Does it matter?

Does it matter that my male BP whose age im not sure of is only about 125? Ive had him since February 18th and he hasnt gained anything since ive been weighing him. Ive only been weighing since March though. He also refuses to eat once a week. He eats every two instead. I can put the fuzzy in there and he wont attempt to eat it just sniff it. he stop eating from feb 28th to april 5th so since ive owned him hes had 4 meals...today makes his 4th. i just feel like he should be bigger. Am i doing something wrong???

Well since he's only getting a fuzzy every other week that explains why he's not getting any bigger...

You need to feed more then one fuzzy. Still offer every seven days,( at that size i would feed every five days) when he does eat make sure you offer more then one fuzzy.

If a BP isn't eating regularly, it can be because of many reasons. Much of the time, it's because they just want to try our patience!

Usually, though, a happy BP will eat. Double check your temperatures, humidity, size of tank/tub, does he have hides? Does he feel secure? Do you feed in his enclosure? How often do you handle him? How often do you offer food? Is he a mouser? Are you offering live or F/T?

One of mine is just a picky eater. She just doesn't want to eat. Even though her setup is identical to all my others, she's just picky. I'm happy when she eats every other week, but many times, she'll wait 4 weeks between. She did do better when I got her a hide--usually don't use them with snakes larger than 600 grams.

If you're handling him a lot before feeding, stop. Maybe try really late at night, when things have been quieted down for an hour or so before feeding. If you're removing him to feed him in another enclosure, try feeding him in his tank/tub.

Maybe you could try scenting the area for 15-30 minutes before you offer food. Let him start smelling the rat before he ever has a chance to go after it.

Another thing could be that he's sick. I wouldn't just jump to that conclusion, though. Check all your husbandry first, and then narrow down on others.

Good luck!

Fuzzy mice are much too small. That would probably be the main reason he isn't growing. He should at least be eating hoppers IMO.

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Originally Posted by WarriorPrincess90

Fuzzy mice are much too small. That would probably be the main reason he isn't growing. He should at least be eating hoppers IMO.

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Maybe, maybe not. Pics would help. If this guy is as tiny as it sounds fuzzys maybe ok.
@ the OP, the rodent should be as big or slightly larger then the thickest part of the snake.

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Originally Posted by MissKayla

Does it matter that my male BP whose age im not sure of is only about 125?

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Originally Posted by Rob

Maybe, maybe not. Pics would help. If this guy is as tiny as it sounds fuzzys maybe ok.
@ the OP, the rodent should be as big or slightly larger then the thickest part of the snake.

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125 grams. Definitely needs more than a fuzzy every other week.

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Originally Posted by LGray23

125 grams. Definitely needs more than a fuzzy every other week.

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I completely agree on more then every other week. I would feed a snake that size every five days. But the size of rodent is the question. With out Pictures, we can't really tell if hoppers or fuzzys are the more appropriate food item. My guess is hoppers can most likely be offered.

Even at the smallest I've never fed less than a hopper, so fuzzies to me are pointless. Even without pictures, the fact that it has gained nothing since February shows it's eating too small of meals.

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Originally Posted by LGray23

fact that it has gained nothing since February shows it's eating too small of meals.

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Very true. I think the frequency is the biggest issue though.

Sometimes not everyone uses the same definition of rat sizes...
You guys and the OP may be talking about the same size rat. Without pics we really dont know.

The name of the size of the prey doesn't matter, it hasn't gained anything since February lol....

At 125 grams I would be trying rat pups. My local guy sells rat pups that run from 10 to 18 grams. This snake should be able to handle that with no problems.

Mouse fuzzies simply aren't going to put weight on this animal regardless of how often it does or doesn't eat.

Sorry I forgot to mention during the time he wouldn't eat. I kept trying to feed him weekly and it was hoppers. On April 5th is when I tried a fuzzy and he finally ate. So I figured maybe he wasn't eating because the hopper was too big. His first two meals were hoppers. He stopped eating and then his last two have been fuzzy. I still have some hoppers on stand by for him. So im only giving fuzzies because that's what he would eat. Ill upload pics shortly

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Originally Posted by Rob

Maybe, maybe not. Pics would help. If this guy is as tiny as it sounds fuzzys maybe ok.
@ the OP, the rodent should be as big or slightly larger then the thickest part of the snake.

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Fuzzys are in no way appropriate for a 125 grams animal, even an hatchling right out of the egg will eat something larger than a fuzzy they are actually started on hoppers.

To the OP at 125 grams the animal can eat an adult mouse.

The reasons that the animal refuses are likely husbandry related, the best thing to do at this point is to place the animal in something no larger than a 6 quarts tub, providing aspen for bedding and proper temps and humidity, and as equally important you need to limit your handling to a strict minimum until the animal is eating on a regular basis.

Hatchlings and juvies are usually voracious true picky eaters at that age are not the norm, look into your husbandry and feed adequately.

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Originally Posted by Deborah

Fuzzys are in no way appropriate for a 125 grams animal

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Well seeing as tho they are the only thing the animal will throw back at this time, fuzzys are appropriate. BP feeding isn't one size fits all. Every snake has their own personality and feeding habits. Do I think fuzzys are on the small side for the animal? most likely, but if fed multiple at a time and more frequently I think the snake could grow and gradually be fed a more appropriate sized rodent.
Also yes I agree it could be husbandry related. And if their are mistakes being made there they should be addressed before giving up on a larger rodent being taken.

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Originally Posted by Rob

Well seeing as tho they are the only thing the animal will throw back at this time, fuzzys are appropriate. BP feeding isn't one size fits all.

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That's because you do not see the bigger picture ;) which is not about the prey item but the underlying cause.

Misskayla - can you please give us some specifics on the set up, for example - cage size, hides (1 or 2), temperature and humidity?

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Originally Posted by Deborah

not about the prey item but the underlying cause.

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Fair enough ;)

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Originally Posted by Cally95

Misskayla - can you please give us some specifics on the set up, for example - cage size, hides (1 or 2), temperature and humidity?

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20L glass tank, 2 hides, and his temps are 91 on the basking side 77 on the cool side. his basking tempt ranges from about 90-92 and his humidity is always been 50% and 60%, right now it is 51%. I use a 24 hrs infared bulb also.

They say a happy ball is a hiding one and he is in his hides more than 90% of the time. heres the pics hes awkward because i took his hide off of him to get the pics lol and i barely handle him so i dont think its too much handling. I buy f/t from petco so fuzzies are consider 5oz or slighter greater and the hoppers are 8oz or slighter greater.

http://i1169.photobucket.com/albums/...-15-37_936.jpg
http://i1169.photobucket.com/albums/...1-01-23_52.jpg

i took him to the vet during the time he wasnt eating and they couldnt find anything wrong with him. they did give him an antibiotic "just in case" aka "just so u can pay us for something" smh. Hes shed once since ive had him and it was a good shed. Also had mites but got rid of those and hes mite free right now.

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Originally Posted by MissKayla

i took him to the vet during the time he wasnt eating and they couldnt find anything wrong with him. they did give him an antibiotic "just in case" aka "just so u can pay us for something" smh. Hes shed once since ive had him and it was a good shed. Also had mites but got rid of those and hes mite free right now.

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There is nothing wrong with him aside from the lack of security due to the enclosure being way to large for an animal that size.

Address the husbandry issue I pointed out the optimum setup for the time being in my previous post, give your BP a week to settle in it's new environment and your BP should be back on track in no time. :gj:

Additionally I would suggest to find another vet, you just don't give antibiotics to an animal just in case ;)

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Originally Posted by Deborah

There is nothing wrong with him aside from the lack of security due to the enclosure being way to large for an animal that size.

Address the husbandry issue I pointed out the optimum setup for the time being in my previous post, give your BP a week to settle in it's new environment and your BP should be back on track in no time. :gj:

Additionally I would suggest to find another vet, you just don't give antibiotics to an animal just in case ;)

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I didn't plan on going back there. There's two in my area and the other one said it would be 3-4 weeks until they got me in because the doc was out of the office. Smh I was quite pissed about that. But thanks everyone for your help.

I would double check husbandry. Then I would offer a live rat pup (eyes closed so he can't harm your snake), in his tank. Put in it in the evening, and leave it there and leave your snake be. Odds are, it will be gone in no time. Worked for one we got (possibly to young), that wasn't eating great. Now she is ruthless come feed time.

Sent from my ADR6350 using Tapatalk 2

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Originally Posted by DrDooLittle

I would double check husbandry. Then I would offer a live rat pup (eyes closed so he can't harm your snake), in his tank. Put in it in the evening, and leave it there and leave your snake be. Odds are, it will be gone in no time. Worked for one we got (possibly to young), that wasn't eating great. Now she is ruthless come feed time.

Sent from my ADR6350 using Tapatalk 2

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i dont think my snake is big enough for a rat pup. hes not that thick

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Originally Posted by MissKayla

i dont think my snake is big enough for a rat pup. hes not that thick

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They can swallow surprisingly large objects with little effort. :gj: