Husbandry and Feeding Relation

[Kysenia]

I would like to as always thank everyone for all the sharing of their experience on this forum. This is a boring story but I wanted to share.

I recieved 4 new balls about 3 or so weeks ago making a total of 10. All of them except one have had no issues with feeding from day one since arrival.

The female jungle pastel was a little different. The setup I have is a rack system with controlled temps and humidity as follows...

Hot end.....94
Cool end....83
Humidity 55-60%
Aspen bedding except for newspaper on hot side allowing for higher temp....

Hide located warm end.....

I followed all the rules.....feed at regular scheduled feeding if she refused....left her alone and did not handle except for cleaning tub full once a week and spot cleanings.....

She was very calm and friendly....never appeared nervous when handled for cleaning to move.....

All things aside I thought she must just not be feeding during the winter but as we got into this week I kept thinking she is not an adult and there must be something I am missing.

Again sorry for the length but here is the point......In my head the setup was all good.....so it must be the snake!!!!! lol

So yesterday at feeding they all attacked their lunch after weigh in and it came down to her.......Oh btw all food options explored...live.....f/t.....rats....mice....and size variation..........

The fixed to the problem was the hide...I looked at her in the hide and it met all the specifications of what I would consider a tight fit....key work "I'.
I went upstairs and made a temporary expiremental hide out of a tiny teanie food container.....This pastel is 300 grams and this container could hold maybe 4 large grapes lol....."exaggeration for effect but not to far from the truth"....

I took the plastic gladware and cut a hole and carefully for expiremental purpose covered edges and outside with black tape......all edges double done so no sticky exposed....and did for just testing purposes. I replaced her hide with this tiny thing. I placed a ft rat out in front and came back 30 minutes later...."she had just refused all food prior to this"

When I came back...food gone...and she somehow Harry Houdinied herself to fit inside this small small hide lol.

Moral of the story...always look at all options and your opinion doesnt matter in the long run....the opinion of the snake does! lol

[llovelace]

lol I just swaped out hides last night for my little guy who went off feed, I hope it works for me.

[frankykeno]

Sometimes thinking outside the box is a VERY good thing LOL. Sounds like you figured out what would trigger this particular snake to feel comfortable enough to hunt. Good for you!

I've had bp's that were so stuffed into their hides that it basically sat on their back (we call them "snurtles"). I figured they needed a bigger hide but for some of them, that new bigger hide was just not right and they went off feed and just acted all out of sorts. Give them back their ridiculously too small but favored hide and bingo....back to normal activities. Some snakes are just plain goofy!

[Slim]

Kysenia, Great story, and good advice as well!!