Can't get snakes to eat! How long is too long?

So i bought 3 new snakes back on the 15th of December. A male Karma 850g a female black pastel 800g and a female mystic 1100g. I note the weight of them because it has been going down a little. To date the mystic still has not eaten for me even once. The breeder i got them from had them all in 15qt tubs, which i thought too small for their size. (Please correct me if I'm wrong). She told me that the mystic just wouldn't eat in anything except for that size. I kept them for 3-4 weeks in those tubs to let them settle, feeding was normal for the first two, eating every saturday. I then went and bought 34qt tubs for them all and got them set up. The karma and pastel still ate fine for the next two weeks, but now it has been 3-4 weeks since any of them have eaten or even shown interest. I have done lots of reading about ball pythons simply being picky, and even going off feed during breeding season. I'm hoping this is the case, but i just don't know how long is too long. Before, my karma was literally a garbage disposal. he would eat f/t, live, fresh killed, didnt matter. Husbandry all seems fine, and i have even started checking them all for mites, which turns out negative. If anyone has any insight for me it would be greatly appreciated!

I've seen a lot of people agree with the belief that they eat better in smaller tubs. They feel more secure so when food comes along they're more willing to take it.

That said, at their sizes it's perfectly reasonable for them to slow down a little. I've heard of so many walls for snakes (mostly the 1000g wall) where they will slow down at that point. Just keep watching their weights so if they start losing too much you can go to the vet or do something else.

If they won't take live then I wouldn't worry about it until the weight loss gets bad. Then I'd maybe start looking into asf's, mice, scenting, etc.

It is fine they will eat when they are ready. Make sure your husbandry is spot on and then go from there. I would offer every week as they will get use to turning food down. Let them go for a couple weeks without messing with them at all and then try. I've had males go off feed for 6 months and only lose 90 grams.

I Wouldn't offer food every week* sorry auto correct!

Ok I'm gonna wait until the end of the month and try again then and see how it goes. They all seem perfectly healthy as far as I can tell. I guess I'm just used to my smaller one being ready to eat after 5 days. Lol I'm still learning about these things, especially my 3 newer snakes, so it's been a process.


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Originally Posted by JakeFromSnakeFarm

Ok I'm gonna wait until the end of the month and try again then and see how it goes. They all seem perfectly healthy as far as I can tell. I guess I'm just used to my smaller one being ready to eat after 5 days. Lol I'm still learning about these things, especially my 3 newer snakes, so it's been a process.


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All ll four of ours have quit eating; I still offer every week but I only take out one frozen rat. If it gets eaten I'll just take out another. The two females quit eating in October and the two males quit in November.

Bumble weighs 1800 grams
Fatty weighs 1500
Sneaky is at 900
amd Spot is the smallest at 700

Last winter Sneaky and Spot were hatchlings and they ate every week like clockwork while the females quit around November and resumed eating in March. Fatty only ate 10 times last year.

Just keep offering every week; they eat when they're ready.

All of the above plus as I recall a Royal / Ball python holds the dubious record for "fasting" which was 21 months ... with no ill effect and just resumed feeding afterwards ....

A few articles I think you may be interested in reading -

SSScales - Why isn't my Ball Python feeding?

JKR - The Psychology of Problem Feeders

ECRB - The Enigmatic Ball Python Appetite

My gal quit eating too. I just offer her a rat every 3 weeks as that's when my boas eat so if Dottie doesn't want it, one of the boas will get an extra helping of rodent.