Hunger strike

[TayKiren]

When ball pythons are on a hunger strike, is it normal for them to actually seem interested in the food, but just not eat it? My ball python hasn't eaten in around five months now. He's losing ~2.5% of his body weight a month. Nothing is too worrying, it's just getting to the point where I'm wondering if he's ever going to start eating again. When I offer the food, he tongue flicks a bunch and looks around for it like he did when he would eat regularly. However, he will get to the rat and then just.....sit there. He puts his nose right up against it, seems to consider it for a minute, then turns away and goes looking elsewhere. This is why I'm wondering if he's unhappy with something about the rat? The rats seem fine, nothing unusual...He ate the first couple of rats from the shipment I got, so I don't think it's something to do with a bad batch. It's definitely warm enough. I don't think it's lack of movement, as he never needed it before, and when I do it now he gets freaked out (I swear I'm not moving it that much). I tried cutting a hole in the stomach (as much as I could handle, anyway), and this did grab his attention enough for him to go over to it, buuuut then he just sat there again.

This latest feeding seemed the most promising in that he was more interested than usual, and he would look at me almost expectantly on the days leading up to it. But still nothing happened. Is this normal for a ball python on a typical hunger strike, or is he being picky? He ate Petsmart rats before I got him, which did smell more (which I assumed was a sign of inferior quality...). I'm thinking of buying some of those to see if that will get him eating again. Does this sound like a good idea? As far as I know, he has always eaten rats, so I don't want to go offering him mice or anything.

Thanks!

Edit: I realized I should mention he is an adult, 1755 grams and overweight to begin with. I took him to the vet a month ago since he needed a checkup anyway and was told he looked really good, had a good amount of flesh and muscle, and that if he is losing less than 10% of his body weight a month then he isn't worried. So, I'm not worried about his health.

[Bogertophis]

So if he's "overweight" to begin with, maybe he's better off taking a break? How often are you offering food? When a BP goes on a fast, you would initially offer at regular intervals- but when a snake refuses food, many people get worried & offer more often- don't do that- actually, lengthening the interval would be better. It just makes them stressed & less likely to eat.

Since he's an adult, he may be thinking more about breeding this time of year. BPs can truly frustrate us about food- yes, many will act interested & then turn away...I know exactly how maddening that is, been there. If your vet that he recently was seen by is experienced with snakes thought there was nothing to worry about, then I'd try to relax for a while. The extra interest he showed for smelly Petsmart rats is helpful...you might try asking for some dirty used rat bedding that a local pet store is going to throw away, & use it to increase the scent of your feeders when you try again.

But it's likely that he's just fine & you'll need to wait him out for a while, assuming his enclosure temperatures are where they should be??? What size rats have you been feeding him? You should be feeding smalls- that might be contributing his lack of appetite (& making him overweight). You're not new to this site, so I assume you've seen this feeding chart? If not, here it is again, lol. I wouldn't offer again for 3-4 weeks now, personally, & then only if he's acting hungry (ie. waiting in ambush for prey from the doorway of his hide). Good luck!

[TayKiren]

He was overweight when I got him (he was rehomed to me as an adult) but is at a good size now since he started fasting. He was eating a small rat every two to three weeks for me, and I've been offering food every two weeks at the moment. It's just weird because he was voracious when I first got him, but he wasn't being fed on a normal schedule - maybe that's why? They apparently just fed him when he "looked hungry" and gave him two small rats every time. His setup was way too small (20 gallon, he is over four feet long), too hot on the warm side and too cold on the cool side. I also don't think his sheds were great with them. So maybe he is now thinking of breeding in a stable environment? Or he's just being a stinker haha. His enclosure has a gradient of 76-86 degrees with an 89-90 belly heat spot. I know 76 is right on the edge of what it should be. I think I installed the radiant heat panel too far to one side. He's been spending almost all his time in his cool hide this whole time, which is around 78.

[Bogertophis]

You know what they say..."No good deed goes unpunished!" Do you have other snakes? Is this your first? How about other pets?

Doesn't sound like the issue is your temps.- I would seriously wait 3-4 weeks before offering food again att. I think he's just being a ball python, aka "Royal python" (python regius) or what I call a "royal pain"! I know too well how frustrating they can be at times, but remember, they're "designed" to fast at times.

I've heard of strange things that people swear has worked for them but I dunno? Like taking them for a 30+ minute ride in the car to just shake them up a little- "change the channel"? but in the middle of winter (& where I am it's brutally cold) I personally wouldn't risk that right now. That or a deep-cleaning of their enclosure seems like they'd make the issue worse (make them more unsettled?)- I tend to think any success with these techniques might have been sheer coincidence?

You might try posting pics of his set-up for suggestions, just in case your hides are lacking or something? We don't all come up with the same solutions here.

[TayKiren]

He is my first and only snake, but I also have a leopard gecko, a hamster, three parakeets, and two cats. I wasn't planning on getting a snake (though I was already interested in ball pythons and had looked into them because I wanted to own one at some point), he just kind of happened to come to me because he was my friend's mom's. Doesn't mean I don't love him though!

And yeah, I haven't done a deep clean in a while now because I didn't want to stress him out. It's not like he's pooping right now, anyway. I'll get a picture of his enclosure tomorrow.

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[nikkubus]

Could you give me a bit of a timeline from when you got him to when he stopped eating? Did you immediately change him to a larger enclosure? Was he on petsmart live or those "mice cube" rats they have for a small fortune? How many times did he eat for you?

Either way, 5 months isn't worrying if he is in good condition, but I wouldn't want to go a heck of a lot longer. I think him showing interest is good, and I often see this in the weeks leading up to mine that have been on a fast starting to eat again.

[TayKiren]

He's always been eating the frozen ones. I got him summer of 2018 and moved him into his new enclosure late 2018/early 2019. I haven't been counting, but that means he's eaten quite a few times for me. Probably 50+ meals? He stopped eating right at the beginning of September.

[nikkubus]

Oh you have had him a long time then. I wouldn't stress a whole lot. Try to bump those temps just a tad and make sure you are giving him plenty of time in between attempts and he should come around eventually. You might try offering him a much smaller meal next time since it's been so long, to help kick start his digestive system again. Something like a pup rat.

[TayKiren]

Here's a picture of the setup and the man himself. He only came with one hide - the one on the left. It's not sold anymore, as far as I could tell. It's unfortunate because it seems to be better quality than any I could find. It's his warm hide, which he actually was in shortly before I took this picture - maybe a good sign? Anyway, I'm really envious of some of the enclosures I see online. I don't know how people make them look so nicely cluttered.

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[Bogertophis]

He really doesn't look like he's "wasting away". And he's a good-looking snake too.