500g Male BP not eating

Well I though this would never happen to me, or at least with my current BPs because they are well stablished and usualy are very aggresive eaters. But my Male Lemon Pastel has decided to stop eating. :mad:

At first I found it weird because he didnt want to eat a week after his shed. Which they are usualy very hungry and agressive when they eat the next saturday after shed (I always feed saturdays). So that is 2 weeks he did not eat. The 3rd time I fed him, he ate. A small rat in the smaller side. The next week up he did not eat again. the next week again not eating. That is 2 weeks again. The 3rd week is up again today, he does not want to eat. Not even a mice and I even tried one of the weaned ASFs. Nothing...

Now I wouldnt be worried if he has and Older male, since I know they go off feed during breeding season. But he is just some months old at 500g! Is it possible he can go off feed at this age and weight because of breeding? Im very confused. I dont think this is why, but I have though about it. What makes it more confusing is the fact that I have yearling 800g Male Axanthic and he is eating fine.

All my BPs are in 28qt tubs with flexwatt heattape controlled by a ranco. The 3 I have here sit next to each other and share the same heat tape for many months now. The temps are fine, hides, etc etc. The other BPs are doing just fine.


This is him some weeks ago, not sure how long, but cant be that long.
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y18...i/100_1548.jpg

Most recent one, you can see by the date stamp.
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y18...i/100_1769.jpg

So as you can see he has been doing great just up until these last weeks.

I have some males who go off feed at about this time of year. He might be in breeding mode already.

When does breeding season start and how long does it last?

Around when will he eat again?

Thanks! :gj:

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Originally Posted by Danounet

When does breeding season start and how long does it last?

Around when will he eat again?

Thanks! :gj:

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Starts when temps start changing, keep trying maybe he'll eat soon it really depends on the animal. Your not doing anything wrong they eat when they choose too.

Any ambient temps under 80 could cause him to go off feed. Try bumping the room temps up. Some snakes just fast more than others and yours maybe one of those.

Well house temps is 79~ unless is sleeping time, then is around 74.

Warm side under hide is around 91, far side on the colder end is around 80.

Thanks

put him with a female if you can and see what happens

my lesser was never a "good" eater, always ate live and it took him like a half hour to take the damn rat, once he got laid, hes a better eater than ever, first time he ate frozen was last week, tho i do feed him only every 2 weeks now since he doesn't need to gain any more weight, just slow and steady for him now.

I dont have a female for him, wish I did!

My only female is a 525g normal about the same age as him, my first BP. And just bought a hatchling spider female.

Urgh so I bought 2 mice, to try something out with him.

First I tried an ASFs, completely ignored it. But he never ate one before. My other 2 BPs took their first ASFs ever without hessitation.

Second a smaller Small Rat, which he has been eating for months, pretty much ignored it.

Third I tried one of the mice that I though he was gonna ignored too, but he grabed it from my hands before I droped it, almost taged me too. I felt bad for him not eating for so long and droped the second mice and he ate it too.

Is there a reason why he would not want what to eat what he has been eating for months and to even not want to try an ASF?? To be honest I dont remember feeding him Mice more than twice and he has been with me for months, at least 5 or 6. The last time he ate a mice was many months ago.

He skipped his feeding day again with a small rat and ASF... I gonna try to use mice bedding on the small rat next time I get a chance to go to the pet store to buy some.

But Im just realy confused now, This doesnt make sence to me :(

honestly, don't worry too much. my female did not eat for 6 months! she stopped eating about this time (beginning of breeding season) and she was only 800g. so she was NOWHERE near breeding weight. ball pythons do this alot. they'll eat when they want to again. just be sure to keep offering meals. he's gorgeous!

Mice are more smelly IMO.
They usually tend to like them nice and smelly.

It's 100% normal at this time of year. He wants some booty(that's flavored water all you kids out there).:D

It really is more common than not that a male would do this at this size. If you can find a healthy big girl you can try and get them to drink some flavored water together.:D

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Originally Posted by Big Gunns

It's 100% normal at this time of year. He wants some booty(that's flavored water all you kids out there).:D

It really is more common than not that a male would do this at this size. If you can find a healthy big girl you can try and get them to drink some flavored water together.:D

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Unfortunetly I dont have a big girl lol :P

This is my first year of keeping BPs. My biggest girl is under 600g, my first BP, normal.

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Originally Posted by Danounet

Unfortunetly I dont have a big girl lol :P

This is my first year of keeping BPs. My biggest girl is under 600g, my first BP, normal.

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They're not that hard to find, and there are a lot of reptile shops close to you. You have plenty of time to find a healthy girl and get them both ready to "drink".

Well even if I could find a breedable female, my living situation at the moment is not suitiable for breeding any BPs. Next year I will give it my first shot. :)

I guess I'll just sit and wait this one out...

I have two males right now who just are not wanting to eat. I even took one to the vet the other day just to be certain there wasn't more than wanting to breed going on. My vet said the snake looked fine, no disease, no problems just a normal male on the prowl. I am not breeding this season as none of my girls are big enough yet, so both my boys are just gonna have to tough it.
Try keeping the males away from the female cages to decrease the scent.

I wouldn't worry about it. I have a Fire male that hasn't eaten in two months and is about the same size. I actually talked to my vet who has more years experience with reptiles than I've been alive and he said even when they might not be "breeder size/age" they will still do this.

COULD EAT NEXT WEEK OR 9 MONTHS FROM NOW,THATS WHAT THEY DO,YOU CAN TRY MICE OR ASF's ON RAT PUPS.

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Originally Posted by tarzan07

honestly, don't worry too much. my female did not eat for 6 months! she stopped eating about this time (beginning of breeding season) and she was only 800g. so she was NOWHERE near breeding weight. ball pythons do this alot. they'll eat when they want to again. just be sure to keep offering meals. he's gorgeous!

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Females are notorious for going off feed right around the 1000 gram mark. Which can be maddening for people trying to fatten up one for breeding. As for your male not eating. He was just being stubborn. BPs are also notorious for that. You could have let him go until he got hungry enough to take a rat or do exactly what you did.

Alot of people wont take that much time to find something their BP will eat if they suddenly go off feed. As long as they are of a good weight and thickness, which yours is, it wouldnt hurt him to not eat even for a few months.

As he gets older he may do it more. Try raising the temp just 2 degrees in his tank. It may help. May not. Plus males are ready to breed at 6 to 8 months of age usually. If your little guy is producing plugs already he might be in breeding mode. Its possible.

My Female pastel is only 650g or so and she has been off for 3 weeks now, guess its normal she just doesn't seem interested I was a bit disappointed I was hoping to really fatten her up and hope to breed her next year...

Whats an easy way to check for sperm plugs? or guide me in the direction to find out :P

Something easy with not too much risk for the BP since It's my first time :8:

Thank You!

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Originally Posted by Draigess

Females are notorious for going off feed right around the 1000 gram mark. Which can be maddening for people trying to fatten up one for breeding. As for your male not eating. He was just being stubborn. BPs are also notorious for that. You could have let him go until he got hungry enough to take a rat or do exactly what you did.

Alot of people wont take that much time to find something their BP will eat if they suddenly go off feed. As long as they are of a good weight and thickness, which yours is, it wouldnt hurt him to not eat even for a few months.

As he gets older he may do it more. Try raising the temp just 2 degrees in his tank. It may help. May not. Plus males are ready to breed at 6 to 8 months of age usually. If your little guy is producing plugs already he might be in breeding mode. Its possible.

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Originally Posted by Danounet

Whats an easy way to check for sperm plugs? or guide me in the direction to find out :P

Something easy with not too much risk for the BP since It's my first time :8:

Thank You!

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Take your snake over to Ben Seigels store or Underground reptiles in Deerfield. Someone there will probably help yah. BG would help, but he only meets fans when paid big appearance fees.:D

Lol thanks, I'll try to do that.

Might call Ben first just to make sure it's ok.