Hasn't eaten in almost a month

I posted a few weeks ago that Prometheus has had a negative response to feeding a few times.

Well, this is the fourth time I've tried to feed him since his last feeding which was January 6th. I've made the prey size smaller, tried waiting longer between feeds and he's still acting hungry but being scared of the rat.

Temps and humidity are stable as always. He went through a perfect shed yesterday and I was hoping he'd have worked up an appetite, but I guess not. He used to drink and eat a lot and therefore poop and pee a lot. He peed a bit yesterday along with his shed but he hasn't pooped since the 14th of January. I know males go through a thing sometimes when they reject food; but how long is too long? When should I become concerned?

There are several factors why BP's go off feed. Temps are a biggy, then security (big enclosures, glass tanks) then there is winter. I have had a BP not eat for 5 months with no ill side effects. This was an adult male. If your snake is small/young it is probably a husbandry issue.

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Originally Posted by West Coast Jungle

There are several factors why BP's go off feed. Temps are a biggy, then security (big enclosures, glass tanks) then there is winter. I have had a BP not eat for 5 months with no ill side effects. This was an adult male. If your snake is small/young it is probably a husbandry issue.

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He's a 3 foot male just over a year and a half old
His humidity is at a steady 50-55%, his temps stay at 94 on the warm side and 80-83 on the cold side

How/What do you feed? Live, f/t, or p/k?

Fed him live the first time I got him just over 2 months ago
Since then I've been feeding f/t and he's had a great response to both

You will always get a better feeding response with live.
Your husbandry sounds spot on. If he refuses live he is probably just doing his winter fast.

I haven't tried feeding him live since the first time
I just don't wanna go to the store, get a live rat that he's not even going to end up eating
I wouldn't know what to do with it afterward
Killing it and keeping it are not options

What about giving it to your other snake?

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Originally Posted by West Coast Jungle

What about giving it to your other snake?

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His size is too big for her
Unless I get something big enough for her to eat and give it a shot with him...
Gonna have to wait until next feeding day

I also don't want to risk any injuries if he gets scared of the live one as well

Furio just ate for the first time in a month but before that ate steady. Sometimes they just don't eat. Keep in mind as long as they aren't losing weight they have such a slow metabolism they've been known to go over a year with no food and negative side effects. I think it was awhile ago I was watching a show that on average in the wild Anaconda's eat like twice a year, keep in mind they eat boars but I wouldn't worry, just keep trying. Good luck!:gj:

Have you tried leaving the rat in the cage? My BP hasn't had a great feeding response for the last month or so, and he's been refusing food initially for all that time.

Three of the four feeding days I left the rodent in the cage and after about an hour he'd start eating. He wouldn't eat yesterday though...

Good luck!

Yeah, I've tried just leaving the rat there for up to half an hour, he sniffs it and then wanders the cage like it's not there anymore looking for more food
I don't get it

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Originally Posted by Pandora

Yeah, I've tried just leaving the rat there for up to half an hour, he sniffs it and then wanders the cage like it's not there anymore looking for more food
I don't get it

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I'd try leaving it in overnight.

If he won't eat, you could try raising the temps slightly to potentially increase feeding response.

If he still won't eat, just keep trying but it's probably no big deal. I suspect he'll start eating again when spring hits you :)

My male pastel is doing his winter fast, at least i hope. My female is still pounding rats down once a week. Both enclosures are the exact same. Good temps. Ive tried prescenting for hours, tried feeding morning, afternoon and night, tried every trick i know and he still shows no interest.

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Originally Posted by Pandora

He's a 3 foot male just over a year and a half old

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Sexually mature individuals will go off feed at this time of the year.

All you can do is make sure your husbandry is spot on and wait it out, I had some BP fasting 6 to 9 months so I know how frustrating it can be however as long as the animal is healthy and has a good body weight, he will be fine.

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Originally Posted by Pandora

I posted a few weeks ago that Prometheus has had a negative response to feeding a few times.

Well, this is the fourth time I've tried to feed him since his last feeding which was January 6th. I've made the prey size smaller, tried waiting longer between feeds and he's still acting hungry but being scared of the rat.

Temps and humidity are stable as always. He went through a perfect shed yesterday and I was hoping he'd have worked up an appetite, but I guess not. He used to drink and eat a lot and therefore poop and pee a lot. He peed a bit yesterday along with his shed but he hasn't pooped since the 14th of January. I know males go through a thing sometimes when they reject food; but how long is too long? When should I become concerned?

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Hi Helena. I wouldnt be too worried. It's that time of year. If you really want to make sure nothing is wrong, you might want to consider buying a scale just to make sure he doesnt lose any significant amount of weight. They are pretty cheap now a days. I picked one up on sale for $9.99. You can usually find cooking scales in the kitchen department of stores like Walmart. I know how you ladies love shopping. ;)

I had pretty good luck with a normal male who went off feed for a month or so by giving him a mouse instead of his usual rat. I almost always switch to mice after a fast until they are back on a schedule. It's so much easier to get a mouse out of a snakes enclosure than a stressed rat. You really shouldn't leave a rat and a snake alone together for any period of time. And, then you could just give the mouse to your other snake if he didn't eat it.

Only try him with food every week, no more.
When you go to feed Pandora offer her prey item to Prometheus first, if he doesn't take it then give it to her.
Patience, I just turned a couple rescues around from 3 month and 9 months fasts.
They were not healthy though, so different story.
-Steven