He Ate.. but I have a question

Houdini Ate last night, which is very surprising to me. He never eats this time of year. Despite perfect husbandry that I monitor very closely to make sure everything is right. I always though it was something wrong with his environment.
Well here is what happened, I noticed that his time of year the room his cage is in doesn't get hardly any light. By the time the sun would normally be coming around to that side of the house during the summer, its already dark this time of year. So what I did was get a regular house hold light and put it on a dimmer so it wasn't really bright, its actually very low light. Every morning and every night at 9 o'clock it goes on and off.

Well it was a week last night that I had been doing that so I figured I would give it a try with just a mouse. WHAM he took it down no problem. Then a second one. So I left it at two since he hasn't eaten in over a month.

Now here's what leads to my question I started feeding him small rats a long time ago but now that I think about it his eating slowed down after that and he really starting refusing food more often. But the reaction I got from him last night from the mouse was something I hadn't seen from him in almost 2 years. It surprised me. So I am going to keep him on mice since he seems to prefer them immensely over rats. How many mice should I feed an adult ball python? He was weighed the night before and he was 1055 grams empty just to give you an idea of his size.

I am too excited, getting him to eat at all this time of year has been a mission of mine for ever, let alone f/t which he never would do. That's what really got me.
Thanks
Kristy

ah so it was the husbandry :) nice to discover what's causing it eh?

congrats to you!!!

i'm not sure on the feeding issue... sorry

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Kristy

How many mice should I feed an adult ball python? He was weighed the night before and he was 1055 grams empty just to give you an idea of his size.

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1-2 Mice a week will be plenty. :)

Thank you!!

Probably a combination of the rats being too big so he's self-regulating by fasting and the manipulation of light. If he likes mice, heck feed the boy mice LOL...one or two nice chubby adults each week should do him quite nicely.

Thanks, I will keep him on mice as long as he'll eat them. The rats I was getting were smalls, they were very small. I am just glad he ate. we will see next week if he eats again. Keeping my fingers crossed. Thank God for Tongs or I would have probably lost a hand with the feeding response I got from him. He was like a rabid squirel. He was the best eater when he was younger. Every week, never missed a meal. Hopefully I can get him back to that. And be able to keep him on F/t in stead of live.

Tongs, hemostats or very long oversized tweezers....a herpers best friend when feed f/t as far as I'm concerned. :)