Yellow's first feed since October!!!

from my records: Yellow's last successful feed was October 3 2017; his last strike was September 17 2017; weight on October 2 2017 was at 904g; most recent shed was January 7 2018 and weight was ~800g. since October he's only lost ~100g.

this was Yellow's first winter with 3 females in the room, and food has been the last thing on his mind. last feeder offering was January 30, but tonight when he was offered YELLOW ACTUALLY STRUCK!!!

if you don't know Yellow: he's a very shy eater and usually only eats when i set the feeder down and walk away; any strike i get is extremely surprising. not only did Yellow eat for the first time since October, BUT HE STRUCK!!! most of my snakes are 2017 born and less than 600g; i almost forgot what almost 1000g feels like slamming a feeder off tongs! what a rush!!!

almost 5 months off feed. what a relief. [emoji3]

super crappy pic but i wasn't expecting this and it's all i got:
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...8946bd498a.jpg

Yeah, Shayna ate about ten days ago for the first time since the beginning of September.

No fun when they won't eat. She lost about 100G as well, but was about 1600G when she started her fast.

Harder on us as keepers than on the snakes.

Good when they eat though.

Do not be surprised if he doesn't keep pounding rats for a little bit. Shayna usually has at least one false start. She will take a rat and then skip another few meals before getting back on track.

I this what I have to look forward too with booplesnoop and Odyn? I don't know if I can handle it. Boop is 850g this week. Not looking forward to this....freaking out commencing in 3...2...1..

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Originally Posted by Sunnieskys

I this what I have to look forward too with booplesnoop and Odyn? I don't know if I can handle it. Boop is 850g this week. Not looking forward to this....freaking out commencing in 3...2...1..

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hahaha! this is very typical mature male beep behavior for this time of year; females usually don't go through such a drastic fast. while mature females are known to go off feed or become inconsistent during breeding season, it usually pales in comparison to a typical mature male fasting during the breeding season.

just know that when your babies' time comes: it's totally normal and don't post a billion threads in a panic wondering if they're dying. [emoji12]

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Originally Posted by tttaylorrr

hahaha! this is very typical mature male beep behavior for this time of year; females usually don't go through such a drastic fast. while mature females are known to go off feed or become inconsistent during breeding season, it usually pales in comparison to a typical mature male fasting during the breeding season.

just know that when your babies' time comes: it's totally normal and don't post a billion threads in a panic wondering if they're dying. [emoji12]

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You totally know I'm going to freak out and post lol

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Originally Posted by Sunnieskys

I this what I have to look forward too with booplesnoop and Odyn? I don't know if I can handle it. Boop is 850g this week. Not looking forward to this....freaking out commencing in 3...2...1..

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Try not to freak out! It's okay!

BP's are strange and often fast, naturally going off food, often times for a while, once they reach a good size. I cannot imagine my corn snake doing that! Garbage disposal!

My BP, Shayna, is 5 and has fasted every winter for the past 3 years. The first time I freaked out, but this forum helped a lot.

They eat again when they are ready, as long as everything else is good (husbandry, still drinking and leaving urine and urate, etc).

They rarely let themselves lose more than 10% of their body weight at the most. Shayna usually loses between 6-8% or so. This year she went from 1580G to 1470G. No biggie.

Again, much harder on us than on them!

Hang in there and realize when/if it happens, it's not you and your BP's will eat again when they want.

Good that you care so much; I can relate. However, do not make yourself crazy.

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Originally Posted by Sunnieskys

You totally know I'm going to freak out and post lol

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We will be here either way! Don't worry. :)

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Originally Posted by Sunnieskys

You totally know I'm going to freak out and post lol

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and we'll be there to reassure you and also make fun. [emoji16]

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Originally Posted by tttaylorrr

i almost forgot what almost 1000g feels like slamming a feeder off tongs! what a rush!!!

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LOL. I get shocked every time Shayna strikes as she rarely does. Usually wants me to leave the rat and she will pull into her house and eat. Very shy.

You know who isn't shy? My BCI Behira. Cannot wait to see what 5,000 to 7,000 Grams feels like hitting a rat! I am being a little sarcastic here. I respect her strength now at 700G, but am a little nervous about feeding when she is big! Good thing I have invested in long tongs!

I am sure it will be fine, and even my corn nailing a mouse (he's 640G) I notice. Just putting it in perspective for me.

Again, happy Yellow ate.

That's actually a really cool artsy sort of picture.

Sent from my VS995 using Tapatalk

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Originally Posted by Lirenn

That's actually a really cool artsy sort of picture.

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seeing it on my phone i was disappointed, but seeing it big on a desktop it does look kinda cool! the lighting is creepy! :O

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Originally Posted by tttaylorrr

if you don't know Yellow: he's a very shy eater and usually only eats when i set the feeder down and walk away; any strike i get is extremely surprising. not only did Yellow eat for the first time since October, BUT HE STRUCK!!!

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This has been my BP's story since I got him. It's like Xmas the next morning when I walk downstairs to see if he took his food ;)

How often did you try feeding him during this last fasting? I think I'm going to try every 14 days to see if that helps my little guy.

Congrats! It's such a great feeling when they 'snack'!!!

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Originally Posted by ckuhn003

This has been my BP's story since I got him. It's like Xmas the next morning when I walk downstairs to see if he took his food ;)

How often did you try feeding him during this last fasting? I think I'm going to try every 14 days to see if that helps my little guy.

Congrats! It's such a great feeling when they 'snack'!!!

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every refusal i got i added 7 more days until his next feeding. first refusal, wait 7 days; second refusal, 14 days; third, 21 days; never exceeding ~31 days between offerings. keep in mind he is an established 900g+ adult, so this type of schedule wouldn't be suited for a snake >1.5 years old. full disclosure: my schedule with him wasn't nearly as exact as what i listed above, but you get the idea. the past couple weeks he's been more active at night (e.g. noticing he's been pushing around/rearranging the enclosure) so i took that as a sign that he might be hungry. TBH i just let him do his thing and tell me when he's ready for food. :)

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Originally Posted by tttaylorrr

from my records: Yellow's last successful feed was October 3 2017; his last strike was September 17 2017; weight on October 2 2017 was at 904g; most recent shed was January 7 2018 and weight was ~800g. since October he's only lost ~100g.

this was Yellow's first winter with 3 females in the room, and food has been the last thing on his mind. last feeder offering was January 30, but tonight when he was offered YELLOW ACTUALLY STRUCK!!!

if you don't know Yellow: he's a very shy eater and usually only eats when i set the feeder down and walk away; any strike i get is extremely surprising. not only did Yellow eat for the first time since October, BUT HE STRUCK!!! most of my snakes are 2017 born and less than 600g; i almost forgot what almost 1000g feels like slamming a feeder off tongs! what a rush!!!

almost 5 months off feed. what a relief. [emoji3]

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congrats! tho i feel like he's just getting u ready for sausage butt time.

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Originally Posted by tttaylorrr

super crappy pic but i wasn't expecting this and it's all i got:

https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...8946bd498a.jpg

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don't worry. that's how i take all my pix.

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Originally Posted by Ax01

congrats! tho i feel like he's just getting u ready for sausage butt time.

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i've definitely enjoyed him keeping a clean enclosure for longer, but i guess all good things come to an end...and the end looks like a sausage. LOL.

Hello,


Can I ask how old is she?
It's her? 1.0 '14 Albino (Yellow Lemon Lemongrab) ✮






Thanks!! :-)

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Originally Posted by DeVipera

Hello,


Can I ask how old is she?
It's her? 1.0 '14 Albino (Yellow Lemon Lemongrab) ✮






Thanks!! :-)

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Yellow is a male, and yes that's him in my signature. [emoji4] Yellow was hatched on 9/9/2014, so he's over 3 years old.

Please tell me some BP's don't fast lol. Odyn seems to be my always hungry one since he was a trouble feeder in the beginning.

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Originally Posted by Sunnieskys

Please tell me some BP's don't fast lol. Odyn seems to be my always hungry one since he was a trouble feeder in the beginning.

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My 3 year old normal female went on a 3 month fast last year and it freaked me out because she never did it before but her "brother" has yet to do it. That's why I call him fatty. While she was on her fast, he ate all her meals for her along with his own

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Originally Posted by Sunnieskys

Please tell me some BP's don't fast lol. Odyn seems to be my always hungry one since he was a trouble feeder in the beginning.

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Mine doesn't fast. Male and over 1200g last time I weighed him. I've had him for two years as of mid next month- he was 300g when I got him, so he's probably at least 2 1/2. He's "refused" one meal ever, which I'm pretty sure he would've taken if I left it in with him, and decided he didn't want to strike but wanted me to leave it to eat at his leisure for a couple after that. He's now back to striking and struck all winter last winter despite spending tons of time roaming around looking for the ladies. He has a fat soul.

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Originally Posted by Sunnieskys

Please tell me some BP's don't fast lol. Odyn seems to be my always hungry one since he was a trouble feeder in the beginning.

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of course! I'm sure theres plenty or examples on the forum. Coffee Bean is still young but i have a feeling she's never going to slow down. I'm pretty sure food is literally her favorite thing

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Originally Posted by tttaylorrr

of course! I'm sure theres plenty or examples on the forum. Coffee Bean is still young but i have a feeling she's never going to slow down. I'm pretty sure food is literally her favorite thing

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Well that and trying to kill you lol

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Originally Posted by Sunnieskys

Well that and trying to kill you lol

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at this point i think i'm considered food, she's just trying to figure out how to eat me.

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Originally Posted by Sunnieskys

Please tell me some BP's don't fast lol. Odyn seems to be my always hungry one since he was a trouble feeder in the beginning.

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Yep ... three out of my five Royals will even eat when in shed mode ...


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

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Originally Posted by Zincubus

Yep ... three out of my five Royals will even eat when in shed mode ...


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

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Somehow out of a ball python, a couple garters, and a new dumeril's boa, I still don't own anything that will refuse food in shed.

just a lil update: yesterday was feeding day and Yellow readily struck his small rat. :happycry: if he wasn't going to eat it, i was going to offer it to Coffee Bean. instead she got a weaned. :P

Our female is a little over a year old and the last time she ate was December. Last time she struck was November. The last couple feeds in December we had to leave the f/t rat in there and it disappeared within an hour or so. This was after being a very good eater, striking hard and consistently every single feed every week up until her last. She has not started eating yet though :/

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Originally Posted by codycat91

Our female is a little over a year old and the last time she ate was December. Last time she struck was November. The last couple feeds in December we had to leave the f/t rat in there and it disappeared within an hour or so. This was after being a very good eater, striking hard and consistently every single feed every week up until her last. She has not started eating yet though :/

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i feel like beeps definitely go through periods where they change up their feeding routines. my CG girl Spaghetti is a fantastic eater, but this winter she refused to strike at a small rat, and instead was preferring weaned rats; struck at them every time. i offered weaned rats almost all winter, and had to leave them in with her a few times. she just took her first small rat in a while this past wednesday.

patience!!!

I just ordered a pack of weaned rats online. We'll see what she thinks of them