What the hell?

if its not of breeding weight and female. try getting some of the mouse bedding from the place you buy your rats and scent them like mice.. maybe he imprinted a bit on mice

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Originally Posted by GA_Ball_Pythons

Couple of thing here can you elaborate on your setup

Temps, Humidity, type of thermometer/hygrometer, type of hides, size of enclosure etc

While nothing has change sometimes husbandry issues will cause problems overtime.

How much weight has you BP lost exactly? How much did he weight before going of feed how much does he weight now, and when was his last meal?

I can tell you that every single one of my BP that are a year and over are eating right now!

As an owner the first thing to do is to try to find out if there is anything that can be done so your BP resume feeding.

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TEMP 95 WARM SIDE 85 COLD. HUMIDITY AROUND 50 USING ACURITE. HE ALSO HAS TWO IDENTICAL HIDES. AND THE ENCLOSURE IS A 30 GALLON GLASS AQURIUMI HAVE THE WEIGHTS WRITTEN DOWN AT HOME, I WILL POST THEM LATER. BUT THERE IS A BIG VISIUAL DIFFERENCE. AND HIS LAST MEAL WAS AROUND OCT. 31

If he's lost THAT much weight after only a month of fasting....I'd definitely be on the phone to a vet, setting up an appointment. And I would be trying to collect a stool sample as well, but that may or may not happen between now and the time you get in to see the vet.

It's not uncommon for them to suddenly stop eating. Husbandry issues are a very likely cause, but not the only. It could very well be seasonal, especially if you have a mature (or even a late juvi) female anywhere nearby that he might be smelling. Could be "teen angst" and he's just being difficult for reasons we won't ever figure out. Mine has done that.

The not eating for a month doesn't concern me all that much. The losing so much weight you can see it.....that's not right and needs to be looked into.

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Originally Posted by catalystsupreme

I WILL POST THEM LATER. BUT THERE IS A BIG VISIUAL DIFFERENCE. AND HIS LAST MEAL WAS AROUND OCT. 31

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The weight issue is definitely something that you need to be concern with; BP can go of feed for a month or 2 and barely lose any weight.

If the weight loss is such that it shows there must be something going on with you BP and the best thing to do is to make an appointment with an herp vet.

so do some bp's go off feed in the winter, if so for how long?

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Originally Posted by catalystsupreme

so do some bp's go off feed in the winter, if so for how long?

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Yes, sometimes they do. And how long really varies a lot. It depends on the snake in question and on the steps the keeper takes to try and get it eating again. There's really no way to say.

Again, as I've mentioned earlier...the fact that its stopped eating is much less of a concern than the fact that it has apparently lost so much weight in such a short time. Are you planning on taking him to a vet?

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Originally Posted by JLC

Yes, sometimes they do. And how long really varies a lot. It depends on the snake in question and on the steps the keeper takes to try and get it eating again. There's really no way to say.

Again, as I've mentioned earlier...the fact that its stopped eating is much less of a concern than the fact that it has apparently lost so much weight in such a short time. Are you planning on taking him to a vet?

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YEAH, I DEFINITELY WILL BE TAKING HIM TO THE VET THIS WEEK

How often are you handling him? I remember reading in the Barker's book that animals that are handled a lot and are fasting will lose weight far more quickly than those that are handled minimally.

I only had one snake fast for any significant period of time. He fasted for 8 months and lost about 50 grams in that time. I ceased all handling except what was necessary for enclosure maintenance.

If he lost the amout of weight you say yours has, he would have been at the vet last week!

My male fasts every winter since I have had him.( going on 5 yrs now ) I can tell by him being so active at night now he is about ready to go off feed. He will stay off until about April. Maybe eating a rat or two around the end of Jan.
But he doesn't lose very much weight. I can't really even tell until about March and then he just looks a tad thinner.

If yours has lost that much weight you need to get him to a vet asap like everyone is suggesting.

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Originally Posted by rabernet

How often are you handling him? I remember reading in the Barker's book that animals that are handled a lot and are fasting will lose weight far more quickly than those that are handled minimally.

I only had one snake fast for any significant period of time. He fasted for 8 months and lost about 50 grams in that time. I ceased all handling except what was necessary for enclosure maintenance.

If he lost the amout of weight you say yours has, he would have been at the vet last week!

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I HANDELED HIM AROUND THREE TIMES A WEEK BUT SINCE HE WENT OFF FEED I DONT TOUCH HIM UNTIL I MAKE ANOTHER FEEDING ATTEMPT ONCE A WEEK. AND I'LL BE MAKING THE APPOINTMENT TO SEE THE VET TODAY