Ball python not eating

I am new to the ownership of a ball python. I purchased this fellow back in June. At first, his appetite was insatiable. He's approximately 4 feet long, and was eating 2 live mice every 2 1/2 weeks. He stopped eating over a month and a half ago and finally shed a few days ago. He was acting like he was hungry, so I went out and bought a couple more mice. Instead of eating them, he rubbed them with his face, then curled up next to them and fell asleep. His tank temp and humidity level are right, and I am getting conflicting ideas from the pet store I purchased him from and other pet stores. Some are saying not to worry until he hasn't eaten for 6 months. He's active, and seems happy, and there are no outward signs of problems. My question is: is this normal? Should I try to feed him something different (such as a dead chick)? I'm going nuts here and any advice would be helpful.:confusd:

relax :)

that's the first thing you have to do :)

now the 2nd thing you have to do is a bit more patient, i know it is hard and i need some1 te remind me to be patient every now and then.

look aslong your bp does show any physical signs of weigthloss there is nothing to worrie as he is a bp and they sometimes just stop eating.

don't try anyting else just yet i might cause your bp to only take that ind of food from that point on, but tbh as he is 4 ft long i would try to feed him a rat mice are way to small for him. and since rats have a stronger smell to them it might get him out of his hunger strike.

normally i would ask for his temp. and humidity first but since you already said they where ok i didnt.

First thing to do is relax..I know it is hard, but all ball python owners will at some time go through this. Just keep offering on his regular schedule, and he will soon be back to eating. I had an adult female a few years ago that would stop eating around October, and would not start again until March, or April, and she lost very little, if any weight.

It's normal for ball pythons to fast for extended periods of time.You have nothing to worry about.Do a search on ball pythons not eating and you will find lots of info.My ball fasted for four months before eating.It drove me crazy too but I researched it and learned that it's normal for ball pythons to suddenly go on a fast for several months or longer and then just start eating again.


I've read that changing substrate may help as well as changing enclosures.There are other things you can try.There is a very good article on this very subject on this forum.Read it and see if it helps.


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What are the temps and humidity and what kind of set up is your boy in?

The temp on the hot side is 85 degrees, humidity is currently stable at around 60%

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Originally Posted by RayJ

It's normal for ball pythons to fast for extended periods of time.You have nothing to worry about.Do a search on ball pythons not eating and you will find lots of info.My ball fasted for four months before eating.It drove me crazy too but I researched it and learned that it's normal for ball pythons to suddenly go on a fast for several months or longer and then just start eating again.


I've read that changing substrate may help as well as changing enclosures.There are other things you can try.There is a very good article on this very subject on this forum.Read it and see if it helps.


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I have been thinking about moving him into the 180 gallon aquarium that we have to give him more room and allow for a bigger "pool" and I can add more things for him to hide in and climb on. Right now he's is a 40 gallon tall tank.

Are you using a lamp to heat the hot side or a UTH? If your BP doesn't have enough belly heat he may have trouble digesting. Has he pooped for you yet?

I'm not sure about a 180 gallon aquarium.That sounds wayyyy too big.Mine is in a 20 gal and he is about three feet long.A thirty gallon would be more than adequate I think.I read in one article that too big of an enclosure can make them feel insecure.I just kept trying to feed mine every couple weeks and he finally ate when I put him in a separate container just to feed him in.Now,I put him in it for feeding and it has been working so far.


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JMO opinion, but I think 180 gallon is overkill for a small python, 20 long is plenty big unless it is an unusually large individual.

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Originally Posted by ginja ninja

Are you using a lamp to heat the hot side or a UTH? If your BP doesn't have enough belly heat he may have trouble digesting. Has he pooped for you yet?

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Yes, he has pooped 3 times for me already. He has a heat lamp and heat rock, so belly temp shouldn't be an issue right?

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Originally Posted by koverman

Yes, he has pooped 3 times for me already. He has a heat lamp and heat rock, so belly temp shouldn't be an issue right?

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Too big of an enclosure can stress out a ball python which could cause them to stop eating. Also 85 seems a bit low for the hot side. I usually aim for the 89-91 range.

And for God's sake get rid of the heat rock!!!

+1 on getting rid of the heat rock, that is a burn waiting to happen :(

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Originally Posted by albinos_rule

+1 on getting rid of the heat rock, that is a burn waiting to happen :(

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Thanks for letting me know about the heat rock. The people who sold me they python said he would enjoy one (guess they just wanted me to spend more money). I didn't know it could be a problem, and I really didn't think about it since I see snakes "sunning" themselves on the pavement roads here all the time.