Re: Not eating (7 months)
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Bogertophis
Do you know her actual age? You got her as a large adult, right? Re-homing older snakes can sometimes affect them worse than with the younger ones- especially if they've only had one home prior. But I doubt that's the issue here- it's possible she's older than you were led to believe?
I'm not a fan of "force-feeding"- if you'd like instructions for tube-feeding, I'll happily pm them to you- it's gentler than "force-feeding" & doesn't make for a weird association or fear of the prey.
By the way, in an earlier post you mentioned trying to feed her large rats- but some snakes prefer smaller ones- have you tried offering SMALL rats? I would.
What about mice? Some BPs have a strong preference for mice- was the prior owner feeding rats, or mice (if you know)??? (& some sellers lie)
I've often found that a snake that hasn't eaten for a long time just doesn't have the energy or feel well enough to have an appetite*, & that once you give them some easily-digested "energy" in the form of a tube-feeding, they feel better & may resume eating normally- sometimes even after only one time. I know many are hesitant to try tube-feeding because of those bad experiences shared by people that did it wrong, but personally, that's what I'd so. There may also be some sort of health issue going on here that you cannot see- might want to consult an experienced vet also.
*It's similar to the difference that an I.V. makes for a human that's hospitalized- without it, they'd just keep going downhill.
I do not know her age honestly. I do know that she is a full grown adult and was never bred.
I was told she was on Frozen thawed rats when I got her but as you say sometimes people can lie.
I have been trying some smaller prey and have used medium sized rats as well as large mice.
I will try the tube feeding if it is something that might help. Honestly I do not like the idea or practice of force feeding either. It seems cruel but I don't want her to die so I was willing to try. I'm also willing to try the tube feeding if you would like to give me instructions in a DM
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Re: Not eating (7 months)
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Bogertophis
PM sent. She's a pretty snake- I hope you can get her going.
Thanks. I'm going to give it a try!
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Re: Not eating (7 months)
Don’t give up. Decades ago I had 2 BPs go 8 & 12 months without food and they were both fine. They were the main reasons I stopped keeping BPs 😀. That said, after a year of extensive efforts, and if she’s losing significant weight, it’s probably time for a vet visit. I hope she turns around for you.
