Question about not eating.....

I know that is isn't unusual for a BP to turn down a meal, but Dax hasn't eaten in 3 weeks now. He turned down food the first week, but I wasn't to worried because he was in blue. Even though he has never turned down food before. The week after we purposefully skipped feeding him, and then went to offer food last night. He wouldn't touch it.
We did the zombie dance with it for about 10 minutes, the heated the head and belly with a blow dryer and offered it again, nothing.
So we put it in with him and left it, he has eaten sometimes that way. He didn't.
He is active, eating, pooping, drinking, and looks good. Should I be worried?
On a side note, I'm sure this has nothing to do with eating, he knocked over his feeding tub last night, popped the lid off, and was sitting happily on the floor when I left the room to clean and fill his water dish. He was unhurt, and was cheerfully twining around me while I was inspecting him for any hurts from falling. Was he so bored with the idea of eating he just wanted out?

First, you don't need a feeding tub. They can eat in their own enclosure, he will feel more secure. Second, try feeding live, he might go for it.

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Originally Posted by Mina

He is active, eating, pooping, drinking, and looks good. Should I be worried?

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Nope. If he has a good environment and nothing has changed (hides, temps, etc) then don't worry about it. It could be that you fed meals that were too large and he's just catching up, or he could just be uninterested in eating. Just keep offering his normal meal every week or two and he'll start eating eventually.

Although it would be a good idea to keep an eye on his weight and any changes in attitude. If he stopped eating because of stress, other symptoms may show up such as aggression or even an upper respiratory infection.

What is your setup like..Have you changed anything in the enclosure in the past month or two??

Cartmans Dad: Thank you for the suggestions, but we have used a feeding tub for the entire time we have had him, and we use one for all four of our snakes and feel it is important. I will not feed him live unless there is absolutely no other alternative, period. He has eaten f/t his whole life. I appreciate you taking the time to give my you opinons, Thank you very much.

No, there have been no changes in his viv, bedding, hides or anything else. The only thing different than all other times was his shed. I'm just going to be patient and continue offering food once a week. Who knows, maybe we just stuffed him and he is out of room for now.

Hi Mina,


I take it the shed was complete and he got the eyecaps off ok?



dr del

Dr. del, yes, the shed was fine and both eyecaps are off. He is being very active today, and if I didn't know that he had refused food last night I'd say he is hunting because he is hungry.