Lethargic Ball, please help?!?!

[DeathByDabs]

So my 1 year old, 700ish is gram ball python stopped eating about 2 months ago. His temps and cage has not changed since he was eating, nothing changed. I figured since it was winter he is just fasting.

He doesn't appear to be ill, breathing is fine, and when I do go to feed him he has a feeding response where he acts interested, smells the prey, then just ignores it. When he first started fasting, I got him to eat once or twice but nothing recently. I tried switching sources for FT rats and new/old ones don't work. I'm thinking of trying a live rat soon.

I wasn't very worried until a couple days ago, he has started just laying around his cage, his branch, whatever. Took him out last night and he was just super lethargic, not really active. He still had a good grip but I'm getting worried!

Any help?

[Jt balls]

Males can be hard work. A female that is fasting, if u put it wiv a male 9times outa 10 starts feeding like crazy. But with males thats not the case. Try heating the prey item in hot water make sure its warmer than usual but obviously not boiling and make sure its dry. If this doesn't work give it a few days and try the same process but split the head of the rodent. If he still dose not take drop it in his tub/tank and check in a few hours


Joe Tully

[Jt balls]

Wiv a snake that is 700gs already u dnt have to even look a assist feeding until the animal has been 6-8 mouths with out food but most will start eatin on there own long b4 that


Joe Tully

[DeathByDabs]

I have always heated his food with warm water to around 80-100 degrees. I do this once a week and nothing. I haven't split the head but he definitely knows it's there, periscope then smells it.. then ignores it.

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[satomi325]

Winter fast isn't uncommon for males at that size. So I wouldn't worry too much yet.

Try live prey to jump start the feeding response.
What is your husbandry like?


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[DeathByDabs]

80-82 cool side / ambient. Then 88-92 uth under hot hide. And a uvb on a timer, nothing has changed since he was eating fine.

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[bcr229]

Sounds like he wants a girlfriend. One of my males last ate on 10/31, a few others stopped eating last month. You'll just have to wait it out.

[DeathByDabs]

Is the fact he is super lethargic mean anything. Like when I put him back in his cage last night he just sat in the spot I sat him down in. He didn't even try to crawl in his hide. He is in there this morning but I'm worried about him not having any spunk...

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[DeathByDabs]

Anyone?

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[John1982]

Is the fact he is super lethargic mean anything.
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Means he's a typical ball python. Least most of mine are what I'd call lethargic 90% of the time.