A recommendation for feeding a non-feeding ball python - Should I do it?

I posted a while back about my 2006 female normal that won't eat. I have tried f/t, pre-killed, live, mice, rats, and asfs. I have tried the zombie rodent dance, leaving it in her tub for an hour (only f/t and p/k), leaving it in her tub overnight (only f/t and p/k), pre-scenting her cage (leaving the rodent on top of the rack as she is in the top tub). And still, nothing is working. She is losing weight and beginning to get that triangle shape to her. Temperatures are always within normal limits (90-94), with the temperature mostly staying around 92. It will dip down and up depending on room temperature. Nothing has changed in her husbandry.

These were taken not too long ago.

http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r...113_153211.jpg

http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r...113_153245.jpg

This was her yesterday.
http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r...125_154913.jpg


I was talking with the owner of a reptile store about her and gave him her info as far as weight, housing, and her eating habits. He recommended throwing a male in with her to stimulate her to want to eat. He says it is that time of year and females will sometimes go on feeding strikes during breeding season. Breeding males and females are kept in the same rack. At last weigh in she was around 880g or so. Should I follow his advice? I'm very worried that if I do put a male in with her, she might breed and become gravid. In her current condition (low weight and becoming triangular) I'm worried this will harm her.

I don't know if I'd put a male in with her. This would seem to raise the stress level instead of getting her to feed. I would lower the temps to about 86 for a week or two. Then raise the temps back up. This can sometimes stimulate the feeding response.

Good Luck!
Jim Smith

I agree with Jim...no male. Has anyone ever told you about the paper trick? Ball up newspaper in loose balls and completely fill her tub. Give her about a week with the paper and offer her a live weaned rat. Leave it in with her for a couple hours with the paper still in. Weaned rats are pretty much harmless when it comes to attacking a snake. Leave the paper in for a few months. This adds security. This has been a very sucessful trick for a lot of problem feeders.

Cram her in a smaller tub for a couple of weeks then offer a meal of a live mouse or ASF after dark..At 880 she can fit into a 6qt tub no problems..just give her a tub and a water bowl..

I've had to move girls back down in tub size to get them back eating before.. try that..

I'd try moving her to a smaller tub as well. We just picked up 2 '06 het albinos that are less than 600g each and he was keeping them in 41 qt tubs, no wonder they weren't eating for him!!! We moved them to smaller tubs, gave them 2 super tiny hides and they're eating on a 5 day schedule now to get them to their proper weight!

I have tried the male trick and it does work. I have had three different females at different times around 1 KG that stopped eating for over two months I put them in with a male for a week then moved them back to their own tubs and they started to eat aggressively again. I did not see any locks with any of them while they were with the male and none of them have become gravid but they are eating again every week. But I'm sure it is possible for them to breed and become gravid which would not be the best thing for them so I guess its a try it at your own risk type thing but it did work well for me so far.

I have two bp's (one male and one female) both just over 1,600 grams - what is the smallest tub I could offer.

My only smaller option is from a cb70 tub to a RBI Sweater box tub - would this work??

Also, does dropping the heat to 86 pose any risk of getting an RI.

Thanks.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by L.West

I have two bp's (one male and one female) both just over 1,600 grams - what is the smallest tub I could offer.

My only smaller option is from a cb70 tub to a RBI Sweater box tub - would this work??

Also, does dropping the heat to 86 pose any risk of getting an RI.

Thanks.

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If you don't have a small enclosure, then follow the recommendations of filling the tub with crushed newspaper. 86 degrees is not a dangerous temp. There are breeders that do cool their ball pythons before breeding and 84-86 are the typical temps they use.

Jim Smith

I had put her in a 16qt tub. I don't have anything smaller to put her in. She's in the 32 now. I'll try the paper trick and see if that works.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by FatBoy

I agree with Jim...no male. Has anyone ever told you about the paper trick? Ball up newspaper in loose balls and completely fill her tub. Give her about a week with the paper and offer her a live weaned rat. Leave it in with her for a couple hours with the paper still in. Weaned rats are pretty much harmless when it comes to attacking a snake. Leave the paper in for a few months. This adds security. This has been a very sucessful trick for a lot of problem feeders.

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This has never failed me.

An update.....

I tried the paper trick and it didn't work. She still refuses to eat. Because she is in the same rack as breeding females I can't lower the temperatures to 86 and back up again. All of my other snakes are eating once a week, never fail. Its just her and I really don't understand why.

Hi,

Have you tried offering her a chick?


dr del

would it be okay to put a 1,500 gram female into a 15qt tub with just a water bowl in an attempt to get her to eat?? Or is this too small.

Thanks

I have not. Ball pythons eat chicks? :P I'm not sure where I could get one as its not really the time yet for chicks locally (at least I don't think so. I don't know, I don't breed chickens) and they are only offered in bulk online.

Hi,

That's why I rarely suggest them - I would have to buy a bag of 50 and have oinly ever used them as occasional meals so the amount of freezer space they would take up puts me off.

They are however cheap as chips so buying a bag of 50, taking 10 out, and throwing 40 away won't be too heartbreaking even for a tightfisted jock like me. :P

But at least 2 of my BP's go cookoo for coco puffs over the things so, as a last resort to tempt a non feeder, it is probably worth a go.


dr del

Try the male it has worked for me several times.

I put a male in with her that wasn't in the mood to breed anyway (I've been putting him in with another female with no success so far). I left them like that overnight and removed him the next morning. Then I left her alone. Today I went and got a live rat pup and within one minute of it being in with her, I heard the squeak! I left the room and when I came back 15 minutes later, the pup was gone. :D

Yay! Her first meal in quite a while! Thanks for all the advice! Now if only she'll continue eating!