Just a nonfeeding vent..

[Ginevive]

Blarg! I never have issues with nonfeeders. Now, my lovely little pinstripe female has changed all that. She just does not want to eat. Now, she was pretty chunky when I got her weeks ago.. and she ate 2x since coming home. Now she just snubs her meals.
I am not really asking for advice; I know how to deal with this. But I am just venting! No one at work understands when my yucky snakes have problems, and my friends think it gets old to talk snakes. So thanks for lending your ears (or eyes) and if you can feel me, holler back!
I plan on letting her sit another week before offering feed.

[missi182]

Awe its ok, I was soo worried that my somewhat skinny little guy wouldn't eat for me and he didnt for abour 3 weeks but just try and think, if you were 10 years old and just weren't in the mood for dinner but your parents forced you to sit down at the table, youd be pretty cranky. So when shes hungry you'll know, just like a ten year old complaining theyre hungry 10 minutes after not finishing dinner. Im sure you know this but sooner or later you'll try for the umptenth time to feed her and she'll suddenly be starving! and you will feel soooo warm and fuzzy inside that she wants to eat untill she can't take anymore Try not to worry too much about it, I find it is when I finally stop worrying about it and sort of give up that they get back to their routine for me.

[stangs13]

I know this doesnt help, but I am scared to open some of my tubs, cause they lundge out looking for food..lol. But I wish you good luck with her, get them ASFs breeding and switch her! Good luck jen!

[2kdime]

My new female is a picky eater. I left a prekilled rat with her overnight last time and it was gone the next morning.

I tried again today. Again no go. So I thought I'd try some ASF's.

No go. Again. Killed it and left 2 of em in with her overnight. Ill go check on her in a few hours. She just acts like it scares her.

Try doing that and see how it goes.

[Ginevive]

Thanks for the moral support I get so down, because my other females (and one of my males) are like Stangs said; hungry tub-jumpers I guess that someone (or some-snake) nad to knock me down a peg or two in the "everything's great and we all eat" department!

[Wh00h0069]

That used to bother me also, but not any more. I'm used to it. I figure they will start eating again when they feel like it. As long as your husbandry is right, they always start again.

BTW, are you planning on breeding your pinstripe female, and if so what too?

[Wh00h0069]

My new female is a picky eater. I left a prekilled rat with her overnight last time and it was gone the next morning.

I tried again today. Again no go. So I thought I'd try some ASF's.

No go. Again. Killed it and left 2 of em in with her overnight. Ill go check on her in a few hours. She just acts like it scares her.

Try doing that and see how it goes.

If a snake is not eating because it is stressed out, then leaving prey in with it is just going to stress them out more. I feed mine live, and only leave them in there for a half an hour or so. If they haven't eaten within this time, then I pull them. Just a thought...

[AzureN1ght]

I'm so feeling you right now! Auryn has snubbed food for the last 5 weeks in a row (one of the 5 was the week I was moving him from home back to school, so I didn't attempt that week...didn't want to move him on a full belly IF he decided to eat). I'm trying again tonight, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed. He used to be a very good feeder, so I'm hoping this is just a fluke--since his temps/humidity have been spot on. Hang in there, girl! Your little Pin will get the hang of it again soon.

[2kdime]

I appreciate the input. But this method has worked for many of people. And has worked for me. And I'm sure she'll eat them without a hitch.

Most ball pythons are pretty docile and eat anything, anytime. The rest of mine are. Some, like my big girl, are very skittish. So hovering over them with a dangling rat doesn't do them any good.

So eating in the dark, calm, still night is just what some of them need. No big warm creature to watch over them. Well of course you, or I, or anyone at that matter won't leave a live rat overnight. So a prekilled one on the warm side is the best thing I can do for her.

Thank you for the input. And it MAY stress some out. But it works for my girl.

Hopefully I didn't come off as an a**.

If a snake is not eating because it is stressed out, then leaving prey in with it is just going to stress them out more. I feed mine live, and only leave them in there for a half an hour or so. If they haven't eaten within this time, then I pull them. Just a thought...

[West Coast Jungle]

I have one pastel girl who is a real nervous and wont eat if anything is moving around,finally ate a rat pup this week after several weeks of refusing.She hit 900 grams and started refusing if everything isn't just so. I think we need to get some snake prozac