BP hasn’t eaten in a few weeks

[Boba]

Hello all! Haven’t posted in a while but my 3.5-year old ball python recently stopped eating. It’s only been a little over a month, which I know they can go off feed sometimes, but he’s exploring his tank a lot which usually means he’s hungry. I’ve been offering him a f/t small rat every 5 days or so… he’s been eating f/t for the last almost 3 years with no issue, and I recently went up to small rats as he’s gotten larger. He displays a lot of “hunting” behavior even when I present the rat, but then comes up, smells it a bit, and then seems to immediately lose interest. I’ll dangle the rat for a few minutes, and then drop it somewhere in the tank and ignore him for a few hours (sometimes he can be shy). It started about a month ago and I thought the first one he ignored because he had a bit of stuck shed over his eye caps, but I gave him a bath and got the rest off and it didn’t seem to make a difference. Nothing else in his enclosure has changed - temps are still good and I’ve gotten better with his humidity since he had that stuck shed… substrate is clean… he seems to be happy with the hides…

If he weren’t acting hungry I wouldn’t be too concerned, but I’m not sure what else I can try to get him to eat. Should I switch up the feeder? Try putting him somewhere else to eat? I’ve always fed him in his enclosure, but I’m willing to try whatever.


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[Bogertophis]

For a 3.5 year-old male, he might be restless because he's looking for a mate rather than a meal- ever think of that?

It's also best not to offer food every 5 days to an adult BP- it's just going to annoy & stress him, not make him eat. Actually, BPs usually prefer to eat when peeking out of their hide (at night), because they're mostly "ambush predators", not snakes that go looking actively for prey. They sit in a protected spot & wait for something clueless to get too close & then they nab it.

No, don't "put him somewhere else to eat"- that's one of the worst things you can do, & not likely to help.

How's his body weight? We aren't seeing his condition (hint hint) but from what you describe, I would offer food about every 2 weeks. And if you've been handling him, stop for a while- maybe that's been "too much" for his liking?

[Albert Clark]

Nothing else in his enclosure has changed - temps are still good and I’ve gotten better with his humidity since he had that stuck shed… substrate is clean…


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Can you give us the specific temperatures and humidity readings you are getting? Also, description of the enclosure and set up? Thanks. Maybe post a couple of pictures.

[Crowfingers]

Unless your parameters are off or he's loosing weight, don't worry about it. My 6 year old male hasn't eaten since December and has only lost 10 grams. He's restless and paces several hours each night. Since was about 3 years old he's stopped eating between Nov and Dec and started back up around April. I chalk it up to mating behavior. I still offer once a month, but until he's out of this mode he doesn't want food.

[Boba]

For a 3.5 year-old male, he might be restless because he's looking for a mate rather than a meal- ever think of that?

Oh shoot you’re probably right!! I’m so used to him being my little baby I forgot that he’s a full grown man…. Awwww poor thing just wants a girlfriend and I’ve been shoving dead rats in his face


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[Albert Clark]

On a side note, observe him closely for any sign of illness. That would cause anorexia as well. Reptiles have a way of masking illness until they are very sick.