Feeling Like a Failure (Feeding)

Sorry if the title is a bit melodramatic, lol. Just a bit defeated after a second consecutive failed feeding attempt.

Quick backstory: Got Syd at the end of July. According to the breeder she was a fabulous eater, and her body composition showed that (compared to other snakes he had hatched out at the same time that were more picky and much smaller and less robust).

I took her home and gave her a week to settle in. When the week was up, she took a F/T rat pup for me (prepared by thawing in warm water for around an hour, then boosting temp with hair dryer, and dangling in front of her). I offered at night in a dark room.

Every week thereafter she took like clockwork using the same method. In September, I bumped her up to weaned rats, which she has been taking fine.

Then she went into shed at the end of September, and during her shed, she refused. I left it in her cage overnight just in case but she never ate it. However, I knew she was in the middle of shedding, so I didn’t think anything of it.

After her shed on the 29th, she ate like normal on the 30th.

Then last week, she refused. As far as I know I did the exact same thing I’ve always done but she just wouldn’t go for it. I thought she was interested but after dangling and blow drying and dangling and blow drying over and over for god knows how long I finally gave up. I figured maybe she just needed a little Break and she would be extra hungry and ready to eat next week. I decided not to handle her at all until her next feeding day to try to reduce stress.

Fast forward to tonight.... and no luck. Same thing that happened last week.

For reference, she is ~350g and I am offering weaned rats (weighing 35-45g on average). Her ambient is 79-81*F and her warm hide is 88-89*F. During shed I bumped her humidity to 60-70%, but 45-55% is it’s typical range and what it’s sitting at now. Her shed was perfect. She last had a bowel movement on September 30 after her shed before she ate, although she has passed urates since then.

She is in a 10 gallon, reptile prime for substrate, she has 2 of the same hide, water bowl, foliage for cover, and the sides are covered. Top has aluminum foil over it to keep heat and humidity in. She has a heating pad regulated with a thermostat on the warm side and a low wattage CHE on a dimmer to bump ambients up a few degrees.

So I just don’t know what to do. Logically I know that sometimes they just go off feed of their own accord, but as a human that likes to eat frequently and is responsible for her care, it’s hard to not feel like I’m doing something wrong and failing her in some way. The problem is, I can’t pinpoint anything that would have changed since the last time she ate.

I’m a fixer, so my inclination is to start messing with stuff to get her eating again, even though I know that is probably counterintuitive as it would just stress her out. I could always move her over to a tub (have nothing against them - the boyfriend just likes tanks so we compromised), or put her in a different room or something...... but again, I feel it is probably smarter to keep things consistent? Right?

What would you do if you were me? Does anything stand out that I should be doing different? Just wanted to get some advice. This is my 4th ball python and the only one that has ever refused a meal for me [emoji30]








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Sounds like you're doing everything right to me...maybe she is sensing the change of seasons though, shorter days (even if temps in her cage haven't changed)
can tip our snakes off that winter is coming. Don't worry too much...this is what BPs do, & don't offer food more than once/week, as that is just stressing them.

This is more so an anecdote that (might?) soothe your fears.

Firstly, you're so lucky!! That your other 3 balls haven't gone off feed. I remember the first year my girl fasted. I worried like crazy. It started in November. She only fasted a couple months then, but the next year she fasted for FIVE months. This will be her (she hasn't started yet, but it's not quite time yet) 4th year fasting over the winter. She fasts like clockwork, it always starts in the period of the same two weeks. I live in a basement too - she gets artificial lighting, so I assume they must have this incredible instinct that can tell the changing seasons.

I do still get anxious about it. But during that time, I'll offer food once every two weeks. I just check that she's otherwise still normal and healthy. As long as she's drinking water and not showing signs of other sicknesses e.g. wheezing or mites or etc. and if she doesn't appear to be hunting aggressively at night, then she might just be fasting! She'll come out of it when she's ready.

Haven't time to read all through the thread but just thought I'd throw this in ... it's just that I had a female Albino Royal who fed well but then fasted for NINE MONTHS !! Anyways when she resumed she went onto eat perfectly again BUT only every TWO weeks ..


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I have 2 BPs. Both right at a year old. Bob is around 850g and Shiva is around 1000g. 2 months ago they both refused for the first time ever. Weekly feedings till then. Now they only eat once a month despite being offered weekly. Neither of them are loosing weight and both still show normal behavior for them. No change in husbandry. Just change in their desire to feed. Winter is on the way and they know I am sure.

Thanks everyone for the words of encouragement!

I know I was lucky with my first BPs and definitely took their willingness to eat year-round for granted.

She’s still alert and acting the same as always. As far as I can tell she hasn’t lost any weight, but I don’t take weights until after she’s pooped and she hasn’t pooped since her last meal yet, thus it’s hard to say for sure. So we will see. But she looks the same and is acting normal aside from the food refusals.


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I don't have any advice, it sounds like you're doing everything I would try.

If you wanted another disaster story to make you feel better, I had opted for my first ball python to be an adult (i.e. established eater) in my attempt to avoid dealing with the fasting straight away or difficulties getting a baby adapted and eating. So, I went to an expo, got an adult male, brought him home in October. I had seen the winter fasting, but thought I would have at least 3 or 4 feedings before then, not realizing how randomly they decide it is winter. (I'm in Texas, so winter isn't too evident until November-December most years as far as temps go.)

So he fasted on me for the first 5 months I had him. Since he had supposedly been fed live and frozen, when I offered live, he would take a mouse or small rat (what the local place I could get live feeders from happened to have) every 3 or 4 weeks. So maybe half as much food as he should have had weekly he ate every month.


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Around this time of the year, all reptiles are starting to eating less and sleeping more. My snakes including my bp is still eating (>500g) for now but I won't be surprised if he starts turning down meals soon. My king is showing less interest in food and being less active. She has been like this pre-shedding. I am hoping she will want to eat after her shed but as an adult female of unknown age, I don't mind if she cuts back as long as her weight remain about the same. My lizards are already showing less interest in their food or eating less, including my food obsessed blue tongue skink.

I think age plays a factor but even the young ones will follow suit if they feel winter is coming. I would not worry about your snake not eating for several weeks. Try once every 2 weeks. As long as the weight is not lost by much and they appear in good health, these guys know what they are doing.

It's a bit early to panic but have you considered alternative prey?

Thanks again to everyone for the encouragement.

Tonight was feeding night, and unfortunately she didn’t eat. So that makes this her 3rd skipped meal. The thing that is really frustrating is that she SEEMS hungry; she hangs out with her head out of the hide every night, she goes out to explore in the middle of the night (I’ve caught her in the act, and she ritualistically knocks over her thermometer which I have to reposition every morning). She sniffs the rat and follows it around with her head. But nothing.

Regarding husbandry... everything is the same.

However, I failed to mention this in the OP, but I have noticed that she seems to only ever be on her cool side. She’s basically been spending her entire day on the cool side ever since she went into shed. I’m guessing maybe she is going to warm side when I’m asleep. Or maybe since she hasn’t eaten in a while she doesn’t need the higher temps.

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Originally Posted by dr del

It's a bit early to panic but have you considered alternative prey?

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I have considered that. I’m willing to do whatever. I prefer F/T for convenience, safety, and the fact that I hate seeing an animal suffer, however, I’ve fed live in the past and will do it again if necessary. I know you can also get other food types like chicks and gerbils and all that stuff if rats don’t do the trick, and I’d be willing to do that as well.

I’m also seriously considering switching her over to a tub. She ate fine for 2 months in this tank though (it’s only 10 gal and cluttered), which is why I’m hesitant to change anything. I’m getting pretty sad because she was such a breeze when I first got her. Now she’s really stressing me out [emoji30]



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Originally Posted by alittleFREE

... I’m getting pretty sad because she was such a breeze when I first got her. Now she’s really stressing me out [emoji30]...

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I sympathize (been there, done that) but it just goes with the territory when keeping BPs. Pity they don't come with a crystal ball to help you decide whether or not an
offer of alternative prey will work, or if this is only due to the seasonal changes & a new kind of prey will only mess up the established feeding they've already managed.

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

I sympathize (been there, done that) but it just goes with the territory when keeping BPs. Pity they don't come with a crystal ball to help you decide whether or not an
offer of alternative prey will work, or if this is only due to the seasonal changes & a new kind of prey will only mess up the established feeding they've already managed.

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Exactly. I’m willing to try whatever - but I don’t want to do something that would mess up her established habits and routine without due cause.


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I probably wouldn't go for gerbils as a feeder, not easy to get for F/T as far as I'm aware and live would mean pet-prices unless you know a breeder personally. I did get chicks for variety, but both my big enough BPs wouldnt go for it, even while established feeders. It may be something yours will grab, but no way to know without trying.

I have had luck switching 2 determined live feeding BPs by thawing the rat dry, by the cage, in a small pile of used gerbil bedding. As much as you'd get a weird look, I imagine a pet store wouldn't mind letting you have some of it if you decided to try that. Especially if you explain you're trying the smell to get a picky BP to eat. After it is thawed, I just use the hairdryer to heat for 60 seconds or so until I see a nose poking out of a hide and offer. (1 adult, and 1 hatchling who had missed 3 weeks of meals and only weighed 60 grams... that was super stressful since it was her first 3 weeks with me. She has now eaten 3 times for me.)

(Both times I've used this method I've been able to immediately do non-scented the following week with even more appetite than before, even compared to the live feeders)

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by alittleFREE

Exactly. I’m willing to try whatever - but I don’t want to do something that would mess up her established habits and routine without due cause.


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Personally I'd probably wait her out...I know how hard it is not to worry, but BPs will be BPs. Give it time, try not to worry...it's what they do. (I think it mostly
drives us crazy because they don't all do the same thing...)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

Personally I'd probably wait her out...I know how hard it is not to worry, but BPs will be BPs. Give it time, try not to worry...it's what they do. (I think it mostly
drives us crazy because they don't all do the same thing...)

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I second this one. You've got a couple hundred grams of weight on your BP, and if she was taking frozen, she will eventually do so again. (Funny enough, I just ended a fast from a young Kenyan sand boa. Weighed 36 grams every week for the last 6 weeks but had refused for seemingly no reason after eating fine for 6 months before)

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Originally Posted by pretends2bnormal

I probably wouldn't go for gerbils as a feeder, not easy to get for F/T as far as I'm aware and live would mean pet-prices unless you know a breeder personally. I did get chicks for variety, but both my big enough BPs wouldnt go for it, even while established feeders. It may be something yours will grab, but no way to know without trying.

I have had luck switching 2 determined live feeding BPs by thawing the rat dry, by the cage, in a small pile of used gerbil bedding. As much as you'd get a weird look, I imagine a pet store wouldn't mind letting you have some of it if you decided to try that. Especially if you explain you're trying the smell to get a picky BP to eat. After it is thawed, I just use the hairdryer to heat for 60 seconds or so until I see a nose poking out of a hide and offer. (1 adult, and 1 hatchling who had missed 3 weeks of meals and only weighed 60 grams... that was super stressful since it was her first 3 weeks with me. She has now eaten 3 times for me.)

(Both times I've used this method I've been able to immediately do non-scented the following week with even more appetite than before, even compared to the live feeders)

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You've got the hairdryer method off to a tee :)

I do exactly what you do with incredible success - it just works so well especially with Royals / Balls .

I feed evenings in low/dim light , heat with hairdryer ( right next to their vivs ) then as you do ... wait until I see a nose at the entrance and BOOM :)


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Sometimes using the blow dryer alone doesn't raise the internal temp of the rodent enough, just transporting it to the cage they loose heat rapidly, esp. if the ambient in your room is getting cooler during winter.

Try warming it up in hot water (AFTER its thawed) then dry off some with paper towel, offer while toasty warm.

Having the prey slightly wet doesn't hurt at all, i've fed F/T this way for many years.

I thaw them in cold water for a few hours, usually take them out mid day, put them in a bucket of cold water, then leave them until evening. After that I drain the cold water and add hot water, not boiling hot mind you, just like you would drink a tea I suppose? Wait 10 minutes, drain the water and add hot water again, this time a tad hotter, but not burning hot. Wait 10 minutes, remove the rodent, roll it in some paper towels, carry it to the cage. By then its dried off some but the heat is preserved. Dangle!

With small/medium rats I do this cycle of drain/add hot water 3 times.

With rat pups/weaned rats twice is sufficient.

Do NOT add water that is boiling hot, or the rats might pop..the water needs to be hot, but not so much that it is uncomfortable to your hands. The rats should feel toasty warm through and through when you take them out.

I've had some BP's that take even luke warm food or not evenly heated throughout while they are in their "ravenous" phase. As they slow down, they get pickier and having the rodent prepared right (warm throughout) becomes more important, or I get refusals.

You can still hit them with the hair dryer for a few seconds if you want, but they should be warm enough as is.

Can't hurt to try ;)

If you are keeping in a glass tank, try to insulate it, sides and back and part of the top. Glass tanks are horrible for keeping ambient heat and humidity. You could get some sheets of styrofoam and attach them on the outside of the tank. You could first attach some black construction paper on the outside of the tank, to provide better privacy. Glass tanks are SO exposed. You want to make the entire tank feel like a giant hide, and then have smaller hides within that hide.

Its typical that some BP's go through phases of being simply ravenous and not as picky, and then slowing down enough to either refuse or become very picky with what they eat. Before you go to live, try some other methods of F/T, esp. hotter meals and/or mice instead of rats.

Thanks for the above suggestions.

I’ll probably try one more feed using my regular method, since it was successful during the first two months I had her, when she was taking meals without hesitation. Just to give her some time to make sure it’s not a natural “stop stuffing me with food, I’m a snake” sort of fast. However, If she doesn’t take next Sunday, that will make it her 4th refusal. So after that point I’ll start trying alternative measures, starting with simple stuff like how I’m thawing/presenting, and graduating to more drastic changes like prey type, if she still won’t eat after several weeks of those attempts.

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Originally Posted by pretends2bnormal

I second this one. You've got a couple hundred grams of weight on your BP, and if she was taking frozen, she will eventually do so again. (Funny enough, I just ended a fast from a young Kenyan sand boa. Weighed 36 grams every week for the last 6 weeks but had refused for seemingly no reason after eating fine for 6 months before)

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Yeah, I weighed her this morning, and she was 362 grams. Which is the exact same weight that I got from her last week. On her last empty weigh-in, taken the day before her last successful feed on September 30th, she was 342 grams. So she’s definitely not dropping weight or anything.

Naturally, because I mentioned that she had only been on the cool side, she decides to go over to the warm side hide today. She still hasn’t pooped out her September 30th meal so part of me wonders if she just needs to get that out of her system before she’s ready for another.




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Quote:

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Originally Posted by alittleFREE

Thanks for the above suggestions.

I’ll probably try one more feed using my regular method, since it was successful during the first two months I had her, when she was taking meals without hesitation. Just to give her some time to make sure it’s not a natural “stop stuffing me with food, I’m a snake” sort of fast. However, If she doesn’t take next Sunday, that will make it her 4th refusal. So after that point I’ll start trying alternative measures, starting with simple stuff like how I’m thawing/presenting, and graduating to more drastic changes like prey type, if she still won’t eat after several weeks of those attempts.



Yeah, I weighed her this morning, and she was 362 grams. Which is the exact same weight that I got from her last week. On her last empty weigh-in, taken the day before her last successful feed on September 30th, she was 342 grams. So she’s definitely not dropping weight or anything.

Naturally, because I mentioned that she had only been on the cool side, she decides to go over to the warm side hide today. She still hasn’t pooped out her September 30th meal so part of me wonders if she just needs to get that out of her system before she’s ready for another.




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When my boy Vega was that size he never quit eating, but he did pretty much go over to at the most frequent monthly poops. So 3 weeks without a poop isn't really worrisome unless you can see major "sausage-butt" for more than a week or two (maybe more? Someone with more experience would need to chime in there. I wouldn't be worried until after that at least). He also spent a lot of time on the cool side when not digesting and my adult male does as well outside of shed or a recent meal. Might just be a personal preference of hers.

I can't recall if you've said your method already, but if you usually thaw in water, it wouldn't hurt to thaw in water with the rat in a ziploc baggy and see if a stronger smell would help. That kind of minor change to the process isn't going to make her less likely to eat, so may be worth trying for #4. I agree on leaving off changing how you offer it (tongs/drop-feed) and the type of feeder for another meal or two. I'd run through the various thawing and offer methods before swapping prey items.

You're doing everything you can, so keep your chin up. She'll get back eating for you soon, I'm sure.

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Originally Posted by pretends2bnormal

When my boy Vega was that size he never quit eating, but he did pretty much go over to at the most frequent monthly poops. So 3 weeks without a poop isn't really worrisome unless you can see major "sausage-butt" for more than a week or two (maybe more? Someone with more experience would need to chime in there. I wouldn't be worried until after that at least). He also spent a lot of time on the cool side when not digesting and my adult male does as well outside of shed or a recent meal. Might just be a personal preference of hers.

I can't recall if you've said your method already, but if you usually thaw in water, it wouldn't hurt to thaw in water with the rat in a ziploc baggy and see if a stronger smell would help. That kind of minor change to the process isn't going to make her less likely to eat, so may be worth trying for #4. I agree on leaving off changing how you offer it (tongs/drop-feed) and the type of feeder for another meal or two. I'd run through the various thawing and offer methods before swapping prey items.

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She was going every 2 weeks previously, so maybe she’s just switching over to less frequent defecation. Hard to know because she hasn’t had a 2nd meal to help push the first one out lol.

I thaw in a ziploc bag in warm (just warm enough to register as warm to the touch, but not hot) water, then blast with the hair dryer.

When I only had my Cal King, I would just leave the rat on the counter for a few hours and she would literally eat it at room temp. Didn’t have to blast it with heat or anything. That didn’t work for Syd (my BP), though, so I started doing both of their meals at the same time in the baggies in water to simplify feeding process and that seemed to be the ticket. Until now, anyway.




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Quote:

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Originally Posted by alittleFREE

She was going every 2 weeks previously, so maybe she’s just switching over to less frequent defecation. Hard to know because she hasn’t had a 2nd meal to help push the first one out lol.

I thaw in a ziploc bag in warm (just warm enough to register as warm to the touch, but not hot) water, then blast with the hair dryer.

When I only had my Cal King, I would just leave the rat on the counter for a few hours and she would literally eat it at room temp. Didn’t have to blast it with heat or anything. That didn’t work for Syd (my BP), though, so I started doing both of their meals at the same time in the baggies in water to simplify feeding process and that seemed to be the ticket. Until now, anyway.




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Could be. As for the thawing, that's roughly what I do. Though most of mine don't mind wet feeders so I usually skip bagging and the hairdryer dries it off enough I guess.

Maybe try longer with the hairdryer? I aim for 30 seconds or so, but generally wait until I see a nose at the hide entrance or they start coming out of the hide. Vega, my yearling, will literally take a room temp rat wet if offered... (only did that once out of curiosity. Figured he wouldn't take it and I could just do the blow dryer, but he snatched it right up.)

Right now getting the nose to come out in interest takes 60-90 seconds for my young female (2nd frozen meal last night! & 3rd with me). I do the whole body once I get the nose for 30 seconds and just alternate to try and get the whole thing extra warm and alive.

If that doesn't get interest, I often swap to the low power heat mode and blow some smell straight into the cage near the hide entrance in case they weren't paying attention. That tends to work unless I missed the start of a shed for my adult male.

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Originally Posted by pretends2bnormal

Could be. As for the thawing, that's roughly what I do. Though most of mine don't mind wet feeders so I usually skip bagging and the hairdryer dries it off enough I guess.

Maybe try longer with the hairdryer? I aim for 30 seconds or so, but generally wait until I see a nose at the hide entrance or they start coming out of the hide. Vega, my yearling, will literally take a room temp rat wet if offered... (only did that once out of curiosity. Figured he wouldn't take it and I could just do the blow dryer, but he snatched it right up.)

Right now getting the nose to come out in interest takes 60-90 seconds for my young female (2nd frozen meal last night! & 3rd with me). I do the whole body once I get the nose for 30 seconds and just alternate to try and get the whole thing extra warm and alive.

If that doesn't get interest, I often swap to the low power heat mode and blow some smell straight into the cage near the hide entrance in case they weren't paying attention. That tends to work unless I missed the start of a shed for my adult male.

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Well, the problem is, she already shows interest. Her head is out of her hide every night like she's waiting for food. So when it's time to feed, she's there and ready, and she comes up to it, sniffs it, watches it intently - if I move it around she follows it with her head. She just won't strike. Whereas before, once the rat got in front of her, she IMMEDIATELY struck and wrapped.

And yeah, I've tried everything with the hairdryer. Each week she hasn't taken, I've spent like 30 minutes alternating between blasting it and offering it... trying different things to get it "right" so she'll eat. I've done it on the high setting, on the low setting, for 10 seconds, for 30 seconds, on just the head, on the whole body,... I've dangled it close to her face, far away from her face, with little motion, with a lot of motion... I've left the rat overnight each time in case she decided she wanted it.

Before, she wasn't really picky about it. As long as the rat was warm and in front her face, she was gonna grab it.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by alittleFREE

Well, the problem is, she already shows interest. Her head is out of her hide every night like she's waiting for food. So when it's time to feed, she's there and ready, and she comes up to it, sniffs it, watches it intently - if I move it around she follows it with her head. She just won't strike. Whereas before, once the rat got in front of her, she IMMEDIATELY struck and wrapped.

And yeah, I've tried everything with the hairdryer. Each week she hasn't taken, I've spent like 30 minutes alternating between blasting it and offering it... trying different things to get it "right" so she'll eat. I've done it on the high setting, on the low setting, for 10 seconds, for 30 seconds, on just the head, on the whole body,... I've dangled it close to her face, far away from her face, with little motion, with a lot of motion... I've left the rat overnight each time in case she decided she wanted it.

Before, she wasn't really picky about it. As long as the rat was warm and in front her face, she was gonna grab it.

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Yeah, that sounds like she's just doing some sort of fast. When I got my adult male, he fasted for 5 months, even eating live, and showed similar sort of lack of interest. He'd look at the food and ignore it.

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Try a smaller size. If she was eating rat fuzzies, go rat pinkies. Sometimes going a size smaller helps. I watched one of the help YT vids from Chad at Snakes N Adders who talked about why snakes fast. I would check his vid out. One of the reasons he mentioned was that your snake's last meal may have irritated its throat, which can cause a refusal next time, so going smaller can help.

This may sound silly given all the steps you have taken but is there any chance she is going into a shed cycle?

the alternative idea is looking for anything ( including ambient temps ) that may have changed from the time she last ate? new hides, temps, I mention this as even beneficial changes can throw them off occasionally. :cool:

I have a hairdryer in the snake room so I have the viv glass open , heat with hairdryer then offer INSTANTLY with minimal heat loss .

Make sure the Royal is well settled under a hide then heat and dangle the warm rat in front of the hide entrance ,,


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Whenever I see anything about a hair dryer I have to think of Zincubus :) :D


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Quote:

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Originally Posted by alittleFREE

Well, the problem is, she already shows interest. Her head is out of her hide every night like she's waiting for food. So when it's time to feed, she's there and ready, and she comes up to it, sniffs it, watches it intently - if I move it around she follows it with her head. She just won't strike. Whereas before, once the rat got in front of her, she IMMEDIATELY struck and wrapped.

And yeah, I've tried everything with the hairdryer. Each week she hasn't taken, I've spent like 30 minutes alternating between blasting it and offering it... trying different things to get it "right" so she'll eat. I've done it on the high setting, on the low setting, for 10 seconds, for 30 seconds, on just the head, on the whole body,... I've dangled it close to her face, far away from her face, with little motion, with a lot of motion... I've left the rat overnight each time in case she decided she wanted it.

Before, she wasn't really picky about it. As long as the rat was warm and in front her face, she was gonna grab it.

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See, the way I read this is that she is internally at war with her instincts: she knows what food is, and she still wants it but her instincts are saying "winter's coming,
don't get caught with food rotting in your stomach, fool..." I think her whole "problem" is seasonal...shorter days (even if her cage temps haven't changed) and her
instincts are telling her "don't eat, you'll survive!" I go thru the same thing in winter with my c/b rosy boa, for what it's worth...great eater all year, never brumated,
but she won't eat, or she eats very little, in winter months. Life goes on...try not to worry too much or wonder what you're doing wrong, because you're not, as far as
I can tell.

Yep!!! I am in the same boat with one of my Bp's. He has not ate for 5 weeks now and the last 2 weeks he has not bothered coming out of his hide. I check on him regularly and he gets pissy when I look to see he is ok!!

This is one of ball pythons famous trait. I wish they didnt do this, but if they ate all the time when come feeding day, then we would have nothing to stress over about! Gotta love them though...:frustrate

Quote:

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Originally Posted by dr del

This may sound silly given all the steps you have taken but is there any chance she is going into a shed cycle?

the alternative idea is looking for anything ( including ambient temps ) that may have changed from the time she last ate? new hides, temps, I mention this as even beneficial changes can throw them off occasionally. :cool:

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No obvious signs of shed, and she just shed the day before she last ate. So I would THINK not... but also, you never know, haha.

RE: any changes... I've been thinking about this as well today, trying to pinpoint anything that might have triggered it. All I can think of is that around mid-September (the 12th maybe?), I set up a CHE to help keep ambients up because the UTH wasn't cutting it alone. So her ambients went from 74-75* to 79-81.* She ate twice after the change (once on the 16th, then she skipped on the 23 during a shed, then she ate on the 30th).

Earlier today, I realized the introduction of the CHE is also about the time that she started only going on the cool side. So I decided to do some extra investigation to get a really good read on the temps and spent a little extra time scanning over the whole area of the glass under the hot hide. I found while most of it was 88-89, there were some spots I was hitting that were 92-93. That's higher than what I would prefer so I knocked her thermostat down a degree. Next thing I know, she magically went back over to her hot hide, and has been sitting in it ever since for several hours. First time I've witnessed her using that side of the cage in weeks.

Coincidence?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by alittleFREE

... Next thing I know, she magically went back over to her hot hide, and has been sitting in it ever since for several hours. First time I've witnessed her using that side of the cage in weeks.

Coincidence?

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I don't think that's a coincidence...

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

I don't think that's a coincidence...

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Me neither. Crazy how a 1 degree change is instantly noticeable to them.

I'm suddenly way more optimistic that she may eat for me come Sunday. Maybe this was the issue all along - her warm hide was accumulating too much heat with the combo of the CHE and the UTH...

I feel kind of dumb, but every other time I checked, I would just do the normal thing where I pointed it in the middle of the hide at the glass and it would always read 88-89 so I figured it was the same as it has always been. But apparently some areas were getting hotter than I thought and I just wasn't hitting those with the temp gun.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by zina10

Whenever I see anything about a hair dryer I have to think of Zincubus :) :D


http://photos.imageevent.com/morgens.../hqdefault.jpg

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You can talk :)

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...469d60537.jpeg


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Quote:

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Originally Posted by Zincubus

You can talk :)

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...469d60537.jpeg


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I think that one ought to do the trick, no ?

Should get the rodents plenty hot :rofl:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by zina10

I think that one ought to do the trick, no ?

Should get the rodents plenty hot :rofl:

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I was trying to make out it was YOU with the hairdryer :)


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Quote:

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Originally Posted by Zincubus

I was trying to make out it was YOU with the hairdryer :)


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Why yes. That's my industrial sized hair dryer and I can't live without it!! LOL.[emoji4]

Back on topic, whenever my BP's suddenly get rather lackluster about striking and taking their food, getting the rodents a little hotter usually fixes it.

Whether it's hotter water or longer hair drying. They act interested in the rodents but won't strike unless they get a strong heat signature.

I agree with everyone saying that the ambient Temps and season threw her off. She will eat again when ready [emoji4]


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Update:

STILL on the hot side.

Really starting to think this was the issue. Still going to wait until Sunday to feed to give her time to adjust and relax.

Damn that 1 degree.

Update:

Syd still hasn’t eaten. Like before, she seems extremely interested in food but won’t strike. Every night she sits with her head out of the hide like she’s waiting for prey. She has now missed 5 feeds.

She doesn’t appear much different with her body constitution, but I’m going to weigh her today just to be sure.

I’m going to switch up how I’m thawing for the next feed and see if that changes anything.

I feel like I would be less stressed if she seemed completely uninterested altogether. The fact that she is seemingly waiting for prey and then is intently focused on the food offered, but won’t strike, makes me think it might be the way I’m thawing and presenting.


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Hey alittleFREE!

I think I am very late here. However, I wanted to give my two cents and set your mind at ease, even if I am a little redundant at times.

At 350G, she can go a while without eating. This time of year is when they often stop and fast. Shayna, my female BP, started her winter fast 6 weeks ago. She has done a 5 month fast every winter for 4 years now and was picky before then. However, the 5 month winter fast thing has been like clockwork since she was 2 (she's 6 now).

Personally, I think she will eat when ready. BP's do this. I think you are lucky that you only have 1/4 that does it! It's much harder on us as keepers than it is on them, believe me.

I would weigh her periodically, and I wouldn't worry until she is under 300G or has gone for more than 6 months. That's me. I would pretty much let her be and would offer food much less frequently now. If she had been eating weekly, offer every 3 weeks. If she had been eating every other week, over monthly.

Secondly, I have compiled a step by step process for how to defrost and warm frozen rodents to feed. Since your other 3 eat like clockwork, that's probably not the issues, but it doesn't hurt to have a good system.

The steps are below. Good luck, stay calm, and keep us in the loop!


This is my step by step list on defrosting F/T rodents.

Others may do it differently and that's fine. This how I do it and it works for me.


STEPS FOR DEFROSTING F/T RODENTS/PREY

1. Put prey item(s) into appropriate size plastic bag (1 for each). I use Quart size ziplock bags up to a medium rat. NOTE: Bags are optional. Some people just throw the prey in the water. I like the bags, but you have to squeeze the air out of them.

2. Fill the container/storage box 3/4 of the way with room temp to slightly warm water. If you have a temp gun (which you should, so if you don't, get one), make sure the water is not hotter than 85-90F, or there about.

3. Put F/T prey item(s) in water. Cover (optional) and leave for an hour +/-.

4. After an hour, rotate/flip prey. If in plastic bags, they often will stay on whatever side you put them in on. So if mouse is on left side, turn to right side, etc.

5. Leave for another hour +/- for a TOTAL of about 2 hours (up to medium sized rat - longer if bigger prey for when ROE is bigger and eating Large rats, for example).

6. Check that prey is defrosted totally through. Squeeze at different sections of the preys body. Should be cool/room temp to touch, but be soft with no cold spots. If hard (except for bone), in abdomen, for example, or cold, put back in water until room temp and soft.

7. Take prey out of the container/storage box and put aside. THEN FOLLOW STEPS 8-11 OR STEP 12

8. Fill container with hot water from tap. If using temp gun, water temp should be 110-130F, not more.

9. Drop prey item into water for 30 seconds +/-. If multiple prey items, do one at a time. You want each item hot when you offer.

10. Remove (if hot water, with tongs).

11. Dry as best as you can, and is quickly as you can, with paper towels. I dry with paper towels while I am walking from the bathroom where I defrost to the snake tanks. I kind of wrap the prey item up in them. It's ten feet, so by the time I get to the tanks, the prey is drier, but still warm.

12. If not using hot water, use a hairdryer to heat rat so it entices snake

13. Open tank and offer ASAP.

As above really plus wait until it's settled under a hide then dangle a WARM rodent in front off the hide entrance ... don't blink :)


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She ate. Freaking finally!

I was tired of wasting rodents, so I decided to wait a while before offering again since she wasn’t losing weight. I think it’s been 2-3 weeks since I last tried - I honestly can’t remember.

Then this morning, I saw that she had pooped (first time since her last feed over 2 months ago). So I decided to go for it tonight.

I did my typical routine and Bam. She took without hesitation. If nothing else this was reassuring that it wasn’t anything I was doing wrong - she just wasn’t in the mood.





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You know, some snake-keepers (not necessarily those keeping BPs, btw) subscribe to the idea that you wait to feed a snake until after they defecate. I'm not
saying I agree or do that, but maybe your snake does? ;) Glad he ate, that feels AWESOME, I know!

First off, congratulations on your snake finally eating! It sure takes the weight of the world off your shoulders for a week or two when they do.

I also wanted to thank you for posting this thread and chronicaling your snake's behavior so thoroughly. My ball has been acting much the same way about food as of late, so it was a relief to know that I wasn't alone!

A big thank you, also, to everyone who contributed to more thoroughly explain how a snake's behavior can change in winter, and for the variety of feeding tips. My boy ate tonight for the first time in a little over a month by using both Zina's hot water method and the hair-dryer method!

Beauty really does come at a price... Of causing us stress, even when, logically, we know better. [emoji57]

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by Pengil

First off, congratulations on your snake finally eating! It sure takes the weight of the world off your shoulders for a week or two when they do.

I also wanted to thank you for posting this thread and chronicaling your snake's behavior so thoroughly. My ball has been acting much the same way about food as of late, so it was a relief to know that I wasn't alone!

A big thank you, also, to everyone who contributed to more thoroughly explain how a snake's behavior can change in winter, and for the variety of feeding tips. My boy ate tonight for the first time in a little over a month by using both Zina's hot water method and the hair-dryer method!

Beauty really does come at a price... Of causing us stress, even when, logically, we know better. [emoji57]

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The hairdryer method is marvellously effective ... I got so into the habit of warming the rats that I did it for my Retic and nearly lost my face [emoji4]
It's such a convenient way of warming mice / rats plugged in next to the vivs .. they weren't so lucky back in the 1920's when they were a bit bigger [emoji4]

This is a real one !!

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...1c6478909.jpeg


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Quote:

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Originally Posted by Zincubus

The hairdryer method is marvellously effective ... I got so into the habit of warming the rats that I did it for my Retic and nearly lost my face [emoji4]
It's such a convenient way of warming mice / rats plugged in next to the vivs .. they weren't so lucky back in the 1920's when they were a bit bigger [emoji4]

This is a real one !!

https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...1c6478909.jpeg


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:rofl: I've never seen one like that before! We really HAVE "come a long way" haven't we? :rofl: Thanks for sharing!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

:rofl: I've never seen one like that before! We really HAVE "come a long way" haven't we? :rofl: Thanks for sharing!

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Just noticed there are four in the photo but you get the idea :)


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