Please can someone please give me some advice on my new Royal Python not feeding?

[Markey two pythons]

I have read many books, which say that not feeding is perfectly normal for a recently acquired snake and to be patient. Then they generally go on to give methods to encourage feeding, if you snake doesn’t start to feed. However they don’t tend to go into specifics as to how long I should be patient for, before trying alternatives! I have read books that say it could take weeks or even months to get them to feed, but it is not clear if I should wait months before trying other methods.

I purchased my female Royal Python just over 3-weeks ago and she is about a year old, weighing a total of 275grams. She was obtained through a reputable reptile dealer and was supplied with paperwork proving that she had been a good feeder on a weekly basis (one large mouse every 5-7 days). However in the three weeks I have had her, she has not feed. She is now housed with a male Royal of a similar age (he has always been an excellent feeder from day one, which may be leading me to panic a bit), with plenty of hides available. I have taken considerable efforts to ensure all heating, lighting and sizes of viv etc are all correct.

Lilith (the name I have given my Royal) still looks healthy and has shed once since I have owned her, but what I would really like to know is how long would be considered as expectable for a snake of her size to acclimatize to her new home and start to eat, before I should result to more drastic measures like false feeding?

[rabernet]

In a word - stress. She should have her own housing. Unfortunately one of the side-effects of housing with another snake is stress, and refusal to eat.

Find out from the breeder how she was housed when he had her, including bedding, and what he offered her for food, and how he offered (in her enclosure or a separate feeding enclosure).

[Egapal]

When you are having an issue with feeding and you house your BP with another BP you are pretty much always going to be told to separate the animals. Your female could be stressed by the presence of the male and that could be causing the refusals.

[Markey two pythons]

Feel a bit mislead by a close friend who works in a breeding room full of exotic pets, all manner of reptiles etc. I was told that Royal Pythons can be housed together happily without any issues! I have tried removing her and placing her in a separate enclosure over night, with a couple of mice, but the next morning the mice are still there!

[Jason Bowden]

Not a good idea to leave mice in with your snake overnight unless the mice are dead.

[tonkatoyman]

Give her time to settle in to her new environment. Stressed Balls don't eat. Also sometimes the harder you try the worse it gets. Just relax and take your time. Make sure the husbandry is spot on give her a good week and try again.

[Jason Bowden]

Be patient. Your snake is probably adjusting to her new habitat. You will probably end up housing your new snake in a separate enclosure.
I've had new arrivals not eat for a couple of months before. I bought an adult breeder female that went 80 days or so. I finally stuffed her enclosure with crumpled news paper and put in 5 line mice. I checked on her in about 20 minutes and 3 mice had been eaten. I took the other mice out and she started eating kinda regularly for me.
Try feeding once a week. And I know it can be tough, but, don't handle until your snake is settled in.
Best of luck and keep us informed!

[rabernet]

Set her up PERMANATELY in a separate enclosure - give her a week to acclimate and THEN offer her food. Never leave live prey in with her more than 30 minutes.

[Elise.m]

I purchased my female Royal Python just over 3-weeks ago and she is about a year old, weighing a total of 275grams.

That's a low weight for being fed that often and being a year old...

I'd look at this thread and set her up in her own little tub, that way you don't have to buy another tank. There are ways to divide a tank and have two snakes live in there happily. You can put a piece of wood down the middle (what whatever you'd want to use as a divider) and then make "single" tanks on each side.

[Markey two pythons]

No the mice were pre killed frozen, then defrosted and heated up to normal body temperature (in warm water). After being dangled in front of the snake with no luck, I put Lilith in a separate contained with moss and a hide, then put the container back in the Viv overnight