Over two weeks and still no feed.

Well I've had my BP Chloe for over 2 weeks now. I made another feeding attempt last night. She was annoyed by the rat to the point she went back in her hide. So I talked with the guy I got her from and said it could be that she's not adjusted still. I suppose that could be the case but she's definitely more active this week at night than she was before. At night, she starts by sticking her head out her hide like a dog in a dghouse and then she'll explore for a bit then go back into one of the hides.

He said next time try a Gerbil. That's what has worked for him if one of his snakes goes long without feeding. He said to try it and if it works to try a rat again next time. Usually for him they'll go back to normal after a gerbil or two. He also said if it didn't take the gerbil that 1) He would be shocked and 2) that we could work out a trade for another one that's a more aggressive feeder. But I'd rather try everything possible to get this girl eating.

Any of you guys have suggestions?

And for those that have missed my previous posts, she an '04 that 38-39 inches long and weighs about 3lbs or so. She's in a 20G long. The back and sides have black opaque siding. Hot side low 90's (inside hide), cool side low 80's, and humidity around 50%.

maybe she's a big mouser :D , The gerbil trick should actually work good, careful though if you keep feeding her gerbils thats all she'll eat. Are you attempting more than once a week?

I assume since she is an 04 she has been eating rats? How big a rat are you trying? I have a 2500 gram male that would eat medium rats every week before breeding season...then he went on fast for 7 months to get him to come off fast I had to use just weaned rats...so long story short maybe try a smaller prey item.


Gerbils may work but you risk the snake deciding it only likes gerbils are you prepared to continue feeding it gerbils if necessary?

I have tried feeding a week ago Wednesday and then last night. Although I have sat the rat next to the cage a couple of time to see if the smell would garner her interest. I really thought she was ready since she started coming out at night.

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Originally Posted by lord jackel

I assume since she is an 04 she has been eating rats? How big a rat are you trying?

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Just weaned is what he said she was eating for him.

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Originally Posted by MasonC2K

Just weaned is what he said she was eating for him.

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And I assume that is how big you are trying?

Also how big is she (weight?)

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Originally Posted by lord jackel

And I assume that is how big you are trying?

Also how big is she (weight?)

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Yes, unless the pet store guy had no clue. I nknow nothing about rats so I just went with what the guy gave me. I did check to make sure it wasn't bigger around than she is. I will take a picture of the rat tonight and add it to this post so you can judge. I don't know how much the rat weighs. I can find that out though.

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Originally Posted by MasonC2K

Yes, unless the pet store guy had no clue. I nknow nothing about rats so I just went with what the guy gave me. I did check to make sure it wasn't bigger around than she is. I will take a picture of the rat tonight and add it to this post so you can judge. I don't know how much the rat weighs. I can find that out though.

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LOL...I meant how big is the snake. I assume she is fairly big and as such should have the fat stores to go some time without feeding. Once we verify the rat is the right size I would suggest you just continue to try with the rat once a week. It may take her longer to settle in but you shouldn't need to worry about her not eating. Keep an eye on her weight and if she still hasn't eatin in a month or 2 then you can start to think about unique feeding options. I have 2 females that go offer feed in Oct and don't start again till spring (then they eat a ton :) )

I don't think you have anything to worry about...she pry just needs to settle in a little longer.

2 weeks is nothing. I had one who just about 3 weeks ago ate for the first time since November. The record for a snake not eating in captivity is just over 2 years

I attempted switching my BP over to rats recently--and he didn't even TOUCH a rat for 4 weeks, finally ate one, then didn't touch one again for another three weeks... I broke down, offered him mice and he snapped them up immediately. I'd suggest trying mice. He might like their smell/taste better :)

2 weeks isn't bad... Give her some time to settle in... My BP hates rats, and loves mice. Have you only offered rats?

Sounds like she's a nice 04 of decent size whose used to weanling size rats so personally I'd just stick with what she knows and not switch up things on her. She's adjusting enough to a new home, don't complicate it with different prey and so forth.

I'd suggest you offer her a weanling rat every week, same day, in the evening after dark, pre-scent the area, make sure things are peaceful and quiet and pop the rat into her enclosure as far away from her as possible (you feed live right?).

Double check your husbandry and the area where her enclosure is in your home. Are her temps and humidity stable and in the correct range? Is the area where she lives pretty high traffic or a lot of vibrations from music, etc. When you feed her do you monitor the live feed but not hover directly over her? Check back with the person you got her from and ask them exactly, step by step how she's normally fed - manner, time of day, etc. Sometimes it's just a matter of a little tweak here or there to get them back to their normal feeding habits.

From my own admittedly limited experience (first snake I have owned) two weeks isn't long at all. According to the previous owner she ate two smallish mice about every ten days, but it was close to seven weeks after we got her before she showed any interest in feeding at all (I attempted to feed her about twice a week), but today (just a few minutes ago, she snapped up three (pathetically small) white feeders one after another, in broad daylight. I am not certain if the previous owner was mistaken about the last time she ate, or if he was just full of spit, but I put one mouse in, she struck and ate it within a minute, so I gave her another (same thing happened) so I tried for a third (again, immediately she struck and ate it.... After the third, she went into her hide and is apparently digesting. (probably a dumb question, but multiple prey items is okay, right?)

She looked happy, in any case.

Multiple prey items are fine, especially if they are small mice but you don't want to overdo it. Really depends on your snake's size. We have and 05 female here that regularily takes 3 mice per week and an 05 who takes 2 (they are generally quite good size adult mice). The 3 mouse eater has always been quite a bit bigger than the 2 mouse eater one so requires that bit more prey volume to be content. We have an 06 mouse eater whose quite happy on one good sized adult per week.

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Originally Posted by frankykeno

Multiple prey items are fine, especially if they are small mice but you don't want to overdo it. Really depends on your snake's size. We have and 05 female here that regularily takes 3 mice per week and an 05 who takes 2 (they are generally quite good size adult mice). The 3 mouse eater has always been quite a bit bigger than the 2 mouse eater one so requires that bit more prey volume to be content. We have an 06 mouse eater whose quite happy on one good sized adult per week.

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Yet again, if the information from the previous owner is correct, she is an 05 female (according to him, she won't eat rats as they are too aggressive) but I had one other total noob type question. Considering she just ate, how long is it a good idea to wait after feeding to handle her? Speaking personally, I like my food to digest, go have an after dinner smoke, and I don't want to be bothered for at least an hour, but I ain't a BP either. Thanks in advance for the assistance.

Hi,

We generally recomend not handling for 2 days after they eat to allow them to, as you said, digest dinner.:)


dr del