Ball Python eating problems

[Allusivehorizon]

Hey all. I am looking for some advice on a BP that has suddenly stopped eating. I have had my BP for around 5 years. He has always ate really good the entire time I've had him until the past few months. He is 5 years old, give or take. I took him to the vet about a month ago because he was making a wheezing noise. They gave him steroids and some vitamins and after his last shed (around a week ago) it has seemed to go away. However, it has been two months and he hasn't really wanted any food.

I am currently unemployed, so unfortunately I can't afford a new set up at this time. He lives in clear container, on paper towels. He has lived in this set up for almost two years (which is why I hope to upgrade soon). He has two identical hides, the humidity is around 55-60%. Warm side is a hot spot of 96° and cool side doesn't really drop below 76° and is hottest at 81°. He has a few fake plants and sticks and a decently large water dish.

I can't help but to worry because he's always been a good eater. I know he's older, it's around the end of mating season. I just want to do everything I can to make sure he is okay and healthy. I will take a photo of his encolurse at a better time. He normally eats large rats, but I have offered a variety of sizes in the past two months.

He has acted very normal even when he was wheezing, which has completely stopped now. It may have been stuck shed, because it went away once he shed. The only change is that he seems uninterested in eating. He also hasn't really lost much weight, but I unfortunately can't weigh him properly at this time.

Thanks so much

[Bogertophis]

If you can post a few pics of him, that might help us. Sometimes snakes are just not hungry because they've had enough to eat, & as you said, it might also be thoughts of mating.

If you're sure this is a male, fyi- most male ball pythons do best (feed most consistently) when fed only small rats- nothing above medium- so it might be he's feeling overfed. How often have you been feeding (or offering) food? Don't offer more than every 2 weeks if you've been offering weekly- as when a snake isn't hungry & we just keep offering, it just stresses them out. So you might just need to give him time to get hungry.

If you're measuring your temps accurately, 96* is too hot, by at least 6*. I'd recommend lowering that to no more than 90* on the warm side- his "cool side" is fine.

Yes, it may have been some stuck shed, dirt or water in his nostrils that made that noise. It's usually best to wait until a snake sheds if you're just hearing whistling or a minor crackling sound when they breathe, but because they cannot cough effectively, see a vet right away if your snake is ever struggling to breathe (like with his head up, mouth open, or if you see foam/bubbles), because they can actually choke to death also. Glad whatever it was went away.

His lack of appetite could also be a result of medication he was given- I'm not familiar with the side effects of a snake being given steroids- how were they given? (oral or injection?)

And by the way,

[Allusivehorizon]

Thanks so much for the response. I've always been told mixed things about his warm temperatures, so I will try to lower it and see if it helps at all.

He was eating large rats for a while and I recently tried with a medium rat but he didn't want that either. I was told by both the person I got him from and the vet that he was most likely a male. Though, he is rather large which has always thrown me off and bis tail seems more like a females tail to me. He used to eat weekly for me, but then stopped to ever 2 to 3 weeks, until now where it's been two months. I will try and wait a little longer between offering food as well, as I usually wait around 9-11 days.

I just took these!

[Bogertophis]

Well, "he" is not starving, that's for sure- so don't worry so much about his appetite- he's very well-fed, & I just don't think he's feeling hungry. But he's a beautiful snake, & looks healthy.

Here's the thing- whether a human or a snake, some have more appetite than others, & some carry more weight than others. We don't all agree on the exact right answer, but here's a chart that turns up on this forum every so often to help everyone gauge their snake's nutritional status- I hope it helps. Many who keep adult male BPs find they eat best (most consistently) when only fed small adult rats (& never large ones). When a snake eats an overly-large meal, it's only natural that they're going to take longer before they feel the need to eat again- that's just how adaptable they are- not like us, we have to eat all they time. But snakes don't- they're lucky that way, & it's how they survive harsh conditions in nature.

https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...f42b352b68.jpg




BTW, I don't think the high temperature has anything to do with his lack of appetite- if anything, being warmer means a snake burns calories faster so they'd get hungry sooner. But temperatures over 90* for a BP are a SAFETY issue- probably because BPs are heavier-bodied snakes that like & need warmth, they don't seem to realize they're getting "burned" until it's too late. You cannot depend on a BP to move off before they suffer painful "burns", require medical treatment and take a long time to heal, so apparently you've been lucky so far. Please do adjust your upper temperature IF you're sure it's accurately being read, just for his safety.

[Allusivehorizon]

Thank you so much for your help. It definitely gives me a peace of mind and was super helpful. I will keep that chart in mind for the future and know where to come if I need assistance! I will also try the few things you suggested and hope it will make things easier in the future!

Thanks so much for the warm welcome!

[Bogertophis]

I would try feeding him small adult rats in the future, & not offering for 2 weeks apart, at least. But I wouldn't offer food again until he starts showing signs of hunger- BPs are ambush predators that usually prefer to eat at night (dim light or dark room); they don't actively hunt- instead they like to hide, peeking out, & grab prey that happens to get within reach. So if you see him doing that in the evenings, that might indicate he's once again thinking about food. I hope you hang out with us more often here.

[Allusivehorizon]

I totally understand, I went ahead and turned it down! I have the encolusre propped up so he never lays directly on the heat, but I appreciate the advice and wouldn't want him to get hurt!

[Bogertophis]

Neither do we.

[EL-Ziggy]

Bogertophis has already given great suggestions. Your BP has plenty of reserves. A few months without food won’t hurt him at all if he’s healthy and your husbandry is good. I had two BPs go 8 & 12 months without food with no ill effects. I would only add that a large rat every week is a LOT of food for much larger adult snake species and I feed on the heavier side. My largest adult snakes are my bullsnake, olive python, and scrub python. They eat large, and occasionally jumbo, rats every 2-3 weeks in the summer and even less often in the winter. BPs are medium sized snakes at most. They certainly don’t need that much food. I agree with reducing his meal size, he should never see anything bigger than a medium rat again, and extending the intervals between feedings to every 2-4 weeks.

[Albert Clark]

Wow! What a really amazing looking ball. He looks like he’s got something going on genetically too. Almost fire like or vanilla. Yeah, he’s being fed quite a bit. I’m curious as to why the veterinarian didn’t confirm the sex? Was the animal taken to a reptile veterinarian? I think we need to find out. Did the vet weigh him? Could this be a gravid female through parthenogenesis and is off food?