Not feeding

[Birdy1983]

Hi I spoke to some one a month ago about my ball python not feeding and we thought that it was something to do with the lighting. I have taken the light out but she's still not eating it is starting to worry me now. Shall I try fource feeding!!!.temp 90' and and Iv left the light off just useing day light..HELP PLEASE.??

[ballpythonluvr]

We really need more information about your setup and your snake. What kind of enclosure is she in? What are the hot and cool side temps? How are you measuring the temps? What is the humidity? How long has she been off feed? Is she losing weight and if so, how much does she currently weigh? Force feeding should always be a very last resort.

[Slim]

A picture of your set up would really be helpful.

[TimNA]

If it's only been a month I wouldn't worry too much about it. As long as your husbandry is correct & the snake isn't showing signs of sickness. It's not abnormal for them to go off feed. I have a female mojave that was the biggest piggy I have ever had, then 3 months ago she just stopped. I offered her weekly & she would refuse every week. Tried day, night everything.. She actually gained 20grams which I thought was odd, water probably?

Anyways yesterday I offered her food & she took it. Story being is as long as she is not sickly, loosing weight & husbandry is correct I wouldn't worry too much. I read somewhere that someone had one go like 8months without food & was perfectly fine.

I would do as the others suggested, give us more info on your husbandry, pictures etc, to rule out something not being correct.

[Birdy1983]

Thanks forgetting back to me I'll put some pics up to moz so if you can look back in I would appreciate it and we'll take it from there.??

[Vitto]

I have a pastel female that's been off feed since late October. She hasn't lost weight at 1300+ grams. What I did was- moved water bowl: nothing, take out a hide: nothing, feed different time of day: nothing, feed with lights on and off: nothing, I now just moved her from a 64qt tub enclosure that she was in to a 27qt.

They will go off feed. That's the nature of the beast. So longer than others and at different times in the year and age/size. No need to panic if they're healthy. Just change attributes about the setup give it a few weeks and try to feed again.

[jason668]

I have a few they will refuse to eat for months on end. Just when I start to get a bit concerned, they decide to eat me out of house and home. Just something to get use to. They will eat when they are ready.

[kitedemon]

Small snakes usually do not go off food that is an adult trick.

Temps and security are usually the big issues with small snakes not feeding.

90 for a hot spot is fine assuming it is measured INSIDE the hot hide.

The cool end should be around 80ºF and not lower than 77º again measured inside the hot hide. The ambient air temp should run around 77-85 kinda range it often varies a bit as the room varies. It can be measured from 1/3 up the side and between the hot and cool ends.

[Kaidregon]

I had great success with dipping feeders in tuna juice. I have NO idea why this works, but it has on many occassions. Just a tip.

Though everyone that has posted I agree with, small snakes tend to like to be finicky. Security and temps, always make sure they are spot on!

Breathe, everything will be fine