I know my problem is common, but I really want to rant...

[Kinra]

I feel like my Pastel YB loves to be a pain. I'm about 50/50 on feeding with her. She refused to first two times I feed, ate really well the past 3 weeks and refused again tonight. The worst part is she acts super interested in it for a few minutes and then decides she doesn't want it.

As the title says, I know it's common. She's the only problem feeder I have so far and it's just annoying.

[cinderbird]

are you sure your food item is hot enough? It sounds like she might be smelling food but not able to locate it.

[carlisleishere]

I know how you feel. My het pied female is exactly the same way. I got her feeding in the fall, and then she went on a winter fast, and has only eaten twice since coming out of it. The things we go through with them. It's feeding night here as well, so we'll see what happens.

Umm, I don't know if this will help, but my female will only take the rat if it's blow dried and really hot. It may help with yours?

Good luck with her. It's always the females

[jefrow]

yea i know its aggravating. especially when everything is right and they still don't want it. they just like to stare at it for 5 minutes and then just go away from it. I only have one that is picky but it is defiantly a pain.

[Kinra]

I know how you feel. My het pied female is exactly the same way. I got her feeding in the fall, and then she went on a winter fast, and has only eaten twice since coming out of it. The things we go through with them. It's feeding night here as well, so we'll see what happens.

Umm, I don't know if this will help, but my female will only take the rat if it's blow dried and really hot. It may help with yours?

Good luck with her. It's always the females

Blow dried is that only way she will take them. That was how I got her to eat the first time. It didn't seem to work tonight.

are you sure your food item is hot enough? It sounds like she might be smelling food but not able to locate it.

I'm pretty sure it was warm enough. I thaw mine in the fridge over night, then 1-2 hours before I feed I let them sit out to get to room temp, then they go into hot water 20 minutes before I feed and I blow dry them before I offer. I'm pretty sure she can sense where it is too because she comes up to it and licks it, that's when she decides she doesn't want it.

[mainbutter]

I feel you. Although neither are ball pythons, we do have two problem feeders in our collection. It's particularly annoying since they are both smaller snakes and mouse eaters, as if any of the larger snakes skip a meal I can just chuck their rat feeder to my dumpster carpet python who never refuses and would happily eat his weight in rats, given the opportunity.

I get particularly frustrated with the female hognose, as I'd love for her to eat more/grow bigger/grow faster for both breeding and cosmetic purposes. Luckily she is up to size, but I still have dreams of a 1000g+ hognose female in the future, which probably won't happen with a girl who insists on eating small meals, infrequently.

[AkHerps]

Have you tried leaving it in with her? What about heating up the head of the prey really well?(unless you feed live haha)

Mine was a great feeder and over the last couple months he has grown pickier. He does the same thing, acts super interested and then goes away. I just leave it in for a couple hours partially in his hide and usually he will take it that way.

[Kinra]

Have you tried leaving it in with her? What about heating up the head of the prey really well?(unless you feed live haha)

Mine was a great feeder and over the last couple months he has grown pickier. He does the same thing, acts super interested and then goes away. I just leave it in for a couple hours partially in his hide and usually he will take it that way.

She won't touch it if I leave it in over night, I tried that the first two times. It's kind of funny because I have on BP that will not touch it unless I leave it in over night, but she almost always eats it, so it doesn't bother me.

As for heating up the head, I use a blow dryer on high to give them a little extra heat before I offer.

[ogdentrece]

Hahah welcome to the club I've been struggling with that for 4.5 months now..

[ballpythonluvr]

My male normal finally decided to eat last night after a 43 day fast. He is always afraid of the live prey so I had to give him a live rat pup. Yes, I know it is to small, but I am just glad that he ate something. He wants nothing to do with f/t prey at all, been there, tried it.