off food?

First off I am new to Balls so try to to rip me a new one

I was gifted an adult ball python about 3 months ago. it is about 4.5 ft long and was 1700g when I got it. the person who had it had only been feeding about 1X every 4-6 week so I started feeding med rats every week after some advice from here. Was also told he did not eat F/T but that is what I fed and he seemed fine with it. about 1 month ago he was a bit off for eating but I left the rat and he ate it before I came back the next day but since then has not eaten. He comes out acting interested in the rat but does not strike and had not eaten. I know that males can go on a fast in breeding season but that is not for a few months right? I checked his temps and he was a bit cold so I increased the size of his CHE. Any advice and when do I give a live rat to see if he will eat that?

Actually, the breeding season is getting underway now, so it could be a seasonal fast. Some of my males go off feed in the fall/winter, while the females tend to fast in the spring (and while gravid)... but it differs for every snake, as this year I had 2 males who fasted for 6 months from March-Sept. And I still have no idea why! That's just typical Python behavior, and I wouldn't worry unless the weight drops drastically - like 25%. And of course if he shows any signs of illness, such as respiratory sounds, mucus, lethargy, etc.

P.S. Wouldn't hurt to offer a live rat, as he might just be bored with f/t. ;) You could also try feeding every 10 days instead, since he was used to eating less frequently... a 10-day schedule should be fine for an adult male.

I have two "breedable" males right now that are off feed. I'd say just offer every 7-10 days as normal and when he's hungry he'll take it. It may be seasonal like it seems to be with mine, not sure how they know what time of year it is but they do. I only have one male that's taking food consistently still :rolleyes:

My males are just starting to get spotty as well. One off all together and two that always take skipped one and taken one. I expect that they will stop all together soon. Check the temps and check his weight and just offer as Lgrey said and pop him on the scale every now and again some weight loss is expected but I be concerned if it was more than 15%.

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Originally Posted by lizlopez

First off I am new to Balls so try to to rip me a new one

I was gifted an adult ball python about 3 months ago. it is about 4.5 ft long and was 1700g when I got it. the person who had it had only been feeding about 1X every 4-6 week so I started feeding med rats every week after some advice from here. Was also told he did not eat F/T but that is what I fed and he seemed fine with it. about 1 month ago he was a bit off for eating but I left the rat and he ate it before I came back the next day but since then has not eaten. He comes out acting interested in the rat but does not strike and had not eaten. I know that males can go on a fast in breeding season but that is not for a few months right? I checked his temps and he was a bit cold so I increased the size of his CHE. Any advice and when do I give a live rat to see if he will eat that?

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My 1150 gram male has been off for two months now. I just keep offering every week. My female did it last year for 4 months, it sucks when you are trying to get them up to breeding weight, but it;s just part of the ball python thing that you learn to accept. Like everyone said, just keep tracking the weight..

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Originally Posted by LGray23

I have two "breedable" males right now that are off feed. I'd say just offer every 7-10 days as normal and when he's hungry he'll take it. It may be seasonal like it seems to be with mine, not sure how they know what time of year it is but they do. I only have one male that's taking food consistently still :rolleyes:

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The "male" I got at a show [everyone who's checked says it's a female] who supposedly ate F/T but won't was sent to the local herp pro to be 'taught to eat F/T'.

It didn't work.

The snake knows the difference and reuses F/T regardless of what sort of clever tricks are used and the pro was surprised because he's never not been able to switch a snake.

So I brought him/her home and now it won't even eat live.

I am doing what another BP member suggested by not handling, keeping secluded in small, comforting enclosure, etc but I'm becoming extremely worried.

My formerly friendly and outgoing snake is now jittery and nervous, won't eat, even though he/she acts interested and has to be hungry by now, since it's been at least 3 weeks since it ate.

I'm at a loss.

Can snakes develop a "food phobia" or something?

It watches the mouse run around but as soon as the mouse gets near it, it ducks back into its hide and won't come out.
The mouse actually went to sleep in the hide with the snake.

Previously, the snake would've nailed it instantly but not now.

I love the snake dearly but it's been one problem after another, starting with the gross misrepresentation of its feeding habits to seal the sale.

[the gender confusion issue is just more to be annoyed about]

I don't know what to do for him/her and I'm terrified it will never eat again.

I'm going to try smaller prey, perhaps even little non-threatening hoppers to build its confidence back up and stimulate its feeding response.

I don't know what else to do.

:(

Salamander, is your ball an adult?

my female sometime do the same thing.i dont think it because of gender.try check your setup again,n if nothing wrong but she still dont eat,bring your snake to the vet.

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Originally Posted by LGray23

Salamander, is your ball an adult?

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No.

Hatched in May.

Not even 6 months old yet.

I'd say there may be an issue of stress then for her to go off feed...

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Originally Posted by logomaster

my female sometime do the same thing.i dont think it because of gender.try check your setup again,n if nothing wrong but she still dont eat,bring your snake to the vet.

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The setup is perfect.

I have no herp vets here...just general vets.

It doesn't seem physically ill at all...it seems to be a psychological problem, almost like PTSD.

:(

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Originally Posted by LGray23

I'd say there may be an issue of stress then for her to go off feed...

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I agree.

I have successfully rehabilitated so many rescue Dobes [and other breeds] with 'issues' that I've lost count but 'shrinking' a snake is beyond my abilities.

Snakes don't have the mental capability to be stressed other than something in it's enclosure being not correct. You can't compare a snake to a dog, if you describe your set up again maybe I can help...

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Originally Posted by LGray23

Snakes don't have the mental capability to be stressed other than something in it's enclosure being not correct. You can't compare a snake to a dog, if you describe your set up again maybe I can help...

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20 gal. tank with "Lucylid", UTH/thermostat, 2 identical hides.
Hot side 85-90/cool side 75-77/humidity 50-55% unless shedding.
Occasional use of "moon glow" overhead lamp at night.
Ample water bowl.
Same "Repti-carpet" as always.
Tank is blacked out except for front, same as always.
Basically, she just came home and went back to her own house.
At the herp shop, she was in a wall unit with five solid walls/clear front with her hide and water bowl brought from home.

I know dogs don't equal snakes and that's why I'm baffled as what to do next.
They are SO not like dogs at all....:confused:

The only variable was that hubby screwed up and put her in the tank with my normal female for the 15 minutes it took me to go upstairs and change clothes which did stress my normal terribly but she's fine, now.
I washed all her stuff and when the 'stinky intruder' odor was gone, she reverted back to her normal, mellow self.

The Fire was just wandering about, wondering why "her house" smelled "funny", it seemed.

Once put in her familiar home, she settled down fairly quickly but there's still the eating problem.

Keep ambient temps over 78 and they will eat better. Most rooms get way too cold in the winter and cause fasting.

Yup, I agree, it sounds like Salamander's temps are a bit low. You need to bump your temps up to 90-92 hot side and 80-82 cool side with an ambient temp somewhere between.

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Originally Posted by West Coast Jungle

Keep ambient temps over 78 and they will eat better. Most rooms get way too cold in the winter and cause fasting.

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The ambient is usually 81.

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Originally Posted by AK907

Yup, I agree, it sounds like Salamander's temps are a bit low. You need to bump your temps up to 90-92 hot side and 80-82 cool side with an ambient temp somewhere between.

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I just bumped up the thermometer a frog hair.

Weird thing is, unless they've just eaten, every one of my snakes habitually hang out on their cool sides and except for the head case Fire, they eat like hogs.

[well, the male Spider technically hides under the newspaper right dead in the middle of both sides but he's kinda..um..."special']

What if I moved their cool side hides over, more towards the middle to "make" them keep themselves warmer?

What are you using to measure your temperatures with?

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Originally Posted by snakesRkewl

What are you using to measure your temperatures with?

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:gj:

And where are you measuring your temps at?

If they stop eating they're young it's almost always stress from a new home, to large a home, or improper temps. Get a temp gun, you can find one for $30 on line, they last forever and are probably the most important thing you could buy. With a temp gun you can get an accurate measure of the actual temps your snake is experiencing where other methods only give you a vague ambient air temp. Get an accurate measure of the hot spot and the cool end, aim for a 90 degree hot spot and 82 cool end. You can also bump up the humidity to 65%. I cover most of the tank screen with glad press n seal to keep the humidity from escaping. Keep him in a quiet room with lots of good hides, mine love cereal boxes, they're much tighter and darker than the open half logs. Cover his cage all the way with a towel or something so he feels as secure as possible and leave him alone for two weeks, just go in for cage cleaning and to give him water. After that offer him some food, if he doesn't take f/t try a small live meal, feed him smaller meals than normal. I get a lot of adult females that were sold as horrible feeders and this has worked for me almost every time. Adults with go off feed for the winter and be fine but younger snakes should not be going off feed without a reason yet and will lose to much weight. Make sure his set up is good, leave him be for a bit, and get scale to keep track of his weight and he should come around just fine.

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Originally Posted by snakesRkewl

What are you using to measure your temperatures with?

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In-tank digitals and IR temp gun.

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Originally Posted by Araidia

If they stop eating they're young it's almost always stress from a new home, to large a home, or improper temps. Get a temp gun, you can find one for $30 on line, they last forever and are probably the most important thing you could buy. With a temp gun you can get an accurate measure of the actual temps your snake is experiencing where other methods only give you a vague ambient air temp. Get an accurate measure of the hot spot and the cool end, aim for a 90 degree hot spot and 82 cool end. You can also bump up the humidity to 65%. I cover most of the tank screen with glad press n seal to keep the humidity from escaping. Keep him in a quiet room with lots of good hides, mine love cereal boxes, they're much tighter and darker than the open half logs. Cover his cage all the way with a towel or something so he feels as secure as possible and leave him alone for two weeks, just go in for cage cleaning and to give him water. After that offer him some food, if he doesn't take f/t try a small live meal, feed him smaller meals than normal. I get a lot of adult females that were sold as horrible feeders and this has worked for me almost every time. Adults with go off feed for the winter and be fine but younger snakes should not be going off feed without a reason yet and will lose to much weight. Make sure his set up is good, leave him be for a bit, and get scale to keep track of his weight and he should come around just fine.

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I have a temp gun and scale, all hides are appropriately sized and the towel's been on there since Tuesday.

Thank you for the people who offered advice for my original question. I will keep and eye on his weight and I wish you the best of luck with the little guy

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Originally Posted by AK907

:gj:

And where are you measuring your temps at?

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Warm side, cool side [and all over the place, really] with the IR and a stationary therm/hum digital gauge in the center, midway up for ambient.

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Originally Posted by lizlopez

Thank you for the people who offered advice for my original question. I will keep and eye on his weight and I wish you the best of luck with the little guy

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Best of luck to you, too.

I know you must be just as worried as I am about your own "baby".