At my wit's end.

Abuja has not eaten since December, ever since we moved him to a bigger, and better, cage.

His living arrangements consist of: A 36"X18"X18" glass tank with a towel draped over the top (humidity), the back, and the sides (security) which has now been replaced by black paper on the back and sides. His temps are always between 87 and 91 degrees (usually 88-89) Fahrenheit. Cypress mulch as substrate. 3 hides: A very secure hide (2) and a small bonsai tree for decoration (1). Humidity stays between 40%-65% with normal being 50%.

His habits consist of coming out at night from about 9pm-before 7 am. When he comes out he'll crawl around, on hides, look out through the glass, sometimes climbing vertically.

His feeding habits, or lack thereof, are basically showing interest in the mouse while it's in a little cardboard box, then as of right now, curling up to sleep in the corner of a tub with the mouse sleeping in the opposite corner.

Up until the new cage I've fed him in his cage. Currently, what I do before and during feeding is setting the mouse in the box in his cage for 2 minutes and waking Abuja up so he gets the scent. Then, I'll plop the mouse into a small tub and then the snake. I cover the tub with towels, providing a dark environment and I leave. I check every 10 minutes and I've had this environment for about 2-3 hours and he still will not eat.

Today we got a mouse and did all that. Then, I moved the snake and mouse to his cage. Still no interest. All Abuja wanted to do was get inside his hide and sleep.

I need help!

Here let's go about this like Sherlock Holmes..

What can we deduce from this statement

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Originally Posted by abuja

Abuja has not eaten since December, ever since we moved him to a bigger, and better, cage.

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by Freakie_frog

Here let's go about this like Sherlock Holmes..

What can we deduce from this statement

Quote:

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Originally Posted by abuja

Abuja has not eaten since December, ever since we moved him to a bigger, and better, cage.

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x2

So it's the cage size? Could I post a pic tomorrow of him in his cage just to make sure before I do anything drastic?

That size cage is good for adults and anything else IMO.

Down size that guy accordingly to his size.
* Hatchlings to 500 grams – 15 Quarts (17"L x 11 1/8"W x 6 3/8"H)
* Up to 1500 grams – 32 Quarts (23 1/2"L x 16 1/4"W x 6 3/8"H)
* 1500 grams+ – 41 Quarts (34 3/4"L x 16 1/2"W x 6"H)


Use the above to get a idea on the size of tank youll need.

The statement is already a give away on what caused the issue. Ive got good results in housing picky eaters on small tubs (sometimes even smaller on the required enclosure size), w/ shredded papers as substrate, and a good heat lamp to inscrease the temp. And I offer very small live prey items after a week or two of having the said setup.

The snake is stressed! Feed in the enclosure and clutter it with crumpled up newspaper for added security and no handling for a few weeks!

Put it back in the enclosure it was in if you're really worried. Read BG's recent thread before you do though.:gj:

Feeding in a separate enclosure may just be the reason.

My 09 BP is in a 36' Enclosure and she is doing just fine. Apart from not eating off the tongs. Though she still eats every week I just have to leave it and give her time.


Try feeding in the enclosure and adding more hides. Cover up the sides if you can, So only one side is open. Try to make the cage as secure as possible.


If you feed f/t try leaving it overnight.

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Originally Posted by RichsBallPythons

That size cage is good for adults and anything else IMO.

Down size that guy accordingly to his size.
* Hatchlings to 500 grams – 15 Quarts (17"L x 11 1/8"W x 6 3/8"H)
* Up to 1500 grams – 32 Quarts (23 1/2"L x 16 1/4"W x 6 3/8"H)
* 1500 grams+ – 41 Quarts (34 3/4"L x 16 1/2"W x 6"H)


Use the above to get a idea on the size of tank youll need.

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One size doesn't necessarily fit all. Move your snake into a smaller tub and feed him in his enclosure.

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Originally Posted by Seru1

My 09 BP is in a 36' Enclosure and she is doing just fine. Apart from not eating off the tongs. Though she still eats every week I just have to leave it and give her time.

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Woah! That's bigger then my backyard!

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Originally Posted by Jeremy78

Woah! That's bigger then my backyard!

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My bad!!

36" :rofl::rofl:

Just remember that tubs aren't always the holy grail of enclosures for everyone. :D

Tanks and homemade cages work fine...but any BP can get stressed if they aren't ready to be moved to a bigger enclosure. Case in point: my two males (albino and pastel) weren't eating at all after I moved them out of 20g long tanks and into 36x18x16 cages. Recently I moved them back to those tanks...and they're back to normal.

Also, as said, your snake is probably freaking out about being moved for feeding. There's absolutely nothing wrong with feeding a snake in their own enclosure. All those myths are just that - myths. :)

Try a smaller cage (not tiny, but not the current size either) and feed them in their home cage and you should see some eatin going on. :D

3 sides are covered and so is the lid. He's got 3 hides, water bowl, a log, and some vines. My mother is covinced that after not eating for four months that "he is on the verge of death". I would downsize him, but all i've got is a too small tub and my mother refuses to let me buy another cage.

How heavy is the snake?

Could you get a 28/32qt tub? maybe a 15/16qt?

When then, if she believe he is on the "verge of death" will she not allow you to take steps (buy a smaller cage) to correct the situation to help him begin eating again? This baffles me.

A tub is very inexpensive. They are usually less than $10. Even so, if you wish to keep him in that tank, I would add as many hides as you can, fill the tank with fake plants or balled up newspaper to make him feel more secure and then leave him alone for a week or so. Then try feeding again. Don't make a ton of changes and then attempt to feed the next day.

Also don't stress to much. Things you need to be worried about with BP's not eating. Is he losing weight fast? was he bitten by a rat or mouse before. BP's IN THE WILD MAY ONLY EAT FIVE MEALS A YEAR>>>>> they spend up to months on end hibernating. It's winter in December. I have a few Balls who shut down mid- September, and then gore themselves, in April till September. Check to see if your temps are good try raising them a few degrees for a few days and see if that gets him going. The main concern is him losing alot of weight very quickly. if he is then something else is wrong and get him to a vet. if he isn't then relax, warm him up a bit more and let him be a snake.

ok ok yeah he could be stressed, so set up his tank, and leave him be for a while (week)..... hides and temps are important. but i read you check every 10 mins and stuff that to much, put the mouse in there and go away for like and hour but also be listening for nosie and what not. also snakes can go for a long long time woth out eating i have an adult male that might eat 4-5 times a year and hes as healthy as any other snake i own hes just to worried with breeding i guess....so to me you dont need another tank you need a mouse cage, if your feeding live, and offer every 5 days, if your doing frozen get another snake that will eat that same prey item, hence my king snake i keep to the side, and offer it to him every 5 days if he dont eat your king would lol:D. but the most thing you can do is realize snakes are tough have a wonderful metabolisum, that aint how u spell it but you know what im sayin, and can go extreamly long with out eating, so just be calm and he should eat, sometime, a pic of him and setup would be great:gj:

He finally ate Wednesday night! We left the mouse in with him for 15 minutes, peeked in the cage, and couldn't find Sir Phillip III (the mouse)! Thank goodness Abuja finally ate.

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Originally Posted by abuja

He finally ate Wednesday night! We left the mouse in with him for 15 minutes, peeked in the cage, and couldn't find Sir Phillip III (the mouse)! Thank goodness Abuja finally ate.

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thats great to hear :gj: can u get asf? if so id try them, my guy that wont hardly eat will take them ALL the time