Day 51 of feeding strike

[Salamander Rising]

Snake has gone from about 480 to 454 grams.

I'm starting to really freak out.

[Male 9 month old Fire, always been a very fussy eater of live only]

Seems fine otherwise.
Husbandry is spot on.

He's just not 'solid and round' any more....sort of soft and flabby.

Herp guy wants to assist feed but I know this 'spayshul' snake and that would certainly send him around the psychological bend.

Have tried small live mice, frozen everything.

I am going to get him a mouse or rat crawler tomorrow or Monday.

I've run out of ideas.

[the thread about males during breeding season starving themselves to death has my anxiety in overdrive]

[KatStoverReptiles]

I wouldn't be concerned QUITE yet. It IS possible he thinks he's going to get some lady action. Have you tried a weaned rat? Something that will have quite a bit of movement and stimulation?


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[Salamander Rising]

I wouldn't be concerned QUITE yet. It IS possible he thinks he's going to get some lady action. Have you tried a weaned rat? Something that will have quite a bit of movement and stimulation?


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"Movement and action" seems to be really turning him off right now.

That's why I thought about going with something non-threatening but breathing like a rat pup or tiny mouse.

He coils up in his hide with his face under him if I dangle a regular mouse for him.

He's acting like he has food phobias again.



He hasn't eaten since his last shed.

I never know what's up with this little prima donna.

Just to test the action theory, I put him with Agnes last week.

Neither of them could have possibly cared less about the other.

He didn't even sniff around her to see if she was interested.

I love him to bits but man is he ever a royal PITA.

[skinnyrascal]

Have you tried a gerbil? I've heard from numerous sources that even the pickiest ball pythons will almost always take a gerbil. Not sure if it's a myth, but it's worth a try.

[ballpythonluvr]

I would not resort to trying to feed a gerbil. I would try an asf first. Gerbils are rather expensive. First try a rat crawler and see what happens. My male normal was on a feeding strike for 58 days. It took me offering him a live hopper mouse to get him feeding again.

[Rob]

I Would try a gerbil near last resort, again it's snake crack. At $20 a pop you do not want your snake hooked on only eating gerbils. Also from what I have seen gerbils are very aggressive and will attack your animal. Putting a timid BP with a live gerbil is not a good idea.

[BallsUnlimited]

If he physically doesnt look like hes loosing weight chances are hes fine and doing the normal im a ball python an i like to drive my owner insane with food strikes. Just leave him alone an try an not handle him an offer him something smaller. If he doesnt eat remove the item and try again in 2 weeks. The longer i left them alone the easier it was for me to feed the picky ones.

[BallsUnlimited]

I Would try a gerbil near last resort, again it's snake crack. At $20 a pop you do not want your snake hooked on only eating gerbils. Also from what I have seen gerbils are very aggressive and will attack your animal. Putting a timid BP with a live gerbil is not a good idea.

20 for a gerbil? we get them here for 7 bucks

[Rob]

20 for a gerbil? we get them here for 7 bucks

One word......Connecticut

[BallsUnlimited]

one word......connecticut

lol