Can't get this guy to eat!

[Meletee]

We brought home two new BP's on March 25th, a 2012 female and a 2011 male. I was told they were feeding on adult mice. We gave them both a week to get used to their new homes. The female pounded her first mouse and has been feeding every 5 day since, hasn't missed a meal.

The male however, has not eaten for us yet. He is in a 30 gallon long tank, eco-earth substrate, uth controlled by a rheostat, digital thermometer with probe, hot spot 91*, cold side 79* with a hide on each, plus a water dish and a silk plant. He spends all day in one of his hides and roams a bit at night. He seems to be a very content snake.

However we can't get him to eat! We've offered food every 5-7 days. We've tried f/t adult mice, small rats and even rat pups. We've also tried braining the mice first and we thaw the prey on top of his enclosure. We were thinking that the next step may be to try live prey?

Any advice would be appreciated.

He weighed 1041g when we brought him home, was 1024g near the end of April, and currently weighs 1008g. Here is a pic I took of him today, is he getting too thin?

[NormanSnake]

Wow. I would try getting the smallest live rat as you can, and if he takes that, then work him up to the right size of live rat (I'd be feeding him smalls), then try pre-killed prey, then go to f/t.

EDIT: he does look a bit on the thin side, but I'm gonna chalk it up to them feeding a 1000g ball python adult mice.

[Marduk]

Was he eating F/T previously? You don't specify..
He's lost less than 40g, which isn't a lot IMO for a 1000g snake. I would keep offering once/week like you've been doing if it was my snake. I'm sure it's stressful, but he doesn't look too thin to me. If he continues to refuse and loses ~100g (total; 10% his body weight), I would offer a live mouse.

[Meletee]

Was he eating F/T previously? You don't specify..
He's lost less than 40g, which isn't a lot IMO for a 1000g snake. I would keep offering once/week like you've been doing if it was my snake. I'm sure it's stressful, but he doesn't look too thin to me. If he continues to refuse and loses ~100g (total; 10% his body weight), I would offer a live mouse.

Sorry, yes he was fed f/t previously. I've got the girl switched over to weaned rats but it wasn't hard since she's an eating machine.

Ok, I will just continue trying f/t small rats once a week for now (that is what he showed the most interest in). If he loses too much weight I will try what NormanSnake suggested.

Thanks everyone!

[mikel81]

Keep monitoring his weight. And double check husbandry. He hasn't lost enough to worry yet. I have had a female go off feed for nearly a year. Just kept offering food and weighing her and one day she ate and hasn't stopped. In fact. Last night a snake I got just before christmas ate for the first time. He was only half the weight your snake is so I was considering an assist feed. I tossed an asf hopper in with him and turned around for a second. When I looked back he was swallowing it.

Beautiful animal, by the way.

edit: oh shoot. I meant to suggest trying different prey items. asf's successfully got a snake eating for me in the past. I had no trouble switching to f/t rats after a couple live asfs got her eating again. If you can get them, try it it's worth a shot.

[MrLang]

A tank might not offer the kind of security he wants. Try taping black paper or cardboard around the outside of the tank so it feels more like a cave. Try offering with only dim light on in the room right around dusk.

[PiercingPrincess]

I wouldn't start to worry too much yet. Just keep an eye on his weight. Also has he pooped at all since you've had him? Thats usually a good indicator if something is up or not. If he hasnt pooped yet then he might still be digesting, or just isnt hungry yet. I have a male who hasn't eaten since September but fluctuates between the same 50-60g, another male about the same weight as yours hasn't taken a meal since December. Try more hides and offering every two weeks rather then every 5-7 days so he's not as stressed out maybe? Good luck.

[Meletee]

Thanks for all of the suggestions! I will definitely be getting some black paper to put on his tank tomorrow. He has pooped once since we've had him. He shed last week as well and I was really hoping that he would eat after that but no such luck.

[dart]

One thing to still consider also is that it's still breeding season for the males. He could just be off feed due to that. We just had a male finally eat again for the first time Sunday since December. And we have another male who's going on 7 months without eating. Just keep offering.

One thing I found helpful for feeding is to put them in a small box with a live rodent. Close the box up and leave it sit for a little bit. We've had pretty good success with problem feeders finally eating. Another thing is to feed late at night. That's helped a few times also.

Good luck with your guy!

[Meletee]

One thing to still consider also is that it's still breeding season for the males. He could just be off feed due to that. We just had a male finally eat again for the first time Sunday since December. And we have another male who's going on 7 months without eating. Just keep offering.

One thing I found helpful for feeding is to put them in a small box with a live rodent. Close the box up and leave it sit for a little bit. We've had pretty good success with problem feeders finally eating. Another thing is to feed late at night. That's helped a few times also.

Good luck with your guy!

That's true. Our other guy didn't eat from October through February. Maybe this guy had been paired a few times, would that make a difference in how long he might fast due to breeding?