Male going off feed?

Is it normal for a male to go off feed when he is introduced to a female?

He was only with the female for two days, then off two days, then back with her for two days.... So a total of 4 days. He never missed a meal before this... and now hasn't eaten since, and that was about 5 weeks ago.

He hasn't lost any weight, and is still active like usual late at night.

Is it likely the breeding attempt that did it? is he stressed out from it as a result? or maybe he just saw that as "winter" and decided not to eat?

any info would be greatly appreciated. My husbandry is by the book. two identical hides, 84 on the cold 94 on the hot. humidity 60%. everything is the same as it has always been.

Most males go off feed during the winter due to breeding season, if he has been with a female, that is where his mind is, most will not feed when around a female during this time of year.

If you keep him in for 4-5 days on then 4-5 days off he might feed for you, as it will give him a chance to settle back in. Our breeder males didn't eat when we gave them 2 days on then 2 off, but changed to 4 on 4 off and they feed every time, and still breed well.

If he looses weight try to move him to another room and keep him warm, and offer food at night. Most males will not have any problems during the winter being off feed, so let him do what he wants, as soon as spring hits hard he will be back on food no problem.
Good luck with the breeding season.

Thank you!

Just to make sure I was clear above... he has not been around the female in 5 weeks.


Mike

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Originally Posted by mcavana

Thank you!

Just to make sure I was clear above... he has not been around the female in 5 weeks.


Mike

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O.k I miss read that part, he probably want to breed, and that is why he is off food. I have some bigger males that have not been bred this year that are in the breeder room that haven't eaten in 3 months just from it being breeding season and smelling the females.

Keep an eye on him and as long as he looks good and doesn't loose any weight, let him be until he is ready to eat again. It will drive you crazy but you get used to it eventually.

Gotcha! :gj:

Thanks for taking the time to answer my question!

update. he stopped eating approx march 1st. this is now Aug 4th, (thats 5 months) and he still has not eaten. while he does look skinnier, he has lost less then 100 grams. right now he is in shed for the third time since going off feed. I have tried to feed once every week... absolutley not interested. Any advice?

temps, humidity, hides, are all by the book.


Mike

Have you tried prekill overnight? Or tried to switched food items at all to get him interested again?

its been 8 months for one of my males. im not worried. monitor their weight and get used to it.

I have a male who goes off feed every year for 5-8 months around breeding time. This year I had to move him from a 32qt back to a 15qt to get him eating again, he ate for me 4 weeks straight in the 15qt before I moved him back up to the 32qt and he's continuing to eat for me now.

thanks guys and gals... i will try the things suggested. smaller tub, and dead overnight.

Update.

Still no luck. Last night I put a live rat pup in overnight. Got excited when the rat was nowhere to be found this morning. BUT I lifted up the hide and the pup was sound asleep on top of the snake! It has now been 6 months. I had a crappy scale in the beginning of all this, and I believe he was either 1050 or 1100 grams. Now I have a good scale and he is weighing in at 950. he looks noticably skinnier.

So I should still just keep offering once per week? Only thing I haven't done yet Is move to a smaller tub. right now in a 32quart.


Mike

6 months of the current set up hasn't worked; I would definitely try moving him into a smaller tub. I used a 15qt, no hide, small water bowl. My male is a very small snake though so use your judgment in picking a smaller sized tub. You want it to be nice and snug but still leave enough room for the snake to be able to thermo regulate without a problem.

Thats what I would do but you could wait it out and monitor the weights. Its whatever you feel comfortable with in the end.

at 950 grams I think a 15 quart would be too small. he wouldn't even have room to really be on one side or the other I don't think.

domestic rat or asf? try switching it up. we have a picky male that will eat asf's for weeks, then out right refuse them. we give him a domestic rat, and he starts eating those like they're going out of style.

have tried both.

Ok here are somethings that has worked for me many times.

1: Offer a live mouse. I've had animals that wouldn't touch rats nail mice and then switch back to rats

2: cover the tub/tank for a week or so so that no light gets in then offer him a mouse late at night.

3: Take him for a car ride. I know its sounds weird but there's something about the vibration that will spur feeding in some animals.

4: The smaller tub is a good one to try with a P/K item

Hi,

As a tip to stop live prey irritating the snake and possibly putting it into defensive mode rather than feeding mode you can use a container tall enough the prey cannot get out and with a top opening that the snake can easily get in. As an added bonus that imitates a snake entering nest chamber in the wild - you can even put some bedding in to keep the prey animal happy with nibbles etc.

Try and use something stable though. :)


dr del

Mine went off for 3 months then fed for 3 weeks & went off again now for 2 months its frustrating but thats what they do! I don't worry any more about it.

Ok, I switched him to a 15 quart sterilite tub that fits into one of my racks. no hide (there isn't room for him in that tiny tub AND a hide) and a small water bowl. He is on the top of the rack where it is warmest... hot side of 93 degrees

Will see how that goes. The next feeding attempt (in one week)... What size rat and how should I feed it? Should I get a live pup and drop it in the tub with him over night? Or should I hold a small live rat in front of his face and give up if he doesn't strike in a couple minutes??? Or should I drop a small live rat in the tub with him and check back in 5 minutes? I am assuming dropping the small rat in with him would be a bad idea... too cramped in there, it would probably just scare the hell out of him!

he was eating small live rats when he went off feed. in the 24 attempted feedings since he went off feed, probably half the time I offered normal rats, half the time I offered ASF's.

I would go for a live rat pup over night. Good luck man.

Edit: Maybe a hopper might be better, more movement to stimulate a strike, not sure about being able to leave one over night though.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by mcavana

Ok, I switched him to a 15 quart sterilite tub that fits into one of my racks. no hide (there isn't room for him in that tiny tub AND a hide) and a small water bowl. He is on the top of the rack where it is warmest... hot side of 93 degrees

Will see how that goes. The next feeding attempt (in one week)... What size rat and how should I feed it? Should I get a live pup and drop it in the tub with him over night? Or should I hold a small live rat in front of his face and give up if he doesn't strike in a couple minutes??? Or should I drop a small live rat in the tub with him and check back in 5 minutes? I am assuming dropping the small rat in with him would be a bad idea... too cramped in there, it would probably just scare the hell out of him!

he was eating small live rats when he went off feed. in the 24 attempted feedings since he went off feed, probably half the time I offered normal rats, half the time I offered ASF's.

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Why dont you try mice.

I have a picky Het albino male that was not feeding after the breeding season ( I knew of this ahead of time when i bought him!) and tried mice a few weeks later or so and BAM has been eating for me ever since.

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Originally Posted by Freakie_frog

1: Offer a live mouse. I've had animals that wouldn't touch rats nail mice and then switch back to rats

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I'd agree with this one. I have a male that likes to go off feed, and it's a bugger to get him started again.

I've found that after a many month fast one of the ways to get him started is to give him a mouse "treat". It kicks in his feeding response and he'll pound a f/t rat like nobody's business right after.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Freakie_frog

3: Take him for a car ride. I know its sounds weird but there's something about the vibration that will spur feeding in some animals.

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Ive heard this before! its a GOOD trick! :D

OK... I plan to try feeding a mouse. What size mouse should it be????

X breeder??? (not going to leave it in overnight of course... just 5 or 10 minutes)

Or a hopper or somthing to leave in over night???

Male BP breeding behavior

"I got my mind on the ladies and the ladies on my mind":hump:

I'll eat when I've had my fill;)

It seems like you have a lot of good suggestions, but I just wanted to offer one more. Try filling the tub with balls of newspaper for added security. Keep the balls of paper in the tub for a few days then drop in a rat that is almost ready to be weaned from mom (leave the balled up paper in the tub). I have used this trick for the past two years for a male I have after he has been off feed for approx. 3 months during "breeding season" and it seems to work. Good luck with everything.

LOL....

6 months of frustration trying each and every week to get this snake to eat.... Put him in a 15 quart tub for 4 days, and he nails an ASF the second it is dropped in.

LOL... if I only would have listened sooner.... guess I will leave him in there for a month or two, then try to put him back in his normal slightly larger home...

That's great man, I'm glad it worked out for you; I was just as shocked when it worked for me! Make sure you offer this guy a nice tight hide when you bump him up in enclosure size again.

Fantastic! glad to hear you got him rolling again.. give him a couple of weeks even a few months like that then try and switch him back over to the larger tub.

:gj:

Could you please give me the measures of a 15qt ? I´m not used to those this side of the Atlantic
Thanks in advance

And, Mcavana,
Congrats on the feeding

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Originally Posted by JoMo

Could you please give me the measures of a 15qt ? I´m not used to those this side of the Atlantic
Thanks in advance

And, Mcavana,
Congrats on the feeding

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Depends on who makes it..

The sterilite 1754 model which is the 15qt tubs I use are:

Dimensions: 17"L x 11 1/8"W x 6 3/8"H

Thanks ! I got it.

MINE ATE ASF'S FOR AWHILE AFTER 3 MONTHS OFF FEED FOR A FEW WEEKS ,NOW HE'S BACK TO HIS OLD TRICKS & MY ALBINO REFUSED FOR THE FIRST TIME THIS WEEK ITS THE 500 TO 600g MARK FOR MALES WHEN THEY GET PICKY