Off feed

Monty is now to the point where she's eating once a month, if that. She's not losing weight but I am getting frustrated as hell. I was trying every week, with a medium f/t rat. No luck, so I tried every other week with a small f/t. She still isn't taking. Any suggestions? Should I just let her stay off feed.

She isn't really off feed as much as not eating as often as she should. She seems interested in the rat for all of maybe a minute, then loses interest. I've tried heating with a blow dryer, I've tried heating up with hot water, nothing. At this point it's a waste of rats to buy them, thaw them, and she's not eating them.

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Originally Posted by MontyAndMelissa

She isn't really off feed as much as not eating as often as she should. She seems interested in the rat for all of maybe a minute, then loses interest. I've tried heating with a blow dryer, I've tried heating up with hot water, nothing. At this point it's a waste of rats to buy them, thaw them, and she's not eating them.

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Are you sure she isn't sick? Did you move or change her enclosure recently? You know how the balls roll. Lol. How is the husbandry numbers? I don't think it's a waste and you shouldn't look at it that way. You have to do your part and offer a item. Try going smaller next time with a weanling rat or jumbo mouse. Try to not handle her or take her out of the enclosure for the next 10 to 14 days.

Ambient is 82, hot spot is 89, cool side is 78.

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Originally Posted by Albert Clark

Are you sure she isn't sick? Did you move or change her enclosure recently? You know how the balls roll. Lol. How is the husbandry numbers? I don't think it's a waste and you shouldn't look at it that way. You have to do your part and offer a item. Try going smaller next time with a weanling rat or jumbo mouse. Try to not handle her or take her out of the enclosure for the next 10 to 14 days.

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No change in husbandry at all, temperatures have been the same. Humidity has been constant between 42-50%. It's hard to not think of it as a waste, but you're right. I haven't held her in over a week and won't handle her till after she eats and digests. She doesn't seem sick, I took her to the vet not too long ago with a clean bill of health. I'm going to try a large mouse at the next feeding, and if that doesn't work I'm going to try live again. It's just frustrating. I mean, it is about the time for females to become gravid, so maybe she thinks she should be? She's never been bred, and I swear if I find eggs I will freak out.

I guess it's not all bad. She last ate a medium rat on the 15th. I'm going to try again two weeks from now. I haven't own snakes since I was a kid. Only dogs and horses, which usually eat daily, and can't go more than a few days without eating. I guess I'm not used to animals missing meals.

Its time for her full cage cleaning. I can't decide if I should do it now, or if I should wait.

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Originally Posted by MontyAndMelissa

No change in husbandry at all, temperatures have been the same. Humidity has been constant between 42-50%. It's hard to not think of it as a waste, but you're right. I haven't held her in over a week and won't handle her till after she eats and digests. She doesn't seem sick, I took her to the vet not too long ago with a clean bill of health. I'm going to try a large mouse at the next feeding, and if that doesn't work I'm going to try live again. It's just frustrating. I mean, it is about the time for females to become gravid, so maybe she thinks she should be? She's never been bred, and I swear if I find eggs I will freak out.

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I used to get a little frustrated when some of mine wouldn't eat.

Some of them didn't want to seem to eat every week. So I quit trying to make them. The ones who seem to prefer small prey get small prey. The ones who seem to prefer every two weeks get offered food every two weeks.

There are still missed feedings, but not as many as before and it's not nearly as disappointing when they do skip. If the environment is correct they will eat when they want and there are times that will not correspond with when we think they should eat.

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Originally Posted by 200xth

I used to get a little frustrated when some of mine wouldn't eat.

Some of them didn't want to seem to eat every week. So I quit trying to make them. The ones who seem to prefer small prey get small prey. The ones who seem to prefer every two weeks get offered food every two weeks.

There are still missed feedings, but not as many as before and it's not nearly as disappointing when they do skip. If the environment is correct they will eat when they want and that will frequently not correspond with when we think they should eat.

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Yeah, I'm mainly just frustrated that she isn't eating, when she was fine before. But it's normal. I just have to remind myself that they aren't on a timer.

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Originally Posted by MontyAndMelissa

Yeah, I'm mainly just frustrated that she isn't eating, when she was fine before. But it's normal. I just have to remind myself that they aren't on a timer.

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I can sort of relate, as my crested gecko didn't eat for months before having to resort to hand feeding which is usually not recommended. My ball is barely 120g so shes taking every meal fine, but I can only imagine how much of a bummer it is for your snake to go off feed. One of the things that almost made me go with colubrids was their possible feeding issue.

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Originally Posted by Mittens

I can sort of relate, as my crested gecko didn't eat for months before having to resort to hand feeding which is usually not recommended. My ball is barely 120g so shes taking every meal fine, but I can only imagine how much of a bummer it is for your snake to go off feed. One of the things that almost made me go with colubrids was their possible feeding issue.

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Monty is 1700g give or take a hundred.

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Originally Posted by MontyAndMelissa

Its time for her full cage cleaning. I can't decide if I should do it now, or if I should wait.

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That I would do now. Regular maintenance should never take a back seat bc that is one of the best ways to keep your bp healthy. :gj: When she is ready for a meal she will eat! Try to relax with it.

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Originally Posted by Albert Clark

That I would do now. Regular maintenance should never take a back seat bc that is one of the best ways to keep your bp healthy. :gj: When she is ready for a meal she will eat! Try to relax with it.

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Well I get paid on the first. So I'll do her tank cleaning then and let her out to roam.

So, um, I'm an idiot.. I think I figured out my problem. I tried feeding her during the day.. I'm going to get a medium rat and try tomorrow evening.. She tends to eat better at night (duh) don't know what I was thinking trying to feed her at 3 in the afternoon...

I've had two ball pythons do this.

What fixed it every time is changing their enclosure. Not just cleaning their current one, put them in a totally new one. Sounds odd, like it would make things worse instead of better. But it has always worked for me. I've done it 4 times total. And they all ate at their next feeding. I let them eat at least 3 times in the new enclosure before moving them back. I haven't had any issues in months.

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Originally Posted by Gary P

I've had two ball pythons do this.

What fixed it every time is changing their enclosure. Not just cleaning their current one, put them in a totally new one. Sounds odd, like it would make things worse instead of better. But it has always worked for me. I've done it 4 times total. And they all ate at their next feeding. I let them eat at least 3 times in the new enclosure before moving them back. I haven't had any issues in months.

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Unfortunately I don't have an extra enclosure just sitting around, so I don't think that option is even possible for me right now. Lol.

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Originally Posted by Gary P

I've had two ball pythons do this.

What fixed it every time is changing their enclosure. Not just cleaning their current one, put them in a totally new one. Sounds odd, like it would make things worse instead of better. But it has always worked for me. I've done it 4 times total. And they all ate at their next feeding. I let them eat at least 3 times in the new enclosure before moving them back. I haven't had any issues in months.

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I think my issue was I tried feeding her during the day (don't know what I was thinking..) I'm gonna let her come out then try to feed her tomorrow.