2 1/2 weeks with no feed?

Hi. I would like to start off saying that i recently found out that my 4 month old BP Mitch is... a girl! Mitch hasn't eaten anything since 1/7/11. I put a rat in her tank and she bit at it a few times and after a while i took it out since the rat was too big. I put a smaller rat, one that she can definitely eat in the tank, but she dosent seem interested. She just goes right in its face and eyeballs it a bit, then continues on her way. Should i be worried? Why isnt she eating? As i speak she is just kind of searching the tank like she wants out or is hungry or something. *sigh* any advice? Should i kill the rat and try feeding her the dead rat?

Can you give us some details on your husbandry?

Pretty much anyone who knows enough to help will ask about the set-up..

Tank, temps, substrate, ect.. You may want to start with that info.

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Originally Posted by Deborah

Can you give us some details on your husbandry?

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Lol, Deborah beat me to it :rolleyes:

Deborah's right. What is your warm side temp, cool side temp, humidity etc.
2 and 1/2 weeks of not eating is nothing. I wouldn't worry to much.

Bp's do that. One of mine hasnt ate since November, tonite I offered him a rat and took it. They will do that especially this time of year, breeding season. Not saying that's why yours isn't eating, but it's a good chance!

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Originally Posted by yeroc1982

Bp's do that. One of mine hasnt ate since November, tonite I offered him a rat and took it. They will do that especially this time of year, breeding season. Not saying that's why yours isn't eating, but it's a good chance!

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A typical 4 months old BP will VERY rarely fast, winter fast tend to happen in older individual, hatchling and juvies are voracious and usually eat including during the winter, there are a few exception however it's not what they typically do at that age, a close look at the husbandry is often the answer with younger animal.

Heres a pic.

My humidity gauge fell off into the water dish the other day... so im not trusting it. Im going to buy a new one soonish. shes got a 20gal tank, 2 hides, humidity is usually fine. 60-70. I have a UTH and a heating blanket under a normal blanket that keeps her warm. With a reptistat that turns the heat off at 92 degrees. Ive been cleaning her tank whenever she makes a mess, or a rat destroys the place!

http://img17.imageshack.us/img17/7686/imag0045af.th.jpg

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Also i just weighed her and she is 383 grams. on 1/3/11 she was 364.

At 383 grams I would make sure that rat is of appropriate size...It might be too big, so she might be shying away from it. Could be the season like someone else said, and my one male is on and off with food right now. 2 weeks is really nothing to be worried about, so don't panic. My one male went off for 5 months, and then one day he decided he was hungry again. Try offering a smaller meal, and see what happens. Also try f.t, its a lot safer for your snake.

First thing, a 20 gal is a tad larger than I would use for a BP that size. It's no big deal though, she's not a hatchling thank heavens. If I were you I would add fake plants to the tank to take us space and help her to feel more secure. You can eventually take it out or leave it in if you like, but I would leave it until she is eating regularly for several weeks.

My other advice. When you offer her food give her space. You want the mouse/rat to be about the same thickness as the thickest part of your snake. Make sure the mouse/rat is well fed and watered and leave the room for 10 minutes. Shut off the lights too! If you check back and she still hasn't ate, give her another 10 minutes. To me it sounds like she's definitely interested and just needs some room. I personally have never had a snake strike a prey item without eating it after I have given it some space (left the room and shut off the lights).

Mine was a little older when this happened (she surprised me with her secret gender identity as well lol), but she just really didn't like the one rat that I tried to feed her. At this point I was still feeding live but i turned the lights off and waited across the room watching and she had zero interest. I ended up keeping the rat because I couldn't kill it and thats how I have my pet rat. But anyways the point is that she didn't care at all for that one, but I tried again the next week and she ate fine. Just a weird situation.

She was in a 10 gal. but she needs bigger hides already, and she didnt have alot of room in her 10 gal. So i bumped her to a 20. I know a local breeder that has a few hundred BP's and she said the 10gal is too small for her. So i put her in the 10 gal a few days ago, and loaded it with paper balls. I threw the small rat in there with the paper balls and she still wasnt interested after about an hour i took out the rat. She has been laying ouside her hides and crawling around a little all night... like shes hungry... EAT MITCH! :.(

Hi, Im new to the forum and new to ball pythons. I was starting to worry about my snake not eating but this thread answered some questions.