Getting Worried...

[dsmalex97]

I'm starting to get a little worried for one of my males that hasn't been eating. He hasn't eaten since about July. He's a very sensitive guy, so I thought maybe was just having a moment, but this is kind of long, and it started during a warm period so I don't think its because of breeding. He has lost some weight, nothing scary, but definitely not the same. I had him in a 20 gallon long at my house, and then decided to move him to my girlfriends house with the rest of my snakes because it was warmer, and converted him to a tub. He was fine, took meals,but then stopped. I wondered if it was because of the tub but kept trying. Then I tried bringing the tank over and just do what I was doing at my house. I supplied him with a heat light the whole time he was in the 20gal btw, which never stopped him from eating.

Soo, I brought him back to my house about 2 months ago thinking maybe this snake was just crazy and missed my house, and liked the fact that no one went into my room and that it was a low traffic area. Brought him a mouse today, and still nothing...Besides a pet mouse of course...

If anyone has any ideas please let me know. I know this type of thing is very typical, but I just wanted to run it by everyone. I also don't have money for a vet visit at the moment. I was thinking about adopting him out...but I realllllly dont want to.

[joepythons]

I'm starting to get a little worried for one of my males that hasn't been eating. He hasn't eaten since about July. He's a very sensitive guy, so I thought maybe was just having a moment, but this is kind of long, and it started during a warm period so I don't think its because of breeding. He has lost some weight, nothing scary, but definitely not the same. I had him in a 20 gallon long at my house, and then decided to move him to my girlfriends house with the rest of my snakes because it was warmer, and converted him to a tub. He was fine, took meals,but then stopped. I wondered if it was because of the tub but kept trying. Then I tried bringing the tank over and just do what I was doing at my house. I supplied him with a heat light the whole time he was in the 20gal btw, which never stopped him from eating.

Soo, I brought him back to my house about 2 months ago thinking maybe this snake was just crazy and missed my house, and liked the fact that no one went into my room and that it was a low traffic area. Brought him a mouse today, and still nothing...Besides a pet mouse of course...

If anyone has any ideas please let me know. I know this type of thing is very typical, but I just wanted to run it by everyone. I also don't have money for a vet visit at the moment. I was thinking about adopting him out...but I realllllly dont want to.

When you moved him into the new tub setup did you leave him alone for a full week to adjust?

[iCandiBallPythons]

Whats the weight and age?

[BallsUnlimited]

have you tried to feed him a gerbil? that almost always does the trick for me if i end up with a picky ball python. Ive had my good eaters that will eat when ever food is offered and have had my picky ones that would only eat at certain times during the day or would only eat live over frozen thawed or would simply not eat anything other than gerbils.

[snakesRkewl]

asf's are like candy coated popcorn for a ball python.

I've yet to have one not eat an asf.

[don15681]

Ball pythons will go off feed for months, and you don't have to feed him anything thats going to be hard to get or $$. Feed him with what he ate before. your big mistake is moving him back. if the conditions were right at your girlfriends you should of left him there. Now by moving him back it did nothing but added more stress. Put him where you want him to be with proper temps and humidity. Don't wait until he starts eating if he needs to be in something larger, move him now and leave him be to settle in, then offer food to him every week or two and he will eat when he's ready. I remember when my first ball went off feed for the first time and it was months, I started freaking out too. Good Luck don

[j_h_smith]

Stop stressing the snake. Take him somewhere and leave him there. By moving him you're upsetting his whole world. Leave him alone for a week or two after you've got him at the home of your choice. After that, give him a good soak in warm water. Sometimes a snake will turn back on after a couple of good soaks. If nothing else works, go to a pet store and ask the owner if you can get some gerbil poop. Scent the rat with the gerbil poop and then try it again. Maybe you can get him to eat, maybe not. Usually, unless there's a medical problem, the snake will eventually eat again. Remember, snakes don't eat out of boredom, they eat when they're hungry.

Good Luck!
Jim Smith

[dsmalex97]

Thanks for all the great responses!

The reason I moved him from my girlfriends was mostly because of the clutter. I unfortunately don't have a legit snake rack. I just have a plastic shelf thing from home depot that i just place 41qt tubs on. I had his tank in the middle, and was just getting annoying to deal with, so I brought him back. Theres also a heater in the room with him now as well as a heat lamp, so he has optimal conditions. Humidity is also not a prob I have plexi glass covering a lot of the tank. I went through my bad husbandry stages, so I don't think its that haha. I know heat lights are not desirable, but when he was in his prime these were his conditions thats why I'm doing it. He had a photo period his whole life according to the previous owner. For some reason I don't think it matters what the rodent is, I just think hes in a funk. I gotta get my scale over here to weigh him. I'm going to soak him later to see if that eventually does something.

[joepythons]

Thanks for all the great responses!

The reason I moved him from my girlfriends was mostly because of the clutter. I unfortunately don't have a legit snake rack. I just have a plastic shelf thing from home depot that i just place 41qt tubs on. I had his tank in the middle, and was just getting annoying to deal with, so I brought him back. Theres also a heater in the room with him now as well as a heat lamp, so he has optimal conditions. Humidity is also not a prob I have plexi glass covering a lot of the tank. I went through my bad husbandry stages, so I don't think its that haha. I know heat lights are not desirable, but when he was in his prime these were his conditions thats why I'm doing it. He had a photo period his whole life according to the previous owner. For some reason I don't think it matters what the rodent is, I just think hes in a funk. I gotta get my scale over here to weigh him. I'm going to soak him later to see if that eventually does something.

If he has done this going off feed as you stated his whole life then you are not going to change him .So please stop stressing him and as long as he looks healthy let him be himself

[dsmalex97]

Thats what I'm trying to do lol. I want to relax too because I'm always worrying about the little guy. I'm not going to move him anymore, I'm going to keep him where he is. I mean he displays normal behavior, he just hangs out in his hide with his head sticking out and does his normal thing. I'm going to bring a scale over now and weigh him, I'll post soon.