Problem with Male

Xefaud my 100% het pied normal male isn't eating. His last meal was on 1/19. He is losing weight. He is down in the 400's now when he used to be 563g. I've tried everything. His temps are fine, humidity is fine. He's in the equivalent of a 16qt tub (32qt divided)

Previous feeding dates:
11/30
11/25
11/16

Other than that he has been refusing every week. I did pair him up with a female around the time he began refusing food, but he has not been in with a female since before his last meal. I want to get him eating again since he's losing weight.

Did you try offering a smaller than normal prey size? That's what got my female out of her hunger strike.

have you tried other foods. if he was eating rats try a mouse or vice versa thats what got my female to start eating.

I have tried everything from rat pups to rat weans, mouse hoppers, to adult mice. I've tried f/t and live. He has no interest, what so ever. He is not going through a shed cycle. I even attempted to assist feed (putting a feeder in his mouth but not in his throat) and he refused. Normally I'm fine with snakes going on a feeding strike (I had two females go 4 months) but they didn't lose weight all that fast. Xefaud has been a great feeder up until now.

My pewter was being a little finiky when I got him. I put a African Rat in his cage and it broke his habit really quick.

Since you introduced him to your female, that could have put him on breeding alert. My ghost still is deciding not to eat and he hasn't at for over a month. They do drop mad weight when they intend to breed. I have separted my ghost on and off and he doesn't want to eat. Its normal for the season, especially since hes breeding.

I would also weight until he is done with his shed. Than try an African rat, smedium will probably do the trick :-)

But with that much weight loss, I'm getting worried about him. He's looking thin. None of my other ball pythons are having issues (not even the ones that used to be problem feeders). Males that usually fast for breeding season, when do they usually start eating again. If I don't pair him up with a female any more for the season, will he begin eating again soon? I'm just really worried about him. He didn't do this last season. :( I will try to get a picture of him with another one of my males so you can see the difference in him.

He is not in a shed cycle. I also do not want to put him on a feeder that is expensive. ASF are $4 a piece here because they are technically illegal in VA. A reptile store in the area has gotten permission to sell them as feeders but they only sell males (so I have no chance of getting a group to breed) and they are $4 each. It is also a 20-30 min drive to that store.

What is his gram weight now? 100g is kind of significant but isn't really that much over all. As long as he is drinking, he should be okay.

Does he have two hides? Maybe you could try different hides or put lots of crumpled newspaper in the tub with him?

Aslo, maybe raise his temps by a degree or two and see if that tricks him out of thinking its breeding season.

Just a few suggestions. . .

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Kaorte

Aslo, maybe raise his temps by a degree or two and see if that tricks him out of thinking its breeding season.

Just a few suggestions. . .

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I agree with raising the temps; maybe it will snap him out of breed mode if hes in it. Be thankful, my african rat was $6 lol. I'm just happy that he ate it ;-) My Ghost Male was at 1800+ when I started to breed him, now hes down to 1600. Hes a big guy though. My distributor told me that his males remind him of sticks when season is over. I have know males to go off feed for several months.

Thanks. His current weight is 480g. So thats 83g lost. I got some pictures of him and I'm uploading them now. I tried to get pictures that would really show the change I'm seeing in him. His body is starting to get that triangle shape. He always has fresh water in his tub, though I do not use hides. I will try adding a hide and try feeding him again next week.

http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r...Snake/thin.jpg
http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r...nake/thin2.jpg
http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r...nake/thin3.jpg

I do see what you mean about him getting thinner. The backbone is showing. How old is he? I'm wondering if he should have been huskier to handle being breed to a female. when you intend to breed you need to pack on the weight as much as possible.

Do you know if hes been drinking to get his fluids?

Hmmm....I have to stick with raise the temps in his enclosure, feed him in his enclosure, and just keep trying. I believe you said its been about a month right? I think its still a little early to be overly concerned. I would just try to make the few mods and see if it pans out.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Evilme5229

I do see what you mean about him getting thinner. The backbone is showing. How old is he? I'm wondering if he should have been huskier to handle being breed to a female. when you intend to breed you need to pack on the weight as much as possible.

Do you know if hes been drinking to get his fluids?

Hmmm....I have to stick with raise the temps in his enclosure, feed him in his enclosure, and just keep trying. I believe you said its been about a month right? I think its still a little early to be overly concerned. I would just try to make the few mods and see if it pans out.

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Last feeding dates:
11/30
11/25
11/16

He is an 07. He bred last season (and then we moved so everyone went off feed for a while) but he had been putting on weight at a steady rate so I figured he would be okay to breed. He did just fine last season so I don't know why he's being like this now. The other males are putting on weight just fine and are still eating even though they are both actively breeding. I have not seen him drinking but I give them all fresh water daily.

I will up the temperature and add a hide and try again in a week. I'll post an update on whether or not it works. Thanks!

(I will add, there was a month that the snakes did not eat due to the fact I had surgery and could not drive. The entire month of October, everyone went without food, but everyone picked back up in November, including Xefaud.)

And his last feeding date was 1/19 - a live mouse. Those three dates are his last recorded feeding dates before 1/19.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Kaorte

Last feeding dates:
11/30
11/25
11/16

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After than he had on 1/19

Yes, after those 3 (11/16/09, 11/25/09, and 11/30/09) feeding dates, he refused several meals, ate on 1/19/10 and then hasn't eaten since then.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jay_Bunny

And his last feeding date was 1/19 - a live mouse. Those three dates are his last recorded feeding dates before 1/19.

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There were successful feedings in Nov., but what happened in Dec. theres not one feeding? Is this the period of time you moved? It looks like theres a month and a half between your last feeding and its previous feedings in Nov.

Than you have a successful feeding 1/19 and than no feedings as of current. almost another month and a half. I'm wondering if hes lost the will to eat. I think because of the sparatic feedings, if he doesn't eat in the next week or two it might be a trip to the vet to be safe. I would say its very important to get your snake to eat on a regular and timely basis to prevent on and off sparatic feedings.

I'm sure it will turn around. Good luck to you.

He did not eat for 4 weeks during the month of October due to me having abdominal surgery. I wasn't allowed to drive for a few weeks after the surgery, so I was unable to get feeders. Then during the month of November, everyone began eating again. 11/16 is when I began keeping records on iherp. I began pairing up in the beginning of December which is when Xefaud began refusing food. He has been paired with a female twice but I stopped pairing him once I saw he was losing weight. He will not be bred for the rest of the season. I don't sporadically feed on purpose. Everyone else is feeding fine (though I need to be better about recording on iherp. :rolleyes: ) Even my snakes that were problem feeders in the past are eating on a weekly basis now.

Thats good to hear. I'll keep him in my snakie prayers for you. I'm sure he will get back on track. When he does, I would give him some rat pups or just weans to get the extra nutrients.