Need Help With Ball Python Not Eating!

[ReptileBoii]

Hello, I have a 06 Tiger Female Ball Python that has nont eaten in 6 months. I have tried feeding frozen thawed, live ( big rats small rats even mice ) and nothing has interested her. I purchased her at a Reptile show and she was in good wieght and looked like a perfect snake. Took her home and still has not eaten since we bought her. Please help she was suppose to breed for me this season but now it's too late. I need help desperately to try and get her back up to weight! Thanks- Andrew

[psycho]

You should contact the person who sold her to you...

[ReptileBoii]

I did and she said " she ate fine for me and we had no problems. Try a few different methods" So i did and when that didn't work she would not respond to my emails.

[dr del]

Hi,

Have you double checked the husbandry like an OCD perfectionist yet?

I always get a bit twitchy about temps and humidity inside their hides if they holdout for any length of time.

If you do the usual post listing all the husbandry information and the equipment used to get it we could look and see if there is anything we can recommend.

It might also be an idea to run through the various feeding routines you have tried.

Aside from anything it might cut down on the number of times we suggest something you have already tried.


dr del

[Kaorte]

What is your setup like?

[jordy1380]

I would evaluate the enclosure that you are keeping it in because a lot of the time, that has ALOT to do with the behavior of the animal. How many hides do you have, how large is the enclosure, is the tank too dry, too humid, too hot, too cold? All of these will play a factor in the behavior of the animal. I would look at that and if that doesn't work then try to feed her every other week and do not mess with her very much during the times she is or isn't feeding. I have had some of my pythons go off feeding for a few months at a time and it isn't fun because you start to wonder, but when they start eating again, they eat everything.

[greghall]

put her in a 15qt tub keep her warm & try a ASF! 6 months is not unheard of at all.

[greghall]

15qt. if under a 1000g

[Quiet Tempest]

I had a vaguely similar situation with a female het pied I bought earlier this year. She was shipped to me back in July and arrived fat and healthy. Once here, though, she just refused to eat. I tried offering different types of foods, tried live, tried during different times of the day, tried in different enclosures, and finally just 3 or 4 weeks ago she started feeding consistently for me. I've found that she likes to be in a 41qt bin alone and undisturbed with her meal. It's the only way she'll eat for me. I tried a live mouse this way first, then a live small rat at the next feed, then a stunned small rat after that, and now we're up to stunned medium rats. It's a peculiar necessity for her, but so long as I allow her privacy in a dark tub with the rodent, she'll eat and I won't continue to worry about her.

Hope your girl's appetite perks up for you soon.