Weight loss in young one.

Well here are my notes.

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Gella's Log

03/14/2012 Gella came home. She is 7 months old and weighs 274g.

03/28/2012 First Shed

03/31/2012 Ate a small rat live (First Feed)

04/08/2012 Ate a small rat live

04/16/2012 Didn't eat. (Live)
Seemed interested and then scared by rat.

04/22/2012 Didn't eat. (Live)
Seemed interested. Tracked and then scared rat too big?

04/22/2012 Weight = 273g

04/29/2012 Didn't eat. No interest.
Belly is a little pink. Shedding?

05/05/2012 Didn't eat. (Live)
Weight 262g Belly doesn't look as pink maybe not shedding. 12g loss since we got her.

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Is the 12g weight loss something to worry about? Damn I wish she would eat.

Temps correct. 92-79
Humidity correct. 50-65%
Didn't handle her all week.
She is using both hides.
Feeding late at night with lights off.
Only light a night is the blue LED lights. (Rope lights from Walmart. 12')

At that weight 12g could have been lost in a Poop :) I wouldnt worry just yet I had a 295G little guy go off feed for 3 months lost 45g and bounced back fine :)

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Originally Posted by RestlessRobie

At that weight 12g could have been lost in a Poop :) I wouldnt worry just yet I had a 295G little guy go off feed for 3 months lost 45g and bounced back fine :)

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x2

Thanks. I read that young snakes don't go off feed unless there's a husbandry issue. I just xan't figure out what I am missing. She is young at 7 months old. I won't be handling again this week. Is it possible te blue LEds are bothering her? She ate once with them. They are a lite brighter than the red heat lamp I was using but not much. Only thing is I can see the while cage now. I just hope it isn't me. I feel stupid for posting so much but it seemed like everything was perfect and ten BAM! She is off feed. Two feedings with no interest at now. It's like it is going down hill fast.

I have a 300g male that has been off feed for a month, and he lives in a rack with everyone else, so no husbandry issues. He is just being a jerk.

What are the blue LEDs for?

Yeah, doesn't look like it's lost any weight...I would say the 262 grams is probably close to its true weight and that if anything has probably gained a few grams since you've had it.

jinx667: The blue LED's are for night viewing without affecting temps.

Well the first rats she did eat were quite a bit larger than what I measured to be the proper weight so maybe those were just big meals and she isn't hungry. I would love to get her eating 5-6 meals in a row so I can start to convert her over to F/T. This rat is going to grow to be too big for her if I have to keep it much longer.

i have four young ballpythons that went off feed then i changed them to a 28qt tub and now they have been eating great bp are funny sometimes

I have two problem feeder girls, one around 300g and one around 400g. Both have only had one meal in the last 3/4 months.

If your husbandry is up and there are no signs of illness you should be fine. I would suggest that you don't handle too much until your snake is eating regularly again. Also, you can always offer a smaller prey item. I offered my 300g female a smaller pup that wasn't to mobile (she scares easily) and she took it after a 3 month fast. You will learn their habits and become more patient with problem feeding, thats ball pythons for yah.

Good luck with feeding.

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Originally Posted by slithering house

i have four young ballpythons that went off feed then i changed them to a 28qt tub and now they have been eating great bp are funny sometimes

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.... and YES! I have found from my experience that Tubs / Racks typically help problem feeders.

I am going stop any unnecessary handling until she eats.

Thanks for all the help.

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Originally Posted by whispersinmyhead

I am going stop any unnecessary handling until she eats.

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That's probably a good call. Also, keep in mind that with a 12 gram weight loss, you're only a rat pup away from having her back up to her purchase weight.

I almost wonder if I should try a rap pup just to see if size is the problem.

Doesn't hurt to try.

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Originally Posted by whispersinmyhead

I almost wonder if I should try a rap pup just to see if size is the problem.

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I have a 900g girl that gets freaked out with anything bigger than a weaned rat. She will eat 2 at a time, but nothing bigger.

Like I said, they can be jerks.

She ate two that were on the large size but then again it is just something I. Will have to figure out. I will try again in four days and see what happens. If she doesn't eat I will try a pup.

Either try a very small prey or if nothing works find some African Soft Fur rats. They have worked wonders for my picky eaters. I just posted a thread on my experience with a hatchling. you can read it here:


http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...s-saved-a-life

I put her big log thing back in which she she loved to hide under but it made me nervous so I took it out. She found a way to hide under it and it is very heavy but it is very stable and she will soon outgrow the space under it. I decided to let her decide when it was too small instead of me. My wife pointed out that it was the only change and that may be why she didn't eat on top of the rats being a little too large.

Well I fed a 35g rat (and had a rat pup 20g handy just in case). Long story short, she ate tonight! Thanks for helping again. I have poured over so many hunger strike posts that I began to question everything I was doing. At least my setup has been scrutenized thoroughly. :rolleye2:

Thanks everyone.