time between feedings

[Titantheballpython]

Hello so my 3 years old python is only eating once a month. I tried a couple of time but he would refuse a couple of time then eat then the cycle would repeat. I heat his rats in a bag floating in hot water after leaving it in the fridge overnight to defrost. my younger ball python eats every two weeks and has never refused a meal so it worries me that he isnt eating as often.He eats medium rats and seems to be able to swallow and disgest them fine.

Should I be worried or is this normal ?

[Craiga 01453]

Most males never need anything more than a small rat.

Try switching to small rats. Larger meals often lead to inconsistent feeding and more refusals.

[dakski]

^^^^^^^^^ THIS.

My BP, Shayna, is 7 years old and 1,800G. She would refuse meals, even in the summer, when offering medium rats every other week.

Last year, I switched her to small rats and she only missed a meal or two when in shed and when slowing down for her winter fast (which she broke after 6 weeks to have a small rat). She went from a high of 1,650G or so on medium rats to 1,800G eating small rats all spring, summer, and fall, but consistently.

They are incredibly efficient animals (snakes in general) and little goes a long way in terms of food. In nature, they aren't getting a meal like clockwork every 2 weeks.

BP's tend to tell you, especially as adults, that you are overfeeding them. However, other snakes aren't as insightful or communicative.

Learn from your BP in case you get other snakes, or reptiles, that are prone to obesity, which can be deadly for them.

Colubrids, Boids/Boas, many lizards, etc, will not tell you that you are overfeeding. They will eat gluttonously.

In general, less is more.

Watch your BP's weight and body definition, but I imagine smaller meals at the same intervals will lead to more consistent feeding, sustained and healthy body type, and more stable weight or weight gain if still growing.

[Bumblebee my snake]

1. smaller/baby ball pythons eat more frequently.
2. a big meal or medium rat is probably too big. i feed my 3ft ball python smalls