So... 5 year old adult male with no prior problems has stopped eating for 7 months

Hello guys! I'm wondering if anyone knows what I might try next...

The issue is in the title: Yukon, my 5 year old adult male who has never had feeding issues in his life, and who I've had since he was only a hatchling, has not eaten for around 7 months. I normally think that it isn't an issue when they don't lose significant weight, but he has now lost fairly significant weight, and would be considered "skinny" for a ball python.

He just shows basically zero interest in food, and rarely comes out of his hide either. I've been offering around once a month, as I usually do for any ball pythons who fast. He doesn't have any external symptoms, like no bloating or anything like that. He looks normal but just skinny now...

Does anyone have experience with this and have suggestions?

What is your husbandry like?

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Originally Posted by vivi

What is your husbandry like?

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you'll just have to trust me that my husbandry is good lol

I guess I will.

What have you tried thus far?

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Originally Posted by redshepherd

you'll just have to trust me that my husbandry is good lol

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redshepherd is an experienced keeper. She's already gone through all the basics and is asking for help from an experienced keeper with experience with long term food strikes.

I don't have experience here either, so I'll leave it to those who do.

I just wanted to vouche for red. She's no rookie :gj:

I figured, she seems like an experienced snake owner. I could suggest some methods that have proved to work with other snake owners. However, I have no experience so I will leave it alone instead. Its kind of an instinct to ask what the husbandry is like for feeding questions, since that seems to be the biggest mistake most people make, but I trust that you´ve got it down.

I do hope someone can help you. Good luck with your snake and tell him i said hi!

Put your snake in a snake bag and take it for a car ride for 30 min to an hour. I know it sounds crazy but it works from getting them to eat to starting to breed.

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Originally Posted by Stewart_Reptiles

Put your snake in a snake bag and take it for a car ride for 30 min to an hour. I know it sounds crazy but it works from getting them to eat to starting to breed.

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The above an a good soak.

I see your in CA, so Winter Blues shouldn't be a problem. My older BP's will go off prey in the winter. Doesn't matter that temps are perfect the snakes just know.
Are African Soft Furs legal in CA? ASF will get a BP to feed. If ASF aren't a option try a crawler rat. Something small that won't hurt him. If it bugs him enough he "might" eat it.

Good luck!

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Originally Posted by Stewart_Reptiles

Put your snake in a snake bag and take it for a car ride for 30 min to an hour. I know it sounds crazy but it works from getting them to eat to starting to breed.

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Do they prefer sports or muscle cars to get in the mood? :cool:

Knowing BPs they probably like big cushy vans with shag carpeting...:rofl:Low ri-der....