Yet another "OMG! Feeding Question" Thread

[Deacon240]

Okay... I know my ball can go months without feeding. She hasnt eaten for about 2.5 to 3 months now (2 on my fact card since that's when I made them). I've tried live, rats, mice, various sizes. I moved her from a 41qt to a 28qt tub I think either a month before she went off feed or shortly after. Humidity and temps are golden, using accurite. Has her favorite hide that she wears as a hat, she refuses any other hide and uses them as a perch.

Question is when if ever should I try an assist feed? She is very headshy and will make it very difficult if not impossible with quite a lot of force. Dont have a weight on her but she is fairly large and has thinned out a little over the timeperiod. Should I try moving her either down a tub size or even up a tub size?

Much advice appreciated. Looking for it now before I start to panic, I know I will in a month or so

[Teresa]

I am feeling your pain but my has only quit eating for two weeks. I was told to move her down to the smallest tub you can leave her covered up
(if not in a rack) for a week and then try small pray. I moved my girl from a 20 gal long to a 16 qt sterlite tub. She is about 415 grams if that helps.

[SNIKTTIME]

All of the things you tried so far are good things to try so I will give some others. You can try an appetite stimulant for 3-4 days then try to feed again. Or you can try some chicken broth on the mouse/rat to change the scent. I had a stubburn Bumblebee that got to 600 grams and fasted for 2 months the stimulant worked for her. Assist feed is usually a last resort so I try not to use it if I can help it.

[j_h_smith]

talk about stressing out a snake! Force feeding has it's time and place. With small baby snakes. I don't know if i'd try to force feed a larger snake. I think the trauma would kill the snake more quickly than starving.

Let it go and hope it will eat the next time you try to feed it.

Good Luck!
Jim Smith

[boasandballs]

At this time don't move her, moving sometimes makes them stop feeding.

This is what I suggest.
1) cool them down for a week or 2, covering them up so there is not much light and they see no movements outside their cage.
2) Warm them up, like 90-92 mist with a spray bottle. (this for 2-3 days)
3) put a smaller mouse in than you would ever think it should eat (live). Big balls- jumbo mice, when they were eating med rats. Subadult balls hopper or small weaned mice. Something that will not scar them, but like the size of the snakes head. (just a mouth full). Now as hard as it is walk away. Leave them alone for an hour.
4) if this does not work. while still warm and very humid. try other foods. rats, soft furred rats, hamsters, gerbils. Usually after they have broken the fasting they will start eating their usual food items.

Other tricks are,
1) fill the cage with crumpled news paper. All the way to the top.
2) one of my favorites in those dog bowls that have the hollow bottoms the snake can cram themselves into and poke their heads out and snatch the food.
3) feed live in the evening or at night and leave the lights out.
4) always offer a smaller food item. BP's are scarredy cats.

[boasandballs]

In my opinion I would only force or tube feed an older animal to save it's life. Like wild caughts that are starving and have never eaten in the states. This is a long and painful process and not a topic that we need to go into for this animal.

[Kaorte]

How much does the snake weigh?

Maybe try giving her two of the hides that she likes?

[seeya205]

I would just leave it alone for two weeks! No handling! Just water changes! Then prescent by leaving a rat on top of the cage or near it for a few hours!