, for no apparent reason at all, she decided to eat. She ate for the next 4 months on a weekly schedule. Then she stopped again for another 11 months. Now she's eating regularly again. For how long, I don't know.

As long as she is not loosing massive amounts of weight, you may have no choice but patience.

Gale

What is the food item being offered in the video? Looks pretty small for a 2400g snake. I'd be feeding medium rats.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Pr0veIt

TOTALLY disinterested and possibly afraid of FT and live rats in many sexes, sizes, and colors.

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It sounds like you've tried all sorts of things, so I don't wanna repeat what others have said.

I was just curious, have you tried something besides rats? At this point I might try a mouse or even a day old chick if you have any.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by bcr229

This is also an excellent read: http://ballpythonbreeder.com/2014/8/...thon-appetite/

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Great read, thanks for sharing!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Pr0veIt

Stats on our girl:

Age: ~5
Current Weight: 2481g
Weight Loss: 400g (10-15%)
Tank: 41gal under-bed style tub
Humidity: 60%
Temps: 91F belly, 78F cold side, 82F hot side
Single hide on hot side, water dish on cold

Below is a snip of our data sheet. She's had frequent good sheds for the last 6 months and urates regularly. But is TOTALLY disinterested and possibly afraid of FT and live rats in many sexes, sizes, and colors. We've tried offering in tub with tongs, out of tub with tongs, and leaving it in. The FT is definitely warmed up enough (I use an IR temp gun to check the head at 95F). We haven't tried gerbils but are hesitant to hassle unless it's strongly suggested. Below is also a video showing her disinterest in the rats.

We took her to the vet twice when she was about 3 months into the fast and they declared that her blood work and exam all seemed normal and that she'd need an ultrasound (expensive!) to look for stuck eggs? Seems a little far fetched so we haven't taken her back. Her previous owner was a breeder but reassured us that she was not locked up before giving her to us.

We're starting to feel a bit defeated. Thoughts?

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You may just have to wait it out, they eat when they are ready to eat, but I wouldn't stop trying different methods to coax her. Have you tried changing the substrate (this worked for me for one snake)? Removing her hide? Sterilizing her tub/getting rid of the sent to make it seem like a new environment (this also worked for me)? I personally have better feeding success rates when I offer a small live rat or mouse, and feed in the evenings/dimly lit room.