Good&bad news, force feeding the only option left?

I had my first bp go for at least 4 months without eating ( thats as long as i had him before i got him, dont know about before that ). In that time he did not shed, but continued to make regular bowel movements. It finally got to the point after 4 months that he shed and then he ate. I really dont think a bp can starve itself to death. I would only force/assist feed if my reptile's life was in danger

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Originally Posted by Marla

No, you're not the only one who's heard of it. Generally, assist feeding and force feeding should only be done by very experienced keepers or after a vet's recommendation and demonstration. It is stressful for the animal and can make them less likely to feed voluntarily and more likely to regurge. That said, sometimes it's the only way to get them to eat and should be done.

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So the Reptile Shop shouldn't be assist feeding my ball?
My ball is a baby, only about a month old.
Last week the baby did eat itself though, without assisting.

I can't tell you whether the shop's keepers are experienced enough, but if I had to make a guess, I'd say no, they shouldn't be assist-feeding, especially with a month-old baby.

Assist feeding was what I meant, but it would also be very stressful for him and I've never done it. I wonder what the other baby died of then, if not starvation? She had a nose rub, but was otherwise normal. She'd probably ever eaten once or twice in her life before me getting her, and hadn't eaten for two months. She didn't have RI either and as far as I know the chance of parasites would have been very slight... That's why I'm so worried about this snake, don't want the same to happen to him. He's probably also only eaten a few times in his life.

The soap wash method was something I heard of on another forum. You just wash the prey item with some perfumeless soap to make it smell less dead. Don't know if that's the reason he took it or if he had other reasons, but the important thing is that he ate...

I think your plan to take the snake to the vet is a very good one. There are numerous possible reasons that it may not be eating and it's difficult to really assess condition by description and photos. It could have parasites or a sore in its mouth or a problem with its trachea or any of a hundred or so other reasons not to eat, including of course the standard stress. You have made every reasonable effort, it seems, and don't want to lose another one. If you're lucky, it will be something treatable (like a mouth sore) and if not, she may still have some helpful ideas for you.

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Originally Posted by Marla

I can't tell you whether the shop's keepers are experienced enough, but if I had to make a guess, I'd say no, they shouldn't be assist-feeding, especially with a month-old baby.

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Well the shop itself is a Reptile Shop with 90 percent Reptiles 10 percent Exotics just as "Skunks" and "Suger Gliders" ...
Okay, I'll make sure next time I go to the pet shop for her to eat they won't assist feed her ... since shes being switched over to frozen/thawed this week. First I thought they were educated about BPs ... but sadly I'm starting to doubt it.

He told me my setup needed only one hide and a water dish.
Whats even worse he told me I needed to turn on my Sun Glo 50W bulb during the day and turn it off at night ... He didn't even bother what the temp in my house is ... The temps in my house get low as 70.
THANK GOD I FOUND THIS FORUM, otherwise I would never go out and buy a heat pad, you guys should be proud you saved a BP.

I recently found a small red bump coming out my BPs mouth, I'll ask them exactly what the bump is ... which I highly doubt they'll know ... so I'll be going to the vet right after.

Yup, sounds like a vet trip is in order. Some reptile shops are really good and some are really bad. Most tend to be on one extreme or the other for some reason. There's a shop very close to my home that is absolutely awful that's about 45% reptile, 45% rodent, and 10% other critter, and another shop several miles further that's about 90% reptile that's absolutely excellent and even has hots on display. If you are informed enough, though, you can figure out which are which and work from there.

Can I ask why you're going to the shopkeeper to feed her instead of doing it at home? Or is she still there and you haven't brought her home yet?

Well the main reason I take her to the shop is because shes my first ball ... (eats every sat) ... I took her there because they told me she needed to be assist feed ... This sat I'm bringing her there to show them the red bump ... and to switch to thawed ... but I'm probably going to skip a feeding so I can bring her to a vet first ...

Not to be picky, but that's a lot of moving to be doing after a feeding. I'd start feeding her at home if I were you, but definitely have the vet check out the bump, which could be the beginnings of mouth rot, first.

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Originally Posted by Marla

Not to be picky, but that's a lot of moving to be doing after a feeding. I'd start feeding her at home if I were you, but definitely have the vet check out the bump, which could be the beginnings of mouth rot, first.

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Yeah, I'm bringing her one last time to the Reptile Shop to ask them what the bump is (then off to the vet) ... and to get some frozen mice ... What should I be feeding her at about a month and a half ... shes about 12-14 inches ...