Problem with Male

[Jay_Bunny]

Xefaud my 100% het pied normal male isn't eating. His last meal was on 1/19. He is losing weight. He is down in the 400's now when he used to be 563g. I've tried everything. His temps are fine, humidity is fine. He's in the equivalent of a 16qt tub (32qt divided)

Previous feeding dates:
11/30
11/25
11/16

Other than that he has been refusing every week. I did pair him up with a female around the time he began refusing food, but he has not been in with a female since before his last meal. I want to get him eating again since he's losing weight.

[Elise.m]

Did you try offering a smaller than normal prey size? That's what got my female out of her hunger strike.

[chago11]

have you tried other foods. if he was eating rats try a mouse or vice versa thats what got my female to start eating.

[Jay_Bunny]

I have tried everything from rat pups to rat weans, mouse hoppers, to adult mice. I've tried f/t and live. He has no interest, what so ever. He is not going through a shed cycle. I even attempted to assist feed (putting a feeder in his mouth but not in his throat) and he refused. Normally I'm fine with snakes going on a feeding strike (I had two females go 4 months) but they didn't lose weight all that fast. Xefaud has been a great feeder up until now.

[Evilme5229]

My pewter was being a little finiky when I got him. I put a African Rat in his cage and it broke his habit really quick.

Since you introduced him to your female, that could have put him on breeding alert. My ghost still is deciding not to eat and he hasn't at for over a month. They do drop mad weight when they intend to breed. I have separted my ghost on and off and he doesn't want to eat. Its normal for the season, especially since hes breeding.

[Evilme5229]

I would also weight until he is done with his shed. Than try an African rat, smedium will probably do the trick :-)

[Jay_Bunny]

But with that much weight loss, I'm getting worried about him. He's looking thin. None of my other ball pythons are having issues (not even the ones that used to be problem feeders). Males that usually fast for breeding season, when do they usually start eating again. If I don't pair him up with a female any more for the season, will he begin eating again soon? I'm just really worried about him. He didn't do this last season. I will try to get a picture of him with another one of my males so you can see the difference in him.

He is not in a shed cycle. I also do not want to put him on a feeder that is expensive. ASF are $4 a piece here because they are technically illegal in VA. A reptile store in the area has gotten permission to sell them as feeders but they only sell males (so I have no chance of getting a group to breed) and they are $4 each. It is also a 20-30 min drive to that store.

[Kaorte]

What is his gram weight now? 100g is kind of significant but isn't really that much over all. As long as he is drinking, he should be okay.

Does he have two hides? Maybe you could try different hides or put lots of crumpled newspaper in the tub with him?

Aslo, maybe raise his temps by a degree or two and see if that tricks him out of thinking its breeding season.

Just a few suggestions. . .

[Evilme5229]

Aslo, maybe raise his temps by a degree or two and see if that tricks him out of thinking its breeding season.

Just a few suggestions. . .

I agree with raising the temps; maybe it will snap him out of breed mode if hes in it. Be thankful, my african rat was $6 lol. I'm just happy that he ate it ;-) My Ghost Male was at 1800+ when I started to breed him, now hes down to 1600. Hes a big guy though. My distributor told me that his males remind him of sticks when season is over. I have know males to go off feed for several months.

[Jay_Bunny]

Thanks. His current weight is 480g. So thats 83g lost. I got some pictures of him and I'm uploading them now. I tried to get pictures that would really show the change I'm seeing in him. His body is starting to get that triangle shape. He always has fresh water in his tub, though I do not use hides. I will try adding a hide and try feeding him again next week.