Question about my Female Albino

[L.West]

I got her back in February 2011 and she was only about 110 grams (a new hatchling) and has eaten every single week for me since - and now weighs 750 grams. All of a sudden the past two weeks she wont eat.

She eats live rats or live mice. Last night she struck at the rat but must have missed and then retreated - she never ate. This is second week in a row that she hasn't eaten - this isn't like her at all.

Could it be the changing of seasons - or is it her maturing now - she will be a year old before too long.

She is kept in a rack/tub with temps of 90/80, humidity 64%, two hides.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks.

[ballpythonluvr]

My male normal was up to a certain weight and just shut down with eating completely. He would not eat for 43 days after this happend. I think it was because he wanted to breed. He eventually went back on feed when the temps went up outside. Hang in there, your snake will eat again when it is ready.

[Alexandra V]

She could be feeling her breeding season starting. At 750g she could be an "early bloomer" if you know what I mean. That doesn't mean that she should be bred at that weight, but she could be chemically ready to breed.

Or she could just be being a ball python and hunger striking for no apparent reason give her a week without offering food, then try to offer a prey item slightly smaller than normal. That way if she goes for it, she'll still be kind of hungry at the next feeding and is more likely to take food again.

[L.West]

Thanks for the help. I can't tell you how aggravating it is when they don't eat - it just ruins my whole day.

I keep thinking it is something I am doing wrong. I have 5 bp's right now and one is always off feed for one reason or another - you would think I would be use to it by now.

I had one male bp - that took 10 months from the day I got him to eat - I was at the point of thinking he would never eat for me - but then all of a sudden he started pounding food.

The joys of keeping bp's I guess.