brb hasn't eaten in 6 months

[neo8175]

I have a male brb, about 3 years old who hasn't eaten in about 6 months (feeding on medium frozen rats in a separate tub). About 4 months ago he was moved into his permanent enclosure from a 30" plastic tub to a AP cage (36x24x15). Temps in the cage are 74c-82c, 85-90% humidity. He stays 95% of the time on the cool side. After 3 months, I took to a reptile vet who said he was healthy and wait a little more to see if he would eat. He couldn't test a stool sample since none was present. I asked other breeders and they said it could bc it's breeding season but I'm still worried. A few days ago, I tried to take him out of the cage to clean it and replace his water but he was refusing. Do you think he's stressed bc of the new cage. In the cage are two hides (1/3 bigger than he is) and two water bowls to keep the humidity up. I'm using blank newspaper print as a substrate. I could try feeding him in his cage to see if that works. He lost some weight but not a lot and shed once in 6 months. Any ideas.

[Sunnieskys]

i would try assist feed. just me though...

[Sauzo]

Welcome to owning a BP. They more or less do what they want. I personally would NOT assist feed him. Only time you need to consider that is if it's a baby. Adults can months without food. My girl hasnt eaten since February. She's still 1625g and is curious as ever if taken out. My advice is just keep trying once every week or two until he eats. Now if you notice him losing lots of weight or acting strange, thats a different story. I just offer my girl a rat every week or so when i feed my retic since if she refuses it, my retic is happy for seconds.

And my girl does the same, spends most of her time in the cool side hide. Sounds like your temps and humidity are fine. Make sure you are using the same hides for both warm and cool side and make sure they are small enough to make the snake feel secure. My girl is 4.5' and she still loves and fits in the large RB hides which i have no idea how she does it.

[KMG]

I wouldn't try assist feeding either. Not the time or situation for that.


My BRB has taken some long breaks over the years. The longest was five months. Never lost weight or got sickly. Just being stubborn.

A few things I would recommend.

1. Get rid of the water bowls and add a soaking pool. I bet you find it prefers the pool to is hides. Mine stays in his pool most of the time.

2. Increase the time between food offerings. I usually went 2-3 weeks.

3. Make sure the feeder is within the range of a living rat. That is just over 100F.

4. If all else fails you can try live which will sometimes snap them out of a feeding break.

5. If the hides are a bit to big simply add more to them. This will make them feel tighter and offer your snake a more secure feeling. You can also dampen the moss during a shed for added humidity unless you add the soaking pool as it won't need any other humidity help.

[neo8175]

I just measured by temps using an infrared gun and I think inside the hide under the rhp is a a little cool. Here are the temps:

hot spot = outside of hide 83F, inside 78F
cold spot = outside 75F, inside 74F
room temps = 68F-75F


using a radiant heat panel only.

Do these temps seem ok or should a get uth for the hot spot?
I'm going to give him smaller hides to see if he likes it better.

[KMG]

I just measured by temps using an infrared gun and I think inside the hide under the rhp is a a little cool. Here are the temps:

hot spot = outside of hide 83F, inside 78F
cold spot = outside 75F, inside 74F
room temps = 68F-75F


using a radiant heat panel only.

Do these temps seem ok or should a get uth for the hot spot?
I'm going to give him smaller hides to see if he likes it better.

I would try to boost all the temps by two degrees.

[bcr229]

Take the hot side to 85-86*F, which should take the cool side up a degree or so and that's ok as long as it stays under 78*F. Temps over 86*F are dangerous for BRB's if the snake has nowhere to go to cool off, but that doesn't mean they don't need to be warm to digest either. Your cooler temps are tricking your snake into thinking it's the winter breeding season - he doesn't want to eat, he wants a girl.

Also don't feed in a separate enclosure because once his food response turns back on, he will be just as likely to hit you as the rat when you move him.

[KMG]

Also don't feed in a separate enclosure because once his food response turns back on, he will be just as likely to hit you as the rat when you move him.

Thanks for hitting the one thing I meant to mention early when I started typing.

[KMG]

I feed my 6+ft BRB in his cage without issue. He is the sweetest snake I have and is very nosey. He usually comes out to see what I'm doing in the room. When a rat goes in though he slams it hard every time. He has never even hissed at me.

[Dutti]

Welcome to owning a BP. They more or less do what they want. I personally would NOT assist feed him. Only time you need to consider that is if it's a baby. Adults can months without food. My girl hasnt eaten since February. She's still 1625g and is curious as ever if taken out. My advice is just keep trying once every week or two until he eats. Now if you notice him losing lots of weight or acting strange, thats a different story. I just offer my girl a rat every week or so when i feed my retic since if she refuses it, my retic is happy for seconds.

And my girl does the same, spends most of her time in the cool side hide. Sounds like your temps and humidity are fine. Make sure you are using the same hides for both warm and cool side and make sure they are small enough to make the snake feel secure. My girl is 4.5' and she still loves and fits in the large RB hides which i have no idea how she does it.

I think you got it wrong. He is talking about a BRB and not BP.