Too small prey item?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by rabernet

I am convinced from my own experiences and conversations I've had with Adam about my observations that 90% of the winter fasts are husbandry related:

Enclosure too large
Temps not stable, even a degree or two drop at night combined with shorter days can throw them off feed
Overfeeding
Overhandling
Hides too large

---

If that is the case as in
enclosure to large
hides to large
Then why only off feed in the winter ?
I have a bp that is wc or cb and he goes off feed every winter. Temps stay steady year round and same cage he has been in since he was about 1 yr old
Not over fed or over handled, same hides.
He eats like a champ until the days really shorten up and this year I have even put a light on a timer to counter act that and he just went off fed.
Just like clockwork.
I don't agree that husbandry always is the reason if it is wc or cb.

a small rat is def not too small IMO..

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by jotay

I don't agree that husbandry always is the reason if it is wc or cb.

---

I didn't say always, I said approximately 90%. If it's the "rule" rather than the exception that most ball pythons go off feed in the winter and it's NOT husbandry related, then have I just been extremely lucky with my 15? :confuzd:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Spaniard

What classifies an adult? I never really paid any thought to it. 2+ years or sexual maturity?

---

I'm sure I'm pretty liberal with my descriptions, but I call mine that are over 1200 grams adults, or at least adult sized. I know they still have a LOT more growth to go, but at 1200 grams, they should be fine with one small/small rat a week.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by rabernet

I'm sure I'm pretty liberal with my descriptions, but I call mine that are over 1200 grams adults, or at least adult sized. I know they still have a LOT more growth to go, but at 1200 grams, they should be fine with one small/small rat a week.

---

Ok thanks for clearing that up for me. I was thinking something along the same lines. With all the hatchling, yearling, sub-adult, adult classifications going around I didn't even bother sorting through that mess. Well I guess I'm going to try out the weaners for a while and see how it goes.

i have 7 bp's ranging from under 80 grams up to over 3000 grams and all are still eating on a regular basis . even my biggest females who were cooled for breeding continued to eat on their regular schedule . though there are some exceptions i believe that with proper care and maintenence , adams thoughts on the subject are pretty accurite . there are some snakes that will prove this wrong , but i dont have any in my collection thank god .

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by rabernet

I didn't say always, I said approximately 90%. If it's the "rule" rather than the exception that most ball pythons go off feed in the winter and it's NOT husbandry related, then have I just been extremely lucky with my 15? :confuzd:

---

And of your 15 how many are wc or cb? which is what I was saying.
I don't believe that the case in cbb going off feed, I would agree w/ you on them and it being a husbandry issue

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by jotay

And of your 15 how many are wc or cb? which is what I was saying.

---

Eleven are captive hatched, only four are captive bred. So the majority are farmed from Africa.

And, for what it's worth, Kashmire was the only faster I had. He fasted for six months last year, when I had him set up in a 20 gallon long. I thought my temps were remaining constant, but when I checked high/low, his temps were dropping a degree or two each night.

Now he's in a tub set-up, and he hasn't missed a meal since being moved into that set-up, which is a smaller enclosure and keeps the temps consistent, 24 hours a day. No signs of a winter fast this year - another reason I have the beliefs that I do.

I do recognize there are always exceptions, my point is simply that I believe "most" (not all) winter fasts are husbandry related.

It is highly unlikely that you can say, with absolute certainty, that the temperatures or daylight hours don't change during the winter. Unless you read on your thermostat that the min/max temps are identical and you have no windows in the room.

My snakes a year old and up have been fasting since September, with a couple random feeds in that period. I'm ok with that, if they're hungry they'll eat. My 06 girl hasn't missed one, she's over 300g now.

I feed larger prey items as well so they have fat to burn if they choose.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Sadie

It is highly unlikely that you can say, with absolute certainty, that the temperatures or daylight hours don't change during the winter. Unless you read on your thermostat that the min/max temps are identical and you have no windows in the room.

My snakes a year old and up have been fasting since September, with a couple random feeds in that period. I'm ok with that, if they're hungry they'll eat. My 06 girl hasn't missed one, she's over 300g now.

I feed larger prey items as well so they have fat to burn if they choose.

---

Lights are easy, run a light cycle of 14 hours light, 10 hours dark. My thermometer records the history of highs and lows.

For me, smaller meals, warm snakes, smaller enclosures = consistent feeders.