Why isn't Kia eating?

Sorry if this is in the wrong place, but i need some assistance. My female BP is going into shed as her eyes are cloudy, but she isn't eating. This is the first time in a couple of months that she hasn't ate. My cousin has had a look at her and said she could be pregnant as she has gained quite alot of weight in the past couple of weeks. How can that be when i have never bred her? She is pretty damn fat to be honest. I know BPs can go off food for a while, but not sure if this is the start. I have rubbed the rat on her head, rested it on her body and made it really warm, and nothing. She even slithers past it like it aint there. I have left it in her tub for the past couple of hours now. Should i throw it away and try again tomorrow? Or leave it there for abit longer? I'm just confused and her big increase in weight has me scratching my head! Thanks in advance.

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk

It is good husbandry to avoid offering food when a ball python is in blue and to just not offer until the next feeding schedule after they actually shed.

You would also do best to start weighing your ball python to find out more accurately how much they weight and what size prey might do best. How old is your BP and how often do you feed and what size/type of prey?

Never actually rub, lay, place, or otherwise touch prey onto a ball python. This is close to simulating a prey attacking a ball python and it's not exactly the best thing to reduce stress while feeding.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by SDA

It is good husbandry to avoid offering food when a ball python is in blue and to just not offer until the next feeding schedule after they actually shed.

You would also do best to start weighing your ball python to find out more accurately how much they weight and what size prey might do best. How old is your BP and how often do you feed and what size/type of prey?

Never actually rub, lay, place, or otherwise touch prey onto a ball python. This is close to simulating a prey attacking a ball python and it's not exactly the best thing to reduce stress while feeding.

---

She has eaten while in shed before, so i thought nothing of it. She weighs a little over 1600(around 300g increase in a couple of weeks) and i was told she is 3 years old. I feed her a medium rat every Friday like i have been doing for the past few months. The rats have never been wider than her girth.

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk

It's normal for snakes not to eat while they are in shed, I'd wait until she sheds and then offer food.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by MD_Pythons

It's normal for snakes not to eat while they are in shed, I'd wait until she sheds and then offer food.

---

Had no problems before and just thought she would be fine as she ate during previous sheds. Should i wait til next feeding day then?

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk

1600 isn't bad at all for a 3 year old female. Just hold off until your next normal feeding after shedding is done.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by SDA

1600 isn't bad at all for a 3 year old female. Just hold off until your next normal feeding after shedding is done.

---

She was just over 1300 only a couple of weeks ago and this weight gain has me confused as it's the biggest gain since i have had her. Is it possible for a snake to retain sperm(i know they can hold sperm for up to 2 years) and fall pregnant at a later date? Maybe a stupid question, but if they can retain it, maybe they can use it anytime they want. Lol.

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk

Medium rats generally way somewhere in the neighborhood of 100 grams each. When was the last time she pooped?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by SDA

Medium rats generally way somewhere in the neighborhood of 100 grams each. When was the last time she pooped?

---

Not long ago. Lol. Last one was Sunday i think.

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk

a skipped meal or two (or fast even) will not hurt a healthy, nicely sized BP.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Stocksy

She was just over 1300 only a couple of weeks ago and this weight gain has me confused as it's the biggest gain since i have had her. Is it possible for a snake to retain sperm(i know they can hold sperm for up to 2 years) and fall pregnant at a later date? Maybe a stupid question, but if they can retain it, maybe they can use it anytime they want. Lol.

---

yes, they can retain sperm. that's why it's important to know your snake's history and the breeder's rep. was she breed @1300grams (or less)? if she was, she actually coulda been much smaller when she was initially bred, before u got her. that would not have been best practice or a good idea by any breeder standard to breed a small female.

Edit: go back and ask. hopefully she wasn't bred and that she's off feed b/c she's a BP and BP's are fickle like that.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Ax01

a skipped meal or two (or fast even) will not hurt a healthy, nicely sized BP.



yes, they can retain sperm. that's why it's important to know your snake's history and the breeder's rep. was she breed @1300grams (or less)? if she was, she actually coulda been much smaller when she was initially bred, before u got her. that would not have been best practice or a good idea by any breeder standard to breed a small female.

Edit: go back and ask. hopefully she wasn't bred and that she's off feed b/c she's a BP and BP's are fickle like that.

---

She must have been below 1300 cos she was 1300 a few weeks ago. Maybe she retained sperm til she got big enough? Not sure how the retaining sperm process works. I tried messaging the woman i bought her off, but she i get no answer. Tried ringing her a few times and seems she might have changed her number. I have threw the rat out as she still didn't feed and she has done a massive poop. Lol.

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk

If she is gravid take her to a vet that can do ultrasound. That should solve any question about immaculate conceptions

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by SDA

If she is gravid take her to a vet that can do ultrasound. That should solve any question about immaculate conceptions

---

Local vets near me don't do reptiles. It's a decent car journey to the nearest one. I am going to be checking her over every other day once she sheds. After what my cousin said, i'm wondering if this is her pre-ovulatuon shed. I havn't seen any lumps and bumps on her though. It could be a case of a weight gain burst.

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk

I would doubt she is gravid, weight gain doesn't = gravid. What other signs is she displaying? How experienced is your cousin? You've had her for about 2-3 months now correct? How often has she shed while with you? Missing one meal isn't going to hurt her and since she put on quite a bit of weight in a short time, that may be why she skipped.
Just throwing out a bunch of thoughts an ideas...

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by AbsoluteApril

I would doubt she is gravid, weight gain doesn't = gravid. What other signs is she displaying? How experienced is your cousin? You've had her for about 2-3 months now correct? How often has she shed while with you? Missing one meal isn't going to hurt her and since she put on quite a bit of weight in a short time, that may be why she skipped.
Just throwing out a bunch of thoughts an ideas...

---

I do appreciate you asking questions. I'm not going to feel like you're having a go at me. Lol. She seems to be spending more time out of her hide. Whenever the lid comes open, she tries to make an escape. Those two things is something she didn't do when i first had her. It could be cos she is settled. My cousin has 3 snakes, and has had his snakes for around 3-4 years and seems to know a fair bit about them. But, everyone is wrong every now and again. I think this is her 4th shed now. She peed and pooped all over her tub tonight after i threw the rat away.

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk