Feeding frustrations!!!

So I’ve had my bp for a little over a year and she has always been a fantastic eater- switched her to FT without any problems. But recently, (since the new year?) she has been refusing food about every other feeding or so. I was sort of starting to get worried but the last couple feedings she’s been back to her normal self. Well, I just went to feed her again last night (I offer a ft rat about every week) and she struck it and I thought that’s great she’s going to eat it. Come to find out I open her tub this morning and the rat is still there- she never ate it! What the heck? I’m not sure why she’s become more of a finicky eater she always used to be ravenous...of course double checked husbandry and I don’t think that’s the issue- (I have her in a breeder rack with hot spot of ~90 and rt ~78 deg F, humidity around 60%)

Any ideas why this is becoming a trend? Has anyone experienced similar? What can I do to get her back to eating consistently the way she used to?

thanks so much for any input!

https://ball-pythons.net/forums/blob...9-529a129255cdDang I just tried to upload a photo of her but I can’t seem to figure that out :P

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Originally Posted by Hazz332

https://ball-pythons.net/forums/blob...9-529a129255cdDang I just tried to upload a photo of her but I can’t seem to figure that out :P

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This > > > https://ball-pythons.net/forums/show...-Post-Pictures

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Originally Posted by Hazz332

So I’ve had my bp for a little over a year and she has always been a fantastic eater- switched her to FT without any problems. But recently, (since the new year?) she has been refusing food about every other feeding or so. I was sort of starting to get worried but the last couple feedings she’s been back to her normal self. Well, I just went to feed her again last night (I offer a ft rat about every week) and she struck it and I thought that’s great she’s going to eat it. Come to find out I open her tub this morning and the rat is still there- she never ate it! What the heck? I’m not sure why she’s become more of a finicky eater she always used to be ravenous...of course double checked husbandry and I don’t think that’s the issue- (I have her in a breeder rack with hot spot of ~90 and rt ~78 deg F, humidity around 60%)

Any ideas why this is becoming a trend? Has anyone experienced similar? What can I do to get her back to eating consistently the way she used to?

thanks so much for any input!

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Just some guesses without seeing her or knowing her weight, etc.- or what size prey you're feeding- maybe it's too much? (see below)
There's also some variation on exactly what is meant by sizes of feeder rats- yours might be bigger than they should be.

Maybe her growth has slowed a bit because she's growing up. Could also be seasonal...also typical with adult BPs.

Without more info, off-hand I'd say don't offer weekly...at least not this time of year (winter)- only offer every OTHER week, & now & then, even go a bit longer- go 3 weeks. Assuming she isn't skinny, she can wait & it won't hurt a thing. Our captive snakes lead fairly sedentary lives, & many are overweight from everyone's "good intentions". ;)

And I know this > > > says "weekly" but IMO that's a bit much...your snake seems to agree also.

https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...%2F98qfzDH.png

Why size rats are you feeding and how often?

How much does she weigh?

Edit: Just saw Bogertophis’s response.

My guess is too big a meal and/or too often.

https://ball-pythons.net/gallery/fil...edf669073.jpeg

Yes thank you! did it work?

I’ve been offering small adult rats. I think they’re the appropriate size. I haven’t weighed her in a couple months but I think she’s somewhere around 500grams by now...

Ok that gives me peace of mind. I’m thinking that feeding too large a rat too often could be the case, I’ll bump it down to offering once every 2 weeks for now. Thanks for the feedback!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Hazz332

https://ball-pythons.net/gallery/fil...edf669073.jpeg

Yes thank you! did it work?

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She looks fine to me...not thin, not fat. :gj: So trust her opinion, enough is enough.

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Originally Posted by dakski

Why size rats are you feeding and how often?

How much does she weigh?

Edit: Just saw Bogertophis’s response.

My guess is too big a meal and/or too often.

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

She looks fine to me...not thin, not fat. :gj: So trust her opinion, enough is enough.

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I agree with Bogertophis and dakski, I think she looks fine. As they get older it's okay to back off a little on your feeding schedule. I've just moved mine up from pups to weaned/very smalls and moved his feeding days out just a little so I can monitor his weight. It's not just BPs either, as some of my other snakes, specifically the hognoses got older I stretched their schedules out a bit too. It's all worked out fantastically so far.

Looked at pic and saw updates to thread. She looks good to me.

I agree with what's been said and my initial thought.

Small rats should be fine, but I would offer every 2 weeks. I would plan to stay on small rats indefinitely - unless she gets huge and/or starts losing weight on small rats - very unlikely.

I feed Shayna, my 8 year old, 2kg, female BP, a small F/T rat every 2 weeks and she eats like clockwork except during her 4-5 month winter fast (which is totally normal for many BP's). When I offered her mediums, she would often skip meals and and wasn't as enthusiastic an eater. With the small rats every two weeks, she went from 1.7kg to 2kg in two years and pounds her food.

I tell many people how efficient BP's, and really snakes in general, are. Less is usually more. Remember, a captive BP probably is more sedentary then a wild BP, and in the wild BP's primary prey is African Soft Fur Rats (ASF Rats). An adult ASF rat is about the size of a small rat you would get from any reputable rodent supplier (60-90G).

Good luck and keep us posted.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Hazz332

https://ball-pythons.net/gallery/fil...edf669073.jpeg

Yes thank you! did it work?

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That’s a stunner


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Quote:

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Originally Posted by Hazz332

So I’ve had my bp for a little over a year and she has always been a fantastic eater- switched her to FT without any problems. But recently, (since the new year?) she has been refusing food about every other feeding or so. I was sort of starting to get worried but the last couple feedings she’s been back to her normal self. Well, I just went to feed her again last night (I offer a ft rat about every week) and she struck it and I thought that’s great she’s going to eat it. Come to find out I open her tub this morning and the rat is still there- she never ate it! What the heck? I’m not sure why she’s become more of a finicky eater she always used to be ravenous...of course double checked husbandry and I don’t think that’s the issue- (I have her in a breeder rack with hot spot of ~90 and rt ~78 deg F, humidity around 60%)

Any ideas why this is becoming a trend? Has anyone experienced similar? What can I do to get her back to eating consistently the way she used to?

thanks so much for any input!

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Hi

When they get to around this age many of my Royals simply prefer to be fed every 10 to 14 days ..

There will be the odd one around that will eat every day if you offered though :)




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Wanted to give an update! She ate this week, I was a little nervous because the rat seemed rather large for a small adult but, glad to see it was gone when I checked back after she struck. Yay!! I also weighed her recently and she was close to 750g.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Hazz332

Wanted to give an update! She ate this week, I was a little nervous because the rat seemed rather large for a small adult but, glad to see it was gone when I checked back after she struck. Yay!! I also weighed her recently and she was close to 750g.

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Excellent


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