question about feeding???

If your ball python has not eaten in two weeks is it o.k to feed it twice??

I would feed it one appropriate sized prey item.

Ditto.

Ball pythons can and often do go two weeks or even longer without eating. Unless the BP is very young, it's very seldom of any consequence. Missing one meal one week is kind of like you skipping one meal. Some snakes will not feed if they're getting ready to shed. Some snakes go off feed for seemingly no reason at all. Keep offering an appropriately-sized meal once a week, but do not try to feed more to "make up for" the meals it has missed.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Smynx

Some snakes go off feed for seemingly no reason at all.

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I've found that offering ball pythons slightly smaller sized meals than you would offer other species of the same size is one of the things that you can do to help them become more consistent weekly feeders. I don't have any ball pythons that are not being cycled for breeding that don't take food every week, with a large majority even eating while in shed.

Hope this was helpful.

-adam

Sometimes it is difficult to truly know why they won't eat. Then again the same could be said for kids.

Actually, the reasons why ball pythons fast are well documented, and in almost all cases easily circumvented or prevented.

Now if I can just get my kid into a hide box, maybe I can get him to eat as well as my ball pythons!

-adam

isn't it true that some ball pythons will not eat through breeding season?

Yes sir it is. Usually if they're at breeding age, in the breeding months they'll be less interested in food, and more interested in finding a mate.

All of my ball pythons are still eating and we're 2 months into the breeding season here. Last few years I've had zero refuse food when offered for the entire breeding season and so far, it looks like this year will be the same.

-adam

I've noticed that only the animals i was given aren't eating. the ones that i've had since birth in june are eating 2 adult mice per week. would it be something to do with the consistancy of a previous owner or something? or is it maybe just in adults that going off food is common? also, since the one i just recieved are used to live and i'm trying FT, would that have anything to do with it?

Yearling ball pythons have voracious appetites. Older animals are commonly "triggered" into fasting by things like lower temps, lower humidity, stress, and co-habitation with animals of the opposite sex to name a few.

Also, ball pythons are naturally predators and not scavengers. They need to be "trained" to eat F/T. Sometimes even after eating F/T successfully, they will suddenly revert back to only wanting live prey.

-adam