What does refusal to eat look like?

[fishmommy]

I have always thought that refusal to eat would involve the snake not even acting interested in the prey.

This week my BP, always a good feeder, came out eagerly to eat, got right up to the rat (f/t), flicked it with his tongue, and then proceeded to back up into his hide.
He's come out a couple of times and done the same thing again.

How should I interpret this?
The f/t rat is part of a batch he has been scarfing down for a couple of months with no problems. Is there something wrong with the way the rat smells, or is this what refusal to feed for other reasons looks like?

This is my first refusal, so educate me please
his temps and humidity are in spec, and there have been no changes in housing or routine in months.

[fishmommy]

also, I bought these frozens in October. I have heard that 6 months is pretty much the limit for them...dunno if that's true.

[Brimstone111888]

I am currently trying to switch my pastel to rats, since thats what I breed. He will get really into feeding mode, but one even strike the rat. He will get very close to it then back off.

I have also heard of the six month limit on frozen.

[bigballs]

how often does he get fed and what size rats do you feed him?

do they leave a large bulge or none at all??

[fishmommy]

he feeds once a week on a single small rat. he's a 1200 gram snake and the rats don't make a noticeable bulge. The rats are about 60 grams.

[cinderbird]

the rat might not be warm enough. the snake can smell it, but they cant "see' it. that happened to me one time with my girl, i re-warmed the rat to the right temp and it was taken in seconds.

[fishmommy]

I'll give that a try
then I'll try new rats

[771subliminal]

hold up on the new rats there... i have one that is going threw the whole im not gonna eat now thing..(strangely i have one going threw the whole ill eat till you stop feeding me thing too but thats another story)

but when mine goes off feeding some days she will come out smell it as to say "you should thank me for letting you live today" i feed her live now but last yr she was on f/t and did the exact same thing, she would come out check out the rat and go back in her hide, it was as if she was just checking to see who/what was in her home. but this time she has gone off food for i think 3 weeks maybe 4 (i keep an eye on her weight tho, and now shes in a shed so eating is a big no for her) and last yr i think she stopped eating for 5 or 6 weeks. they like to stop eating time to time long as they dont lose weight and look, act, and seem other wise healthy dont worry bout it just yet, as you may be in for a few more weeks of not eating.

hey while it may be a little worry some to us while they are off feed in the long run if you dont trash the rat when your bp doesnt eat then your saving money in the end right.

[fishmommy]

that's good info - what I was wondering is if this behavior is part of the usual 'going off feed' or if it was a prey problem.
sounds like it definitely could be either.
I'll try the hotter prey next time but otherwise leave him alone and treat it like a 'nonfeeding funk' episode (no handling, close eye on husbandry and stress factors) and sit tight.

he's a male about 18 months old, so I kind of expected this to happen at some point.

man, I wish I could just decide not to eat for a few weeks at a time....