Do your snakes fast during the winter?

[silverbill]

I've heard people say ball pythons will fast during the winter due to changes in lighting/pressure and I've also heard people say they won't as long as proper temperature and humidity is maintained.

What is everyone else's opinion on this? Do your adult, non breeding snakes fast because of seasonal changes?

[redshepherd]

One of my males fasted last winter and is more or less doing it again this winter. But I don't maintain the same ambient temps or humidity as in the summer, so..

It's inevitably something like 81~85 ambient and 70% or higher humidity in the summer here. In winter, I keep the snake room at 72~75 ambient at the most, and 50~60% humidity.

[Sauzo]

My girl fasted last winter but so far this winter, she is still pigging out. I've given up trying to figure her out. I just offer her a rat every week and if she doesn't want it, I got plenty of other snakes who will windshield wipe the front doors for that extra rat lol.

[Yzmasmom]

So far no, but we've kept all parameters the same and it's our first winter with our snakes. Yzmas first owner said she fasted, but so far not with us.

[Merriah]

With the male humans in my life, I will always offer food. They always take it. With my snake boys, if I have to throw it away because it spoils, I will. With my snakes, I will try 3 times. Heat it, offer it. If they don't accept, I repeat the next day. After the third day, the mouse/rat gets to the garbage. I've not seen any of them go past two weeks. Remember that snakes do not see as much as they sense heat and movement. I always do a puppet show, swinging their food right in front of their face to make them strike. It works!

[BR8080]

...I will try 3 times. Heat it, offer it. If they don't accept, I repeat the next day. After the third day, the mouse/rat gets to the garbage....

How many times can you toss uneaten thawed (of course in a zip-lock) in the refrigerator if the snake won't eat to try rewarming with hot water another day? Is 3 the magic number or just your preference? LOL

[BWB]

My ball stopped eating on December 26th last year and started pigging out on May28th. My boa thought it was great as he got the leftovers! So far, my ball is still munching but I'm ready for another winter like last.

[wendhend]

I have found that my ball pythons tend to go on fasts more often during the winter months. I once had an adult male that wasn't breeding go on a fast that started in the winter and lasted seven months! And he maintained a healthy appearance the whole time and started feeding again just fine when he was ready!

[Joshyboy]

This is my first winter with my snakes and so far they have been eating like champs. Keeping everything and eating everything I offer. I do only feed every 2 weeks which what I'm guessing keeps them from going on hunger strikes. I don't like to feed consistently on the same day every certain amount of days because in my observations my snakes get lazy and tend to hide in their hides most of the day. I like to see the predatory instincts in action so I change it up and vary the time and day of feeding and I think that's what keeps my snakes from going on strike. Not sure if this is a good or bad thing but I'm hoping someone can chime in on this. I feel like it's more of a natural environment. Snakes aren't catching prey every week or two weeks in the exact day of the week in the wild, they get what they can, if that's two mice in one week then none for two weeks so be it. I don't feed like this but chances are in the wild many pythons often will, they are opportunistic feeders. I don't think schedules are beneficial with that.