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  1. #1
    Registered User Kerimac's Avatar
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    BP has stopped feeding

    Got him in March, they said he was around 9 months old. He ate every week for the first 4 weeks like clockwork (besides refusing a dark colored rat once but immediately ate a white one). It has been 2 weeks of refusal now. Ambient temp approx 80.......hot side is upper 80s.......basking spot approx 92........cool side runs about 77 degrees....... Humidity is anywhere from high 40s to low 60s. I have uth on digital thermostat and I also have a digital humidity and temp guage that I have midway through his enclosure and I use a heat gun to monitor temps. Any ideas? Thx a bunch!

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    When & how are you offering food?

    Time of day (evening?) Jiggling from tongs? (too much or too little motion, temperature warm enough?)

    Behavior of snake? Is he peeking out of his hide when you offer? (BPs are ambush predators, almost NEVER accept food if out in the open)

    SIZE of prey versus SIZE of snake (see chart & be aware that offering "too often" can also stress a snake into refusing...try offering every 2 weeks instead of weekly).

    Too much commotion in the room? (kids, other pets, loud stereo- snakes can feel bass notes, or hammering, for example)




    Last edited by Bogertophis; 04-22-2020 at 10:51 PM.
    Rudeness is the weak man's imitation of strength.
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    Kerimac (04-22-2020),Reptile$ 4 Life (04-22-2020)

  4. #3
    Registered User Kerimac's Avatar
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    Re: BP has stopped feeding

    Well, the reptile shop where I purchased him was feeding him in a seperate tub every Tuesday at 3pm. I mimic what they were doing. Like I said, the first 4 times, he nailed it within 30 seconds and now, just crawls around seeming disinterested. Nothing has changed since I brought him home except that he isn't striking at me any more at all. That led me to believe that he was even more comfortable than before. He doesn't strike and doesn't ball up. Wait! I did increase the size of his food by one size. He has eaten 2 of the new size but maybe it was hard and I need to move him back down a size.?

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  5. #4
    Registered User Kerimac's Avatar
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    Re: BP has stopped feeding

    Also, thank you for the chart!

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  6. #5
    Registered User Kerimac's Avatar
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    Re: BP has stopped feeding

    I just realized that I basically answered none of your questions. I use frozen thawed, individually bagged and heat them in warm water inside the bag. My temp gun reads about 100° when I offer it. I use tongs and jiggle it. There is no commotion, music, or other pets in the room and I try to stay behind him, hidden as much as possible so that he doesn't pick up on my movement. As soon as gets it, I hold on for a second and then cover and latch the box immediately. I use this time for routine cleaning, etc.

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    Re: BP has stopped feeding

    Quote Originally Posted by Kerimac View Post
    Well, the reptile shop where I purchased him was feeding him in a seperate tub every Tuesday at 3pm. I mimic what they were doing. Like I said, the first 4 times, he nailed it within 30 seconds and now, just crawls around seeming disinterested. Nothing has changed since I brought him home except that he isn't striking at me any more at all. That led me to believe that he was even more comfortable than before. He doesn't strike and doesn't ball up. Wait! I did increase the size of his food by one size. He has eaten 2 of the new size but maybe it was hard and I need to move him back down a size.?

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    First off, there is no good reason to feed a snake in a separate tub. Pet stores often do that because they often co-habitate their snakes to save space, but handling a snake is stressful to them: snakes, even c/b ones, are still wild animals that depend on their instincts, & the only thing that picks them up in the wild is a predator about to EAT them. Fear is not an appetite stimulent...

    I know the tired old reason for doing this, but it's bunk: you're more likely to get bit by handling a hungry snake (confusing your warm & wiggling hand for food) or when you try to return him to his home (snakes stay in feed mode- ready to bite any reasonable facsimile, for hours or even a day or longer). Please lose this practice...BPs are SHY snakes that need all the help they can get to feel brave enough to grab their prey.

    I cannot speak to the size of his prey, since I have neither his size/wt. nor that of his prey, but off-hand I'd say don't offer again for 2 weeks. Larger prey takes longer to digest.
    Last edited by Bogertophis; 04-22-2020 at 11:51 PM.
    Rudeness is the weak man's imitation of strength.
    Eric Hoffer (1902 - 1983)

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    Kerimac (04-23-2020)

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