Hasn't eaten in 3 months.

[DAMIAN07]

Damian has now not eaten in almost 3 months. Should I be worried about him. He doesn't appear to have lost weight (he's still very plump) but I do not have a scale to measure in grams. I've had him 2 years and he's never gone off feed this long. He hadn't eaten in a while so I changed substrate in his cage last week which bumped humidity so he went into shed. After he shed the other day I thought, "great maybe now he's hungry enough." He was up to 3 live adult mice. I can't find rats that look to me small enough on a consistent basis so he's always been given live mice. Last night i dropped one in and he looked interested flicking his tongue with his head at the edge of his hide. At one point I think he even struck and missed then just retreated to his hide. I dont know how much longer I can do this with him. I'm tired of buying mice just to have them die after a few days (I dont have accomodations to keep them alive). Temps are a bit lower due to the fact its January in New England but it's aroung 89-90 hot and 78-80 cool side. Humidity is very low but he did shed in one piece when I bumped with misting and moss.

Suggestions anybody? Should I try a rat? They just look so big at my pet store but I read in a previous post where someone was feeding 3 mice then went off feed and when they tried a rat he took. So I don't know what to do at this point.

[FL0OD]

do you feed your animal in the same tank you house him? if you do i would try feeding him in another location like going to wal mart or some place where you can pick up a large plastic tub or even find a large box and take him out of his tank, or what ever you have him in, and try feeding him in that. as a personal preference, and i have this luxury, i never feed my animals in the place where they reside and i have never had a problem with any of them eating in the six years i have had them. when i take them out and put them in their tub they know what time it is, time to dine. maybe he wants a little privacy? also think back and remember about the size of the animal you fed him last time and try some thing a little smaller. some times animals may get a little traumatized by the size of the previous meal, just some thing to keep in mind. you mentioned rats, any thing at this point is worth a try in changing his food. you also have to take into account that it is winter time, even though you mentioned he had never done this before, and some times as they get older there habits change. as long as you are watching his weight i would not get overly worried.

[Jonny2184]

Don't worry you are doing better then me. My BP hasn't eaten in almost 4 months now. I think it's just because the new house I moved too and the new environment, but it might also have to do with winter! My humidity is low right now but I had it up high over a week ago and still he didnt want to eat.

I have an automatic mister and it was going off every hour and it used to vibrate really badly so I took it off last week because i figured maybe the vibrations are annoying him so I tried to feed him a week later (which was this weekend) and he still refused.
and now his humidity is a big fat ZERO! So I need to rig something else up that doesnt vibrate so bad, or I could just not attach it to the tank!

Keep on trying, is all I have to say!

[DAMIAN07]

Thanks for the replies guys. I'll try something new next week.

[West Coast Jungle]

I had a male go 5 months last winter with no ill effects and still bred when asked. Come summer he eats fine unless in shed. Other males ate and bred all winter in the same conditions, so you never know. I would breakdown and buy a small plastic critter cage to house the mouse so he will last for months if need be. those low temps can easily cause winter fasting.

[West Coast Jungle]

Don't worry you are doing better then me. My BP hasn't eaten in almost 4 months now. I think it's just because the new house I moved too and the new environment, but it might also have to do with winter! My humidity is low right now but I had it up high over a week ago and still he didnt want to eat.

I have an automatic mister and it was going off every hour and it used to vibrate really badly so I took it off last week because i figured maybe the vibrations are annoying him so I tried to feed him a week later (which was this weekend) and he still refused.
and now his humidity is a big fat ZERO! So I need to rig something else up that doesnt vibrate so bad, or I could just not attach it to the tank!

Keep on trying, is all I have to say!

Try a humidistat by Ranco to control humidity
http://www.ball-pythons.net/forums/s...136#post701136

I put a link in the post above.

[DAMIAN07]

I had a male go 5 months last winter with no ill effects and still bred when asked. Come summer he eats fine unless in shed. Other males ate and bred all winter in the same conditions, so you never know. I would breakdown and buy a small plastic critter cage to house the mouse so he will last for months if need be. those low temps can easily cause winter fasting.

Thanks for your comments. I have a critter cage and thats where the mouse stays but I dont have proper water dispensers or mice food. I usually feed them crakers and peanut butter and/or water soaked bread but eventually they die within a week. My wife hates the smell of the mice too.

[Gary Orner]

My males at this time are not eating at all. it has been 4 to 5 months. I have to check the cards. Some females no have gone off feed too. you know what that means lol.

But if there is no big wieght lose do not worry. This is what Ball pythons do. it is in their natural history. Breeding season they want to breed and nothing else matters lol

[DAMIAN07]

Breeding season they want to breed and nothing else matters lol

Is this why he still pokes his head from out of his hide every night and rests it on his water bowl? It's kinda cute. I know female BP's must dig it!

[West Coast Jungle]

Thanks for your comments. I have a critter cage and thats where the mouse stays but I dont have proper water dispensers or mice food. I usually feed them crakers and peanut butter and/or water soaked bread but eventually they die within a week. My wife hates the smell of the mice too.

Dog or cat food should keep them alive better and a cheap water drip. Yeah they stink! I hear you, I'm lucky enough to breed rats outdoors in a greenhouse. Plants don't care