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Is Skinny too skinny?

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  • 03-04-2018, 01:53 PM
    Booper
    Is Skinny too skinny?
    Hi all,
    Our spider BP hasn't eaten now since September, and I'm starting to get slightly worried as it's the longest he's gone without food... at first since our other male had gone off food I wasn't too worried as I thought it was just breeding season, but Mars is back on so I don't know. Skinny (Cinnamon) was 844g on November the 21st, and today (March the 4th) he is 785g. He last shed on the 15th of February. His hot side is 32 degrees Celsius (89.6 F) and his cold side is 27 degrees Celsius (80.6 F), humidity fluctuates from 45-60, usually sits at 55%. I've tried offering him small rats, large weaned rats, small weaned rats. Dangling it for him and leaving it over night. Warming it up doesn't do anything either. I'm getting close to my wits end with this boy, he's quite long and he looks so skinny it bothers me. Maybe I'm just being paranoid?

    (Sorry for holding his head, he does not like to sit still!)
    https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...om/tUD5Xma.jpg
  • 03-04-2018, 04:15 PM
    DennisM
    He looks ok to me. He's been on a 4 month hunger strike and has lost only 7% of his weight. I wouldn't worry about him. I'd offer food every other week until he decides to eat again.
  • 03-04-2018, 04:36 PM
    Booper
    Re: Is Skinny too skinny?
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by DennisM View Post
    He looks ok to me. He's been on a 4 month hunger strike and has lost only 7% of his weight. I wouldn't worry about him. I'd offer food every other week until he decides to eat again.

    Thank you! That's such a relief. Being still a relatively new owner, it's good to get a more experienced view to put my mind at rest! I will continue to offer a rat every other week :D
  • 03-04-2018, 05:08 PM
    tttaylorrr
    Re: Is Skinny too skinny?
    his body shape is definitely triangular but IMO he's not too skinny. give him a bit more time.

    or maybe try live?
  • 03-04-2018, 05:45 PM
    dakski
    Re: Is Skinny too skinny?
    My two cents. He's just fasting, they do that.

    He will eat when ready.

    Offer every two weeks as suggested until he takes food again.

    Personally, I would not offer live if he's been eating F/T. He might take that sooner, but then might not easily go back to F/T.

    My female has fasted every winter for the past 3 years (she's 5). She loses 6-9% of her body weight and then starts eating again, when she is ready. It usually is about 5 months.

    I exclusively feed F/T and she always goes back to it and eats, just on her schedule.
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