Try live?

[Avsha531]

Hi guys, would like your opinions and thoughts on the following.

Both my 4-5 year old wild type BP and my Male KSB have been off food for nearly 6 months now.

BP- got her from someone last July so was my first winter with her (never sexed, female is what I was told). He had rescued her previously. I was told that she would only eat live mice, 3-4 per meal. She definitely arrived to me pretty skinny. I started her on mouse scented ft small rats using a blow dryer and within a couple weeks she was pounding frozen thawed small-medium rats weekly with a ferocity that would blow your mind. She got up to a much healthier looking plumpness and weight (though she's most likely always going to be on the slimmer side-maybe she is a he). She then went off food around October time and just doesn't seem interested.

I had switched her November-December from a 36" tub to an AP T10, but that was already like a month into fasting. I've been offering every 2-3 weeks and the past month or 2 she's been showing a tiny bit of interest, but whatever I do will not eat. Temps and humidity are spot on and she seems pretty happy in the T10, but also there is a mix of Male and female BPs in the room.

My question is, should I try a live mouse to get her started again and follow that up immediately with a small ft rat once she's in food mode? Should I try to switch her back to a tub til she starts eating again? Or do I wait her out?


Now for the KSB, he's about 4 years old. He goes off food for 4-6 months every year, but typically will eat one meal in that time and he hasn't taken any during this winter. He's been stuck on live mice for the past 3 years, but last summer I got him switched to ft rat fuzzies (after a few live meals) of which he ate wonderfully until around October as well. He also is just not going for food, and usually by the beginning of April he's up and at em again. Usually it takes a live mouse scented with gerbil bedding to get him going food wise for the season.

So was thinking to get a live mouse scented with the gerbil bedding for him as well to get him to start again.

Or, I could just keep with the ft and wait them both out. I do know both these species are notorious for going off food, and neither has suffered any significant weight loss during this time.

TIA!





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[Zincubus]

Hi guys, would like your opinions and thoughts on the following.

Both my 4-5 year old wild type BP and my Male KSB have been off food for nearly 6 months now.

BP- got her from someone last July so was my first winter with her (never sexed, female is what I was told). He had rescued her previously. I was told that she would only eat live mice, 3-4 per meal. She definitely arrived to me pretty skinny. I started her on mouse scented ft small rats using a blow dryer and within a couple weeks she was pounding frozen thawed small-medium rats weekly with a ferocity that would blow your mind. She got up to a much healthier looking plumpness and weight (though she's most likely always going to be on the slimmer side-maybe she is a he). She then went off food around October time and just doesn't seem interested.

I had switched her November-December from a 36" tub to an AP T10, but that was already like a month into fasting. I've been offering every 2-3 weeks and the past month or 2 she's been showing a tiny bit of interest, but whatever I do will not eat. Temps and humidity are spot on and she seems pretty happy in the T10, but also there is a mix of Male and female BPs in the room.

My question is, should I try a live mouse to get her started again and follow that up immediately with a small ft rat once she's in food mode? Should I try to switch her back to a tub til she starts eating again? Or do I wait her out?


Now for the KSB, he's about 4 years old. He goes off food for 4-6 months every year, but typically will eat one meal in that time and he hasn't taken any during this winter. He's been stuck on live mice for the past 3 years, but last summer I got him switched to ft rat fuzzies (after a few live meals) of which he ate wonderfully until around October as well. He also is just not going for food, and usually by the beginning of April he's up and at em again. Usually it takes a live mouse scented with gerbil bedding to get him going food wise for the season.

So was thinking to get a live mouse scented with the gerbil bedding for him as well to get him to start again.

Or, I could just keep with the ft and wait them both out. I do now both these species are notorious for going off food, and neither has suffered any significant weight loss during this time.

TIA!





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Anything to do with breeding season. ?

I’ve no idea ... just a thought


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[JodanOrNoDan]

I can't speak about the KSB, but I wouldn't stress about the ball python too much unless she is loosing weight. I have used live to bring them out fasts before, especially after laying however it doesn't always work. It sounds like the ball got up to the weight it wanted to be then stopped eating. Once again nothing to worry about unless there is significant weight loss.

[Avsha531]

I can't speak about the KSB, but I wouldn't stress about the ball python too much unless she is loosing weight. I have used live to bring them out fasts before, especially after laying however it doesn't always work. It sounds like the ball got up to the weight it wanted to be then stopped eating. Once again nothing to worry about unless there is significant weight loss.

Lol I just weighed the BP again. She's up almost 100 grams from last October don't even know how that happened

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