Club of those 'bad eaters'! Is it kinda normal to be a 'bad eater'?

[Kerol]

Sorry for long post, but let's taIk about those 'bed eaters'!
I know I'm kinda new to BPs, 1,5 years experience, but I'm starting to think for a while, that the problem is might be not in my care, but my ball python. This is my first bp, a piebald female I bought in February 2016 250 g. Now she is 520 g which is terribly little weight gain. She was hatched in 2015 September, if I can belive the breeder, but might be even earlier. (I think she was held back for a reason...) I kept her in terrarium for some month, but since then in a dark rack. I always use and used thermostats, I keep temps and humidity in the recommended optimal range. All my other bps kept in same conditions are thriving, gaied a lot of weight, eating almost every time. But this girl is killing me. She accepts food occasionally, like eating once or twice, then off feed for 2 months. I tried mice/ASF/rat live/ dead it is all the same: she eats if she wants, ignores when wants. I tried every single feeding trick. Doesn't work. How I know her, she is so very-very shy, and lives so secretly. Best bet to try is those night she seems to be out hunting, late at night, in dark, minimal disturbing, and she must not see me. When she notices me, she drops the prey. And after the first month having her, I completely stopped handling her! Otherwise, she seems to be healthy, always good shed, thermoregulates, etc.
I know, some of you have some bad eaters. How are they like, how behave? Are they the same like her? Is it kinda 'normal' that some animals are like this? She is not adult, not only adults are normal to behave like this? What is your experiance, what to expect in the long run? She dies soon, remains stunted, catch up?
Other thing I noticed about her, is that she has certain different physical characteristics. Ok, she is more skinny, but kinda different body shape. And different head shape. Its difficult to describe, but a little bit like duckbilling, but still normal.
Please, share your experience with bad eaters, I'm so desperate! Tell me I'm not alone or tell me, I'm doing something wrong![IMG][/IMG]

[Sauzo]

My 2014 pied female used to eat like a horse when i got her at 90g. Once she hit 1000g, she kind of just did what she wanted. Sometimes she eats every week for a few months. Sometimes she quits for a few months. I have more or less given up worrying about it. She is still 1600g give or take 10-15g and looks fine. BPs will be BPs. As long as you have the husbandry right and she isnt losing lots of weight, i wouldnt worry too much. Just keep offering her food every week or two and eventually she should eat. Here's a pic of Dottie about a week or so ago.

[Sauzo]

And honestly, the pic of your pied doesn't look that skinny really. Just most people stuff their BP like a Christmas turkey so they look like a sausage with a head.

[AKA Dave]

And honestly, the pic of your pied doesn't look that skinny really. Just most people stuff their BP like a Christmas turkey so they look like a sausage with a head.

I'd agree with this. I think that most people want that "look at my big snake" feeling when they take out their BP. Some snakes just will never do that. I have a 2013 monster that is still over 2000g even though she laid eggs not to long ago. I have a 2011 that is comfortable around 1600g unless she's breeding even though she's nearly 5 feet long. Then there's the one that's 3 years old and just won't crack 850g. BPs are notoriously finicky eaters. I think that weights are a good indicator of health, but more so are the body attributes. Protruding spines are just as bad as fat rolls. If the snake "looks" proportional I think you are on the right track. As long as your BP does not wildly fluctuate you're doing OK. At least yours is eating every two months....and you are offering every 7-10 days. Wait till you have one that's off feed for 6 months! IMO normal body type and normal behavior are your best indicators. Just my 2 cents.

Dave

[PitOnTheProwl]

Yeah most of the snakes we keep are on the fat side.
As long as there are not bones showing and they eat once in a while usually all is good.

[Sauzo]

Oh and i forgot to add, Dottie hasnt eaten since Feb 10th so she is coming up on 5 months not wanting food. Good thing i got a wall of garbage cans who are all more than happy to take Dottie's rejects lol.

[Zincubus]

Half of my Royals prefer to eat every ten days or so the rest will happily eat after 5 days though . All different .

[piedlover79]

My boy is seven years old and he is a stubborn difficult feeder...but he's still looking good and breeds like a champ. Not every snake needs/wants food every 7 days like clockwork. It's very much a bp thing. My cornsnakes on the other hand I would take to the vet the instant they refused a meal. Heehee.

[tttaylorrr]

my boy Yellow is my stubborn angel. he was difficult from the get go, but i think that was a combination of my n00b-ness and his own personality.

back in january i moved him into his T8, and he didn't eat for over 3 months! then once he decided to eat, he became a shy feeder: doesn't strike the prey anymore, just wants me to leave it. i don't even bother trying to wiggle the feeders anymore.

he's a good boy, floating just under 700g and gaining; he's on a little feeding streak! here he is a few months ago with the container he was originally shipped in. 😊

[jmcrook]

Yep, my pastel male Geoffrey is 8 years old and every October-November goes off food until anywhere from march-June. I eventually got sick of wasting feeders and got two super dwarf retics as awesome garbage disposals haha! Haven't wasted a rat in about a year and a half now


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