300-ish: not eating, losing weight

I adopted a vanilla female from Petsmart a week ago. At that point she wasn't eating for them for 3 weeks. Weighed in 343g, age unknown/presumably young.
Attempted to feed tonight after a full week of a complete non-disturbance -- no luck. Attempted to assist feed -- no luck.
I left her rat pup in the enclosure but I think I got her sufficiently pissed off for her to eat it... Weight 3 days ago -- 320g.

Also noticed that her snout was a bit rubbed but no wheezing was observed.

My next step?

The setup is to a T-- 80cold/91hot sides, 2 identical sides, crowded with vines, the sides are covered.

First you do not and I repeat you do not assist an animal that is 300 grams and knows how to eat.

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I left her rat pup in the enclosure but I think I got her sufficiently pissed off for her to eat it.

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They don't eat because they get pissed off they eat because they want food all you do here is stressing her out.

Now the weight loss is nothing considering they can pass that much in a bowel movement.

You want to get her to eat, get her in a 15 quarts tub, aspen as bedding, no handling for a week before you attempt to feed again, when you offer food remove if uneaten after 10/15 min.

It's about patience and optimal husbandry, and if you do that she will eat on her own terms.

Deborah -- I was hoping you notice my thread. Thank you!

She is in 10G aquarium -- should I still get a tub?
Currently on paper towels -- will aspen be better?

Yes, the logic dictates that she got to those 300+g somehow and knows how to eat. Perhaps I just panicked. :please: She didn't have any BM while in my care, just a little pee...

I promise not to disturb her for a week and try again. How low can her weight go to be concerning? I remember you mentioned the proportions of a snake rather than the weight as the main indicator. She has rather visible back bone, but the neck is not so skinny.

Are you feeding live?

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Originally Posted by jhpythons

are you feeding live?

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f/t

That could be your problem. Nothing beats feeding live, your only lucky enough to feed F/T if the BP is willing to take it. I still have three that don't eat F/T but when I throw in live food they eat great.

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Originally Posted by JHPythons

That could be your problem. Nothing beats feeding live, your only lucky enough to feed F/T if the BP is willing to take it. I still have three that don't eat F/T but when I throw in live food they eat great.

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I will consider that as the last resort... Too squeamish.
But... If it's what she will need -- she shall receive. :)

I would try it next, just put the live pre in and leave, then come back in 10-15 mins or so. If you get a rat pup it's better because they are larger and can't do a whole lot of damage to your snake. I have never seen a rodent do damage to a snake in 10-15 mins anyway.

You have to remember these animals are opportunistic live eaters in the wild. Feeding F/T is very unnatural and they have to be taught to eat that way. It doesn't always work with every snake.

I actually chased one of my snakes a bit too much with a rodent and that snake turned into a really picky eater for months. I'm betting since you tried to force feed you may have done the same thing. Personally I wouldn't feed live, maybe a small rat pup with eyes closed, but I've had a snake that struck and missed a mouse within seconds and that mouse because mean and went after the snake and bit it. I wouldn't recommend leaving a rodent with a snake unattended at all. I also found that if the rodent knows the snake is a danger that rodent will always be aggressive towards the snake. If you see a strike and miss and the rodent turns mean I always gas them and try fresh killed, then if they don't eat freeze it and try it again later frozen thawed.

My snakes never did good in glass aquariums, even with hides. They were always really stressed out. I prefer solid tubs that you can't see through at all. Or you could cover the glass with paper or something, maybe just leave a little peep hole on one end that you can look through.

I feed all of my snakes fresh killed and they all do great. I offer every 4-5 days now, if they don't eat within 30 seconds to a minute I move on to the next snake and try again in about 4-5 days. Not sure what is going on but all my snakes went off of food lately, some haven't eaten in about two months, but since I fed them hard they could probably go another two months and still look great!

I find it helps if you have more than one snake, I usually gas fewer rodents at a time, then start with the picky snakes and end on the aggressive feeders. That way I don't have any extra rodents left over (most of the time). And if someone doesn't eat then nothing gets thrown away.

A little update:
she peed a lot, normal looking urates + a little puddle of yellow diarrhea.
She will be offered a live small mice the coming Monday (Feb 27). Remember she hasn't eaten for at least 4 weeks.
Should I be worried more than I already am?

Try the mouse and see what happens. I wouldn't be worried.

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Originally Posted by JHPythons

Try the mouse and see what happens. I wouldn't be worried.

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A small mice was offered tonight -- no luck. She continued to track it and slam it defensively as soon as the mice was near, but there was no attempted coiling or anything.

Should I
a) wait a week and offer the mice again
b) take her to the herp vet this week?

Thank you.
I'm quite worried especially seeing how enthusiastically my other 2 guys take their F/T rats... "sigh"

I don't think there is a lot to be worried about, sometimes they don't eat. You should try to feed the live rodent to the snake in question and if it doesn't eat then feed it off to another so it doesn't get wasted. Unless you have the means to allow the rodent to live.

Offer the food, maybe even wait an hour and try again, let it be in there for 10-15 minutes, keep an eye out. Is it dark or the middle of the day...I feed in the evening and get great responses.

Feed the rodent to another snake and try again in a few days. I had a 400-500g female pastel YB go off feed for 6 weeks until I changed its tub and bedding and then it finally ate, still only eats live despite have 10 other snakes that eat F/T. Just keep at it and keep an eye for anything unusual. Sounds like a normal BP to me. Got any pics?

Check out this video I found it usefull

https://www.youtube.com/shared?ci=19EMFPCwrAU

Also if you really think a trip to the vet is necessary by all means take it, you would know better than me, I just dont want you to not go because one of us said it's prob not needed and then there be a real problem.

I would take the snake to the vet if possible. Diarrhea is not a good sign. Of course, pythons can last months without food, but not if they aren't healthy.

The mouse you gave to your new snake should NOT be given to any of the other snakes in your collection. The new snake should be in quarantine; the mouse can now carry any illness or mites the new snake may have.


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Wasn't the mouse offered f/t? If so, she probably already disposed of it, one way or another.

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Originally Posted by FlynnTheBP

Wasn't the mouse offered f/t? If so, she probably already disposed of it, one way or another.

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My comment was in response to a previous comment advising to offer a live mouse and if it's not eaten, give it to another snake.


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Originally Posted by BPGator

My comment was in response to a previous comment advising to offer a live mouse and if it's not eaten, give it to another snake.


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Oh sorry about that. :D

OP, do you have a photo of your setup?

Another update:

After the mice was rejected I left it in a small plastic container next to the snakes enclosure for almost a week. Fed the mice, of course. But let it get rather stinky... :D
I notice that the snake started to hang out of her hides more at night... Hmmm, I though. Let's drop the mice in and see...
BAM!
After a very careful tracing, the snake got the mice, killed within 10 sec and swallowed as fast.
I was ready to cry honestly. :oops:

So my plan now is:
get the mice 2-3 days earlier of the feeding day, let the mice permeate the air with its smell, feed the mice when the snake is out and about.
Hopefully I can replicate the earlier outcome. Fingers crossed.

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Originally Posted by shelpen

Another update:

After the mice was rejected I left it in a small plastic container next to the snakes enclosure for almost a week. Fed the mice, of course. But let it get rather stinky... :D
I notice that the snake started to hang out of her hides more at night... Hmmm, I though. Let's drop the mice in and see...
BAM!
After a very careful tracing, the snake got the mice, killed within 10 sec and swallowed as fast.
I was ready to cry honestly. :oops:

So my plan now is:
get the mice 2-3 days earlier of the feeding day, let the mice permeate the air with its smell, feed the mice when the snake is out and about.
Hopefully I can replicate the earlier outcome. Fingers crossed.

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That's great! Good luck feeding.

Another update:

We seemed to develop a nice little rhythm with Flora:
Mon (feeding day for everybody) she gets 1 live small mice
Thu she gets another one

Two key factors:
a) the mice should be as stinky as possible (the rest of the BP population of the room goes nuts almost every day because of the smell :D But it's kinda added bonus for me -- they stay outside the hides a lot!)
b) she has to be outside of her hide in "hunting mode" -- will not take it from the inside the hide :colbert:

So fussy! It's a mystery how she made it to 300g to begin with. :confusd: