Help!!!

Our 4 year old Ball python has not eaten for around 4 months!!
Please tell us how we can get her feeding we've tried everything!!!

It might help people give you some suggestions if you list what you have tried - that way there wont' be all the back and forth of "did you try..." etc.

We have tried live and defrost! Rats , mice, gerbils! Braining, assisted feeding! Leaving her overnight with them! We have tried during the day and at night! She turns her head when she doesnot want to eat and when we tried to assist her she just regurgitated it!!!
She has a hide which she spends most of the day in and tends to come out at night. We have not handled her to encourage her feeding and tried adjusting the temps in the viv as well!! NOTHING SEEMS TO WORK!!!! :mad:

Could you describe everything in the viv and the way it is set up: size, temps, how you measure the temps, recent changes, etc?

Could try soaking in chicken broth? or maybe slitting the nose to encourage more scent....

She's 3feet long, tank is 3x2, temps are 86f hot end, 80 cold end, digital thermomitor for recording, no recent changes.

we'v tried the splitting, but not the chicken broth.

A 4 year old ball could also be fasting because of the on coming breeding season. Although I would recommmend that you get your hot side temps to at least 90-92 degrees for digestion reasons.

4 months is not a very long time, I've personally had snakes fast for up to 8 months. You should invest in a digital scale (one used for cooking) and take a weight every 2 to 4 weeks. If you start to see significant weight loss then you should worry but until then I wouldn't try to assist feed as it can cause more harm than good.

:snake:
I havn'y heard of them fasting before breeding! so it could be that!! We're getting her a 5 year old male, could this help then?? She hasn't lost much weight, would this be a problem with breedimg???

well you dont want to have an underweight female breeding, they need their size to hold the eggs.

There are about a dozen reasons your snake may not be eating.

1. Your warm side is not warm enough. You should have approx 90 degrees on one side to provide a proper heat gradient. How are you measuring temps? With digital probes or dials? Do you have a UTH/heat tape/flex watt for belly heat?

2. Where is the enclosure in your home? Is it in a high traffic area?

3. How often are you attempting to feed? What has she eater in the past regularly? About how big has the prey been?

4. How many times have you attempted assist feeding? This could be a MAJOR reason your snake is not eating.

5. What is in your enclosure? Do you have one hide or two?

6. How often do you handle? If you do not, when did you stop?

7. Is the enclosure open? Is there anything covering it to help her feel secure?

8. Do you have any other new snakes?

9. Has she been moved recently?

10. Has she popped or peed lately?

11. What is your humidity? How is it measured?

12. How much does you snake weigh? Has it lost much weight since it ate last?



Here is a BASIC list of care. If ANYTHING on here varies from what you currently have, you may have husbandry issues. Husbandry issues (in my opinion) are the number one cause of feeding refusals. Please see our complete care sheets for further information.

Care sheets- (http://www.ball-pythons.net/forums/f...splay.php?f=62) for more detailed information.


1) To measure your humidity and temperature accurately - Use DIGITAL gauges (stick on gauges are NOT reliable, and a waste of money unfortunately) The most cost friendly device you can purchase is an accurite digital thermometer/hygrometer from wal-mart for $12. The gauge does not have to be this brand, but something with an outdoor/indoor measurement will work because this means the device uses a probe.

2) You need a belly temperature (right on the glass under the hide on one side of the tank) measured by a probe (which comes with something like an accurite) of 90 - 93 degrees. This is where your bp will spend his time digesting and hanging out A LOT. A UTH (under tank heater) costs about $20 at a pet store but MUST have a control.

The safest and most reliable type of control is a thermostat ($70 - $300) but the minimum requirement for a control is something like a lamp dimmer (a rheostat, which is something that must be manually adjusted). Lowes sells piggyback lamp dimmers for about $10.

3) You need a hide on the cooler side of the tank with a belly temperature or ambient temperature in the low 80's. This can be achieved through a heat lamp with the correct wattage bulb, or simply a nice warm room. Keep in mind that the two hides you choose should be the same so your bp feels EQUALLY secure in BOTH hides. Your bp will choose where it feels safest, whether or not it is the correct temperature.

4) HUMIDITY = very important - just as important as temperature. 55-60% humidity is required for proper shedding. For tips on how to achieve this please see the care sheets.

5) A sturdy water dish with fresh water can be put anywhere in the tank, if placed over a UTH (under tank heater) it can help raise the humidity.

6) Substrate can be anything from newspaper or cage liners to aspen. Cedar is TOXIC. Do not use cedar. CYPRESS mulch is good - don't mix it up with cedar.

7) Security - ball pythons are shy. They hide more than 80% of the time so if your snake is hiding a lot, thats a good thing. Cover three sides of your tank with paper/aquarium background - what ever you would like to help your snake feel less exposed. Snug, identical hides are a MUST, one on the cool side one on the hot side.

8) Feeding - Live or FT (frozen/thawed) prey can be used approx once a week. Feeding size should be approx the width of the thickest part of your snake and approx 10-15% of the body weight (these are guidelines only)