Ball python hasn’t eaten!

[Ryanball]

I made a post about my ball python not eating a while ago , and still it’s not eating . It’s been about 4 months today , and nothing . I believe it is a female , and it’s 1 and a half years old . It’s 417 grams , and about 3 feet long so far . It’s never been the best eater, but I’m worried now because something this young shouldn’t go off feed for 4 + months should it ? I was thinking because of winter months and the enclosure is getting a little colder , but not sure ? In this time period too it hasn’t shed its skin as well ? Which is making me nervous .

-Tank size is 40 gallon
-Cold side of tank is about 75 right now , since the house is colder and outside
and the warm side I keep about 88-92.
- 50-70% humidity, usually always around 60%
- has a hot side hide , and a cold side hide


so that’s her husbandry , she doesn’t look to bad , when it’s lied out flat you can’t see it’s spine really at all , but when it’s bent over it’s more rigid instaid of rounded , kinda like a triangle shape. So it has lost a little bit of weight but not a lot . It’s also active at night , and hiding during the day , and when I handle her , nothing seems different and it’s fast and active like usual , just won’t eat ? It seems interested in the rat and looks at it and all , but then looks away looking like it’s hiding it’s head from it .. i haven’t done anything different from when it used to eat , and now . Please can anyone help ? Should I contact a vet ?

[threadgoode]

Has she always been kept in a 40 gallon? If she's never been much of a good eater, the tank size might be overwhelming her a bit, seeing as she's still a fairly small girl for that big an enclosure. I also like to keep my cool side closer to 78-80. What are you measuring temps with, and how often? As long as she's not consistently losing a lot of weight or exhibiting other signs of illness, I don't think a vet visit is necessary right now. Just keep your husbandry in check and keep trying. My girl went off feed for almost 2 months last winter, too. She started eating consistently again when I got her bigger rats. And make sure you're heating them up real well. From my experience, a good number of food refusals come from either a cold rat or a cold tank.

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[wnateg]

I would not be handling until she eats. What food item are you trying and how often are you trying?

[Ryanball]

Yes she’s always been kept in a 40 cause I couldn’t really afford to buy multiple tanks.. and I’m measuring the temps with a temp gun almost everyday. I just can’t really seem to get the cold side up to around 80... only in non winter months I can get it to that . And yeah I try warming them up good using a baggie and then in hot water , then taking it out and offering it when fully thawed at warm .

[Ryanball]

I offer small rats now , which she was eating medium rats fine , but I lowered a size to see if anything helped and it didn’t . I’m offering every week or two

[Midwest]

Im guessing a smaller enclosure would help.

[Cheesenugget]

Try downsizing by moving her to a 30-400 something qt tub instead (as temp use, save $ and humidity is easier to maintain). Drill holes for ventilation. Move tub to a dark, quiet area where room temp is no lower than 77F. Hides need to be hug your snakes sides to help reduce the stress of being moved.

400 grams for a 1.5 year old female is small. Mine reached over 500 grams when he was like 5-6 months old.

If you keep the glass tank, add more hides and warm up the cold end using a CHE. You will need a thermostat too for the CHE. Raise temp on cold to 77-80.

Use the hair dryer method of warming up prey. If it still won't eat after a few attempts (one attempt per week), go live. I would start small and try a large rat fuzzy or rat pup/crawler (younger than weaned/small rats) and supervise properly.

[Cheesenugget]

Whoops I meant 30-40, not 400, at tub. Lol.