My snake is off eating for the winter.....

nevermind, my parents said I cant buy another heater, they dont want it left on all day everyday, i guess im buying another t-stat/UTH

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Originally Posted by rabernet

My own personal experience? Nope, it's not really normal for a healthy ball python to fast if all your husbandry is correct. I've got babies, juvies and adults in my collection. Not a faster among them this entire winter.

From my own experience if your husbandry is spot on (proper sized enclosure, proper sized hides, consistent temps, no overhandling, no overfeeding) they will eat every week for you.

Last year I had a faster - it was the only one kept in a 20 gallon long with hides too big, and temps that fluctuated with the room temps. All the others ate every week (in a rack and tub set-ups). Put him in a tub with small tight hides, and he broke his fast and has not fasted this winter.

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"Many ball pythons that have been eating regularly will stop feeding in the winter and will most likely not begin feeding again until late Spring. Although nerve racking to the owner, this is typical ball python behavior. Unless your snake is younger than one year of age or under weight, this fast should not pose any problems for your snake." - The Sutherland's

"Some ball pythons, especially wild caught animals, will fast from time to time even though they had been feeding regularly. This is not usually cause for alarm. Make sure all the cage parameters are correct, continue to offer food weekly, and be patient. Most resume feeding after a while." - Bob Clark

"There are periods of time during the year when fasting is common. Sometimes the fast can last several months and seems to be part of the normal life cycle of a Ball Python." - Mike Wilbanks

"Be prepared for the possibility of your snake going off feed, and keep an observant eye on the snake's overall condition and body weight. This is typically nothing to worry about with healthy, well established pythons, although it can be extremely frustrating to the keeper. If your snake is healthy continue your husbandry routine as usual, yet reduce the amount of handling the snake receives to a minimum. Offer your ball python food every 10-14 days until interested in eating again, as the snake will eventually "turn back on" and resume feeding normally." - NERD

Considering the experience and credibility of these guys, I'd consider fasting a fairly normal occurence in Ball Pythons. As long as all your other husbandry issues are correct I wouldn't worry about it...:)

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Originally Posted by sho220

"Many ball pythons that have been eating regularly will stop feeding in the winter and will most likely not begin feeding again until late Spring. Although nerve racking to the owner, this is typical ball python behavior. Unless your snake is younger than one year of age or under weight, this fast should not pose any problems for your snake." - The Sutherland's

"Some ball pythons, especially wild caught animals, will fast from time to time even though they had been feeding regularly. This is not usually cause for alarm. Make sure all the cage parameters are correct, continue to offer food weekly, and be patient. Most resume feeding after a while." - Bob Clark

"There are periods of time during the year when fasting is common. Sometimes the fast can last several months and seems to be part of the normal life cycle of a Ball Python." - Mike Wilbanks

"Be prepared for the possibility of your snake going off feed, and keep an observant eye on the snake's overall condition and body weight. This is typically nothing to worry about with healthy, well established pythons, although it can be extremely frustrating to the keeper. If your snake is healthy continue your husbandry routine as usual, yet reduce the amount of handling the snake receives to a minimum. Offer your ball python food every 10-14 days until interested in eating again, as the snake will eventually "turn back on" and resume feeding normally." - NERD

Considering the experience and credibility of these guys, I'd consider fasting a fairly normal occurence in Ball Pythons. As long as all your other husbandry issues are correct I wouldn't worry about it...:)

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Yep, I second that thought. Go thru it every winter. Have for going on 4 yrs now. Vet told me the same as all the other quotes up there.
It is what it is, period.