The dreaded 1000g wall

Any ideas from the Kings and Queens of Feeding Technique's out there how I can get my Female Pastel Poss Het Pied to get over the 1000g mark? She made her way up to 1100 about 2 months ago, and since then drifted back down to 990 or so. She's driving me crazy.

Husbandry is spot on, She's healthy and sweet as a clam.. just not wanting to even sniff any food. I've tried small prey, pre-killed zombie dances, mice.. only thing I haven't tried is the ASF route. Haven't really tried looking here in the Bay Area, Ca but running out of ideas. I just don't want her to get hooked on the Candy Rats.

HELLLLLP!!!!!

(you all are the best, thanks so much for the constant advice and awesome words):bow:

How long has it been since shes stopped eating?
She could just be fasting. Theres many reasons why snakes to this, it can be maturing, hormones, changes in enviroment, etc.
I wouldnt worry too much.
If you must ...feed her live, if she doesnt take a live rodent shes most likey just fasting. Offer her food weekly until she comes out of it. One day she will eat again.

I've only ever had this problem with one of my females. When she reached around 1000gr she decided she didn't want food anymore. So what I did was I left her completely alone for 2 weeks. I then tried to offer her a rat when the two weeks was up and she took it. Never had a problem after that.
I'm not saying it will work for everyone....that's just my personal experience and what I did.

Slow offering... Leave her be for 2 weeks and offer weaned rat... You can leave live weanling over night... it Shouldn't harm Your snake.. If that doesn't help wait 3 weeks for another feeding and same story.. very small (35-40g weaned rat)...
Works for me... :gj:
After 4 months non eating my female drop from 1087 to 960... and that method works.. (after 3 weeks leave her be weaned rat survived 2 hours... 2 weeks after that small rat survived 15 sec)... She eats 60g rats every week now and...
I need to drop rats fast into tub if i wanna keep my fingers intact :rofl::rofl::rofl:

Hope that will work for You...

I dont even stress on bps not feeding anymore, I keep records on them all and if they dont eat then ill try next time, just means that another bp is getting lucky that day and getting 2 rats...but one thing i do that works all the time is i get a p/k rat and jiggle it near the bp and for some reason that triggers it and they tend to eat at that point. Good Luck

Oh my ex-1080 is now 970. When he continued eating after 1000 I was pretty hopeful, but that was too soon. It's been over 6 months..

I have had the same trouble with a few similar sized balls this year. I ended up putting them back into smaller tubs and the next week they resumed feeding. Another thing I do is offer a rat that looks different from what I normally feed (usually white lab rats), and offer them a black/brown rat. It's weird to me how those two things work but they have worked for me many times. I hope this helps and I hope you get some pieds out of her.

I have found if you put a male in with them for a week they go back to pounding food. There is a small risk that they will breed and she is not really big enough to breed but so far I have tried this on 4 females none of them bred but they are all pounding food now. The only downside is it is possible for her to become pregnant at this size and most people would not want that but like I said I have done it with 4 females and it worked every time and none became pregnant.

Thanks everyone so much for your ideas and replys. I think I will def leave her alone for a couple of weeks and put her in a smaller bin. She is in a 32 quart right now, with a tight hide, and I even tried balling up a bunch of newpaper to make her feel even more secure.. but have also been throwing food at her every week. maybe if I let her be in a smaller enclosure for a couple weeks and not bother her she will come around. Will let you all know when (if) she comes around.

THAAAAANNNNK YOUUUUU ALLLLLLL!!!!!! :bow::bow::bow::bow:

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Originally Posted by jason79

I have found if you put a male in with them for a week they go back to pounding food. There is a small risk that they will breed and she is not really big enough to breed but so far I have tried this on 4 females none of them bred but they are all pounding food now. The only downside is it is possible for her to become pregnant at this size and most people would not want that but like I said I have done it with 4 females and it worked every time and none became pregnant.

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This is what I do

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Originally Posted by garweft

This is what I do

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Interesting... and it works pretty well for you as well? I guess I can always use a male that isn't a very aggressive breeder just to be more on the safe side?

It's interesting to see others having this issue. I have three girls that seem to be stuck between 1000-1100 grams. I may also try some of these suggestions.

Just an update... just checked her card. Last meal was a small to med rat on April 10th. So it's been just under 3 months since eating.

I just moved her to a smaller bin. She is now in one of those taller 15qt bins. Just her and her waterbowl, hopefully this will help. I will not bother her for 2 weeks and try a small rat again, live of course. Wish me luck!

it hasnt eaten for 6 months? not really normal for spring/summer. have u checked for mites and/or RI?

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Originally Posted by musclebabe

it hasnt eaten for 6 months? not really normal for spring/summer. have u checked for mites and/or RI?

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6 months? No, it's almost been 3 months. She doesn't and has never had mites and doesn't have an RI either.

I don't know where 6 months came from.. her last meal was april 10, which means July 10th will be 3 months.

SHE ATE, SHE ATE, SHE ATE, SHE ATE!!!!!!!

hahahaha... oh man I am so relieved. Well, Consensus was: I left her in the smaller tub for a little over a week, when I went to check on her yesterday she had soaked her substrate in her water bowl (I use newprint, unprinted), and she was basically soaking wet and a little unresponsive and lethargic (think it was because there was so much water in her tub from the bowl and she was a little cold. Her body temp on her head read 80 degrees.

Anyways, I immediatley put her into her original 32 qt tub and put a small hopper in with her. She immediatley took notice to it and gave it a very lazy strike (mouth closed). Decided to leave it in with her over night knowing that it was just a small hopper and barely a weaner yet so couldn't do any damage to her.

Woke up this morning and it WAS GONE!!!! Oh man, I am so relieved... she was much more responsive and strong this morning. The 3 month fast is finally over, thank goodness. Thanks again for all your concerns and hints and ideas everyone!

Next question, next week should I go with a small prey again for a few weeks or shall I step it up in size a tad bit? Your thoughts?

:banana::banana::banana::banana::banana::banana::banana::banana::banana: