Need advice from experienced owners - fasting question

[Snoopyslim]

Hello!

I could really use some advice from long-time owners. I've had my girl for 2 years + now and this is the first time I've had her go on a fast that has lasted longer than 2 months. She hasn't lost significant weight and I would say she is fully grown at this point (besides obviously the potential of gaining weight). I am frustrated because I really want her to eat...I know it's not super abnormal but I thought it was more Winter months that caused fasting but she has decided to go into a Spring fast...maybe getting ready for bikini season?? jk seriously though wondering if I should try switching back to mice to entice her or try smaller rats to see if she's just not loving the size.

Usually a strong eater and I almost know instantly if she will eat or not - never has she eaten a rat left in her cage - if she's hungry she strikes within a minute - I've tried waiting and trying again in a few hours later and then eventually I just leave the rat in there to be thrown out the next morning. I don't think she's eaten since February. I really want to take her out and inspect her and handle her but I've been bit before so I usually like to feed her and then handle her after she's eaten...might just pull her out this week as I don't see her roaming and the bite before was due to a feeding error (transporting to another feed tank/scent in the room) F/T in med. - cage feeding with tongs.

Thanks!

[Sunnieskys]

What is her weight?

[Snoopyslim]

I honestly don't know I don't weigh her but she's definitely not underweight she's a hefty girl.

[Ax01]

hey Snoopy! guess who was in Vegas last week? lol me!

anyways i'm glad to hear that u still have Valentine. how much does she weigh? fasting is normal. i would offer food only the next time i see her waiting/roaming at the front of her enclosure. in either case, i would switch her feeding/offering food to an every other week schedule in her adulthood. u can handle her just fine during a fast. life and petkeeping goes on even if she's not currently eating.

[Snoopyslim]

Ahhh so jealous I miss Vegas I haven't been back for a year - starting to get the itch! Hope you had a wonderful time but I'm sure you did - how could you not lol

Okay thanks so much for the advice - I will wait until I see her roaming - is there a certain amount of time where I should be super concerned? I will pull her out and weigh her some how maybe I'll buy a kitchen scale or something. The pet store I buy food at made me feel a bit better on my lunch break today as she told me she's had a lot of people talking about their snakes fasting - so it must just be the drastic season change.

[Eramyl]

She probably hit the 1,000 gram wall. Usually when females get to be 2 or more years old and around 1,000 grams they will quit eating for an extended period of time. It's frustrating to us, but no big deal for her.

Try to feed every 3 or 4 weeks and eventually she will eat again. I've had females stay on the wall for 5-6 months.

[Zincubus]

She probably hit the 1,000 gram wall. Usually when females get to be 2 or more years old and around 1,000 grams they will quit eating for an extended period of time. It's frustrating to us, but no big deal for her.

Try to feed every 3 or 4 weeks and eventually she will eat again. I've had females stay on the wall for 5-6 months.

Yeah ... I have a couple who will eat every time as long as they're fed every 10 to 14 days . They won't feed every 7 days though


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[redshepherd]

Feeding smaller prey than larger also seems to lessen random fasting for adult BP's.

If she's still looking hefty, don't worry about it! I have one BP who randomly fasts a bit or skips a meal here and there, and I usually just try offering once every 2 weeks, but no more. Eventually he takes it. If you are worried, I would invest in a scale anyway so you can keep track of her weight!

You also definitely do not need to move her into a separate feeding tub in order to feed. That actually does decrease a snake's chances of eating.

[Ax01]

u should getta scale if u wanna track her weight more accurately. but it's both weight loss and how she looks that u should pay attention to. she can weigh 1000grams but still look unhealthy and skinny w/ a protruding spine which is not good. or conversely, she can lose the weight of a feeder but still be rounded. or be like most crazy beeps, she can slow down her metabolism, not eat and no really change much at all. anyways she will eat when she's ready and when she's ready, feed her less often or smaller meals.

[PghBall]

This is typical with ball pythons. I've had females go off feed for months at a time. My 2010 Lesser female tool 6 years to get to 1200 grams. Last year she gave me 3 healthy eggs but that was her 7th year and she was only about 1250 grams. I figured it was about time as she was mature enough. Not all do it but when they do it can be concerning for someone experiencing it for the first time . Just keep offering and eventually they come around.