Random Question

I know ball pythons go a while without eating, and it isn't bad if he's not losing any or little weight. ( This is not happening to my snake by the way, just a thought stuck in my head). I was just wondering, how to they go such a long time without losing any weight? are they storing nutrients to use for later?

I believe it is because they have a very very very slow metabolism. And, their bodies are designed to go long periods without nutrients since in the wild - food may be few and far between. Evolution at work!!!

Ah, that makes a lot of sense! :D

My normal which is the oldest I have had gone 9 months without eating. Now she/he is again on 6 month without feeding. From my research, my normal is living off whatever pooh she has built up. I still feed once a week, after 30 minutes, I offer to next biggest or put back in rack. Wish I could go as long without feeding. SMH

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Saame lol.

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Originally Posted by locolobito

My normal which is the oldest I have had gone 9 months without eating. Now she/he is again on 6 month without feeding. From my research, my normal is living off whatever pooh she has built up. I still feed once a week, after 30 minutes, I offer to next biggest or put back in rack. Wish I could go as long without feeding. SMH
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9 MO? I would be freaking out after a month. 25% of weight loss and off to the vet they would go. After I assist feed that is. Not a force feed....assist.

I would probably do the same, I'd have to force myself not to :'l . Assist feed is when they have the choice to feed, right? But your giving it to them manually? I know you do it when theyre weak

I read somewhere that the record for snake fasting is TWO YEARS. !! It was a Ball / Royal Python unsurprisingly :)


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Originally Posted by Souriant

I would probably do the same, I'd have to force myself not to :'l . Assist feed is when they have the choice to feed, right? But your giving it to them manually? I know you do it when theyre weak

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Assist feed is when you hold the snake right behind the jaw, push the meal into their mouth just enough so you can push the mouth down and latch the teeth onto the prey so it wont fall out. then gently put them back into their feeding box and check on them in 30 min. repeat again if they did not eat it. never push the prey into the throat. never ever ever.

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Originally Posted by Zincubus

I read somewhere that the record for snake fasting is TWO YEARS. !! It was a Ball / Royal Python unsurprisingly :)


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That must have been an adult and HUGE! Thats insane!!

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Originally Posted by Zincubus

I read somewhere that the record for snake fasting is TWO YEARS. !! It was a Ball / Royal Python unsurprisingly

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I heard it was a cobra at London zoo for that time period. I wonder if its a variant on the kids game chinese whispers.

Ah, so you should never force-feed them.

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Originally Posted by Zincubus

I read somewhere that the record for snake fasting is TWO YEARS. !! It was a Ball / Royal Python unsurprisingly :)


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It's remarkable how they can do that! (Not to mention save some money.....)

[QUOTE=Sunnieskys;2536674]Assist feed is when you hold the snake right behind the jaw, push the meal into their mouth just enough so you can push the mouth down and latch the teeth onto the prey so it wont fall out. then gently put them back into their feeding box and check on them in 30 min. repeat again if they did not eat it. never push the prey into the throat. never ever ever.


I've seen a vid on how to assist feed baby balls to help them get into feeding, just wondering what the difference was. It's pretty weird how you need to help them on the first few times eating, how do they live in the wild doing that with nobody helping them? Are they just becoming a little more domestic than wild ones? Lol

In my own experience my oldest girl has been off feed since the first week of January and when I last weighed her in the middle of April she had only lost about 8% of her body weight. I'll probably weigh her again this weekend.

Glad that she's not eating cause' she's uncomfortable!

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Originally Posted by Souriant

Ah, so you should never force-feed them.

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never, We are not a trained Herpatologist. only vets should force feed.

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Originally Posted by Sunnieskys

never, We are not a trained Herpatologist. only vets should force feed.

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Only vets?

I would trust myself to assist or force feed before a vet, most vet have very little hands on experience with snakes.

That being said a snake that knows how to eat should not be assisted or force fed, it should resume feeding on it's own and in most cases it's about husbandry and patience.

I've had animals not eat for a year without issues, people found it frustrating and assume something is wrong but they are extremely efficient.

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Originally Posted by Sunnieskys

never, We are not a trained Herpatologist. only vets should force feed.

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You've never worked on a farm I guess. You would be surprised the things people can manage when they have to when it come to taking care of animals, humans included, without vet/dr assistance.

I am with Deb on the whole vet experience with snakes thing. It is going to be a very rare vet that has the same level of exposure to a specific species as some of the keepers on here. There are many procedures we can handle on our own. If I had access to a lab to get cultures done and didn't need a vet to get a prescription I wouldn't need them for much.