Please... Help a first time owner with feeding problems.

So I have had my BP for around a few weeks and he ate pretty well, (I did research and I know they are picky...) And on the sixth week I had him I started feeding him only a tiny bit larger size of mouse and he ate well. The next week he refused it and took it the day after.... then the next week two days after that, and suddenly... He just stopped. He has not eaten for about three weeks now and I don't know why, He has shed for me already and at the moment he has a pink belly but he really hasn't started his little process, the tank he is in is fine and he does not look sick. It is also winter at the moment and he is only a baby. If you can help me out in any way that would be great... I do not want anything to happen when I can find away to avoid it. :(

What are your temps? Humidity? How is the tank set up? Also a pink belly is a sign of going into shed. i honestly would not worry at all. The last thing I want to say is that if he refuses to eat it can cause more stress to keep offering day after day so just wait until the next week to offer the food again. It is not a big deal for them to miss a few meals.

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Originally Posted by JudasKress

He has shed for me already and at the moment he has a pink belly but he really hasn't started his little process, the tank he is in is fine and he does not look sick. It is also winter at the moment and he is only a baby. If you can help me out in any way that would be great... I do not want anything to happen when I can find away to avoid it. :(

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We need a little more information that this. Could be going into shed again or who knows?

Possibly a winter fast? It is breeding season. Just give him a while, watch his weight and see how it goes. Mine hasnt eaten for 5 weeks, trying again today!

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Originally Posted by George1994

Possibly a winter fast? It is breeding season. Just give him a while, watch his weight and see how it goes. Mine hasnt eaten for 5 weeks, trying again today!

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Younger BPs dont really fast in the winter. He didnt say how much he weighs but from what he is feeding him seems like a younger snake. Mine eats like a monster. But like said above temps and humidity is important and if a pic can be posted of the setup that would help.

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Originally Posted by Gerardo

Younger BPs dont really fast in the winter. He didnt say how much he weighs but from what he is feeding him seems like a younger snake. Mine eats like a monster. But like said above temps and humidity is important and if a pic can be posted of the setup that would help.

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Apologies, I never knew that they didn't fast during the winter when younger!

The only snake to refuse food was my 1300 gram male. No snake ive owned that was under 1000 grams has gone off feed for me.

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Originally Posted by Gerardo

The only snake to refuse food was my 1300 gram male. No snake ive owned that was under 1000 grams has gone off feed for me.

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My 1040g 3 y/o male has gone off food for the past 5 weeks, don't know if it is coz I've only just got him or a winter fast. Either way, he should be fine.

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Originally Posted by T&C Exotics

What are your temps? Humidity? How is the tank set up? Also a pink belly is a sign of going into shed. i honestly would not worry at all. The last thing I want to say is that if he refuses to eat it can cause more stress to keep offering day after day so just wait until the next week to offer the food again. It is not a big deal for them to miss a few meals.

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My tank is glass, but I keep a towel over it, damp, to keep the humidity. The humidity is around 60 and the temp 75-80. I keep a black blanket over the cage, But YES I let air in lol. He has two hides, fake vines, a branch, and Aspen shavings spread around, night and day lights, and a heat pad. I keep heavy objects on top of the tank to keep him from getting out and when I was checking him out today he really looks pretty normal, just a really light pink belly. I suppose I will try to feed him Tuesday of next week or longer if you think I should wait. Thanks!!!!

The pink belly is an indication that your BP is going into a shed cycle (provided it's not a burn from laying on top of an unregulated heating pad, also known as an under tank heater, or UTH). Many don't eat when in shed. Also, you'll want to get your warm side temp up to around 90 degrees. Your snake is less likely to eat when the enclosure is too cold.

Are.you using a thermostat at all? That is really needed to regulate the uth. The cool side should be around 80 .and the hot side should be 90. That could also be why it is. Not eating.

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Originally Posted by T&C Exotics

Are.you using a thermostat at all? That is really needed to regulate the uth. The cool side should be around 80 .and the hot side should be 90. That could also be why it is. Not eating.

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^ what T&C said, if you don't have an UTH imo they are a must have. the belly heat helps them to digest their food which obviously is important. heat lights don't do as good of a job helping with that as they heat up the snakes back. id would highly suggest getting a UTH and a thermostat if you don't already have one, may not solve the eating issue but its a very good thing to have regardless. i think i read somewhere the longest BP fast on the books is something like 22 months ... that's almost 2 years without eating, so yeah he will be fine if he misses a meal or 2, just keep offering ever 5-7 days he will eat when hes hungry. like others have said young snakes arent effected by breeding cycles so don't worry about that right now. other then the UTH your tank sounds fine but it would still help with some pics of the snake and the set up.

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Originally Posted by JudasKress

My tank is glass, but I keep a towel over it, damp, to keep the humidity. The humidity is around 60 and the temp 75-80. I keep a black blanket over the cage, But YES I let air in lol. He has two hides, fake vines, a branch, and Aspen shavings spread around, night and day lights, and a heat pad. I keep heavy objects on top of the tank to keep him from getting out and when I was checking him out today he really looks pretty normal, just a really light pink belly. I suppose I will try to feed him Tuesday of next week or longer if you think I should wait. Thanks!!!!

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How are you measuring your readings??
And as others have posted................... thermostat??

My BP quit eating too, he was eating every 7 days like clockwork, i feed him live adult mice, and yes i watch him when he eats so the mouse dont bite. only thing different is i moved him to a bigger enclosure, could that be stressing him out? I posted some pictures on my profile if one of you experienced members would check his enclosure out and see if its set up is ok for him, hes about 10 months old and is healthy, but he aint eating and dont seem to wanna be held anymore, any help i can get would be greatly appreciated. PS the reason i feed live is because he refuses frozen, ive tried several times and will continue to try but gotta feed him live for now but with extreme caution.

More than likely the reason he's not eating is low temp, and shedding. Young BPs shed a lot because they grow so fast. My girl shed every 2 wks for about 6 months after I got her as a tiny baby. Also feeding live is fine as long as you watch and make sure it doesn't injure your snake. I feed live as long as I can get them. I prefer live. Have you tried to switch your snake over to rats? They have more meat on them, and when your snake is an adult you don't have to feed a bunchat a time. Its a 1 and done deal. How are you taking your temp and humidity readings? If you're using an analog gauge that came with your tank those are junk. If its a digital gauge where is the probe sitting?

yeah im using the analog thermometers, i have one at each end of the tank, one side stays between 88-93 the other side is around 78-84, and the humidity stays around 70-80, i havent tried rats yet but it would be a good idea to, i just bought 2 mice for him to eat so i will probably try a rat after that, You think hes stressed since its a new tank? hes been in it for about a week, i dont think hes shedding because his belly aint pink and his eyes seem normal to me.

**UPDATE** My snake finally ate 2 mice in a row, I ended up putting him back in his old house to eat, once i did that he ate like normal, so i guess from now on ill put him in there to eat.