Not Eating!!!!

Hey guys, I'm sure you are groaning at another one of these threads, but just hear me out :). As you may have guessed, Tilly (male, 5 yo) is not eating. The last time he ate was a medium rat on Nov 26/06, and before that, a large rat Oct 16/06. So as you can see, his last substantial meal was on Oct 16, which was almost 6 months ago !! XD So, I don't think I am seeing any significant weight loss, he looks pretty healthy, and his tank setup is correct IMO (big tank, 2 hides, low 80's on one side, low 90's on other). I usually feed him a large rat every 2 weeks, but this is the longest he's ever gone without a feed!! I know that most BPs go off feed during the winter..but this is a bit extreme, don't you think. I just put in another large rat now (I've been trying to feed him about every 2 weeks, but he just keep refusing!) and I'll see in the morning if he eats. If he doesn't, should I consider taking him to a vet? If you're wondering how I heat up the f/t rats,I: thaw them in the fridge overnight, leave it out a few hours before feeding time, then right before feeding time, I put it in a tub of hot, hot water for about 20 mins to half an hour, then give it a quick blowdry to heat up the outside, then plop it in the tank :). Thanks guys!!

-Mitchell:(

Sounds like you're feeding your snake too large of a meal. Most ball pythons do not need anything more than a small rat when they are adults. You're snake is letting its body catch up to the large meals its been fed. I'd monitor weights and offer a meal every few weeks, but get used to him refusing because it could happen for quite some time.

I agree with Rich, I feed no larger than 3-4 week old rats to even my largest girls.


Do you have pictures of your enclosure? Have you had him all his life, or is he new to you?

Agree with the previous posts, if everything check out when it comes to husbanry your BP is likely fasting to catch up.

Many people feed smaller prey to their BP, and usually the largest prey they ever feed to their adult BP is a small rat (4 weeks old), this allow BP to feed with more consistency.

Because they can eat a large prey does not mean they need to, one small rat once a week is still more food then they would ever get in the wild and all that is necessary.

Hey guys, I jsut had a question....when you say you feed "small" rats that are no older than 4 wks, do you mean 4 wks from birth? I have about 15 of them (I breed rats for my BP) which are all around 4 wks now but they look like tiny lil mice which I used to feed back when my BP was a lot smaller.

I've seen him take what *I* would consider a small rat no prob, which is about twice-three times the size of how big my current rats are.

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Originally Posted by mocolo

If you're wondering how I heat up the f/t rats,I: thaw them in the fridge overnight, leave it out a few hours before feeding time, then right before feeding time, I put it in a tub of hot, hot water for about 20 mins to half an hour, then give it a quick blowdry to heat up the outside, then plop it in the tank :). Thanks guys!!

-Mitchell:(

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In addition to the meal size being on the large side, I'm wondering if you're "cooking" the mice, instead of just thawing them and warming them up. Once they're unthawed and room temp, "hot, hot" water for 30mins might be cooking the rat--you want it thawed and warm, but not cooked. Maybe try smaller prey size, then thawing at room temp, THEN the blowdry to the outside to warm it up, and skip the 20-30min of hot water...and see if that helps?

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Originally Posted by AzureN1ght

In addition to the meal size being on the large side, I'm wondering if you're "cooking" the mice, instead of just thawing them and warming them up. Once they're unthawed and room temp, "hot, hot" water for 30mins might be cooking the rat--you want it thawed and warm, but not cooked. Maybe try smaller prey size, then thawing at room temp, THEN the blowdry to the outside to warm it up, and skip the 20-30min of hot water...and see if that helps?

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Good job!

also some want eat F/T your snake might be one of them my male pastel will only eat live

I have a big girl thats like that.... But i have this thing i have to do for her every week, it might for you too... Put a little hopper in there and she should snatch it right up, when she is done with the hopper she should still be in feed mode then you put your small rat in there, and boo yah... Well it works for mine.... Out of all my snakes shes the only one like that .... Good luck :salute:

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when you say you feed "small" rats that are no older than 4 wks, do you mean 4 wks from birth?

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Yes 4 weeks from the time they are born, it corresponds to a rat weighting 45 to 65 grams.

Since your BP was eating preys way larger, he might fast to catch up for a little while longer and as long as he does not lose too much weight he will be fine, and when he does resume feeding try smaller preys.

Ok guys thanks, in response to one question, I have had him all my life. So, when you say a "small rat 4 weeks old", how exactly big is that. The large rats I have been feeding are a teeny bit wider than the largest girth of my BP. So, when you say a small rat, how small should it be relative to the girth of my BP?