BP Won't Eat - very nervous

[kthoms104]

My 1 yr. old BP (male) hasn't taken food for 2+ months.

After the first month, I decided to stop trying to feed him to give him a break. I waited one more month, but he still won't take food.

Husbandry is all good to my knowledge, 90F hot side and 70% humidity on cool. I'm feeding frozen and make sure they're heated up before.

I know he's probably just on a seasonal feeding strike but I'm starting to panic - he's getting somewhat tiny. Any advice would be very helpful

[kthoms104]

He'll be attentive to any mice for long enough that my arm will fall asleep and then just slither away.

It's really frustrating because I've wasted upwards of $20 on food in the past few months. What am I doing wrong?

[Toad37]

Have you only tried mice?

[kthoms104]

I've tried rats once or twice, not his thing either.

[Bogertophis]

How often are you trying to feed him? It adds stress to offer too frequently, so don't try to feed him more than once a week. You might even want to ignore
him for 2 weeks, just to see if that perks up his interest.

Are you trying to feed in the evening/night-time? Is he in his hide, & peeking out when you offer? (that's usually best, they like to ambush prey) If a BP is
cruising the cage they won't usually want food, because they feel too exposed...they feel safer to grab prey when in their hide.

After offering him the prey, have you tried just leaving it over-night, lights out & without hovering (watching) him? Some snakes prefer that privacy.

You might want to try a different prey: if you're feeding him mice, try a rat-fuzzy. What size prey have you been offering him? Now & then it turns out the
wrong size food is being offered, & that can also matter; his prey should be roughly equal to the size of his unfed-midbody.

[RedRabbit]

What size prey have you been offering him? Now & then it turns out the wrong size food is being offered, & that can also matter; his prey should be roughly equal to the size of his unfed-midbody.

Definitely seconding this bit, which I learned the hard way. My two BPs have very different personalities. Ravus is the garbage bin, and will eat anything, anywhere, including while cruising around his tub. Ignis, on the other hand, is the one with the gourmet palate. Even if he is hungry and interested enough to strike and wrap, he has ultimately abandoned f/t rats in any of the following conditions:
- not warm enough (I have to blast the blowdryer on his rats' faces for 5 seconds longer)
- not fresh enough (the last of a f/t supply from 2 months ago)
- any rat re-offered more than twice in the same 1-2hr sitting (see: "not fresh enough")
- too soggy (a leak in the ziploc bag when I was thawing the rat in water)
- pee smell on the rat
- slightly too big
- slightly too small.
That last bit stumped me for a while, but apparently his royal highness deems both oversized AND undersized prey as "not worth the effort." It always feels like a hard-earned victory when I satisfy Iggy's fastidious meal specifications.

[ballpythonsrock2]

After offering him the prey, have you tried just leaving it over-night, lights out & without hovering (watching) him? Some snakes prefer that privacy.

And this advice is coming from the person who says thawing out in the air for 2 hours causes bacteria? And they don't eat carrion? But it's alright to leave it overnight???

[rufretic]

And this advice is coming from the person who says thawing out in the air for 2 hours causes bacteria? And they don't eat carrion? But it's alright to leave it overnight???

Lol, I find this funny and you do make a good point. But in all fairness, when you leave the prey in there for 'overnight' it's not so they can eat it six hours later, they basically eat it in the first hour of being left alone or they don't eat it. The point of saying to leave it overnight is more so meant to just give the snake some privacy and let them take it on their own without interrupting which may lead to a shy snake abandoning the prey.

[Bogertophis]

And this advice is coming from the person who says thawing out in the air for 2 hours causes bacteria? And they don't eat carrion? But it's alright to leave it overnight???

Why are you "shouting"?

First off, I assume you are feeding in the evening (usually works best for BPs), and by leaving the prey 'overnight', that basically means you should turn out the lights
& leave the snake alone in the dark room, no disruptions. Many are too shy to eat with human presence, and IF they're going to eat it after it has been presented the
usual way, some will take the opportunity in a dark, quiet room, once the owner stops hovering & leaves. Once you have the prey thawed out you shouldn't be re-offering
or re-freezing it, so why not take the chance & leave it. A few snakes like to be drop-fed, this way you'll find out, rather than just wasting it. Very doubtful that your BP
is going to wait until 3 am or the next daylight to eat the now-funky rodent...so bacteria is not an issue. Get it?

[ballpythonsrock2]

Why are you "shouting"?

First off, I assume you are feeding in the evening (usually works best for BPs), and by leaving the prey 'overnight', that basically means you should turn out the lights
& leave the snake alone in the dark room, no disruptions. Many are too shy to eat with human presence, and IF they're going to eat it after it has been presented the
usual way, some will take the opportunity in a dark, quiet room, once the owner stops hovering & leaves. Once you have the prey thawed out you shouldn't be re-offering
or re-freezing it, so why not take the chance & leave it. A few snakes like to be drop-fed, this way you'll find out, rather than just wasting it. Very doubtful that your BP
is going to wait until 3 am or the next daylight to eat the now-funky rodent...so bacteria is not an issue. Get it?

Not really shouting, just like larger print (about the no. 3) my eyes aren't the best, please don't take it as shouting. And I see more clearly ( no pun intended) why you stated the over night statement now. I wasn't mad I just don't agree with you about the air thaw verses water thaw reasoning and I hope we can agree to disagree hopefully about that and respect each others opinion. I don't disagree with you about the drop feeding but to tell you truth that has never worked
for the snakes I have had but your right it's worth a try. And I personally don't like to re-freeze anymore either. One shot is enough I figure too. And I agree with many of your feeding tips, like at night or dim light and the walking past, playing it coy, etc. Your spot on with myself with those ideas.

As far as re-offering, I have re-offered after another re-heating with the hair dryer and that has worked more than once. And sometimes sticking the head and body in the hide has worked the second or third attempt. But if it don't work after a couple re-heats or a drop feed, then one should wait 7 days or 5 being the soonest before trying again. My snake now usually comes out the hide and eats on the first attempt lately.