Ok, my problem eaters won't eat live.....now what?

[rj1204]

Yeah, I tend to over-worry about things too much. After my last post, I spent the next hour or two reading other posts and doing research. I was reminded how the slightest thing can make a BP stop eating. I guess considering my girl is in a new home with different temps and me trying to feed her rats for the last 5 weeks (when she is a mouse eater)......that could easily have stressed her out. I will try to switch her off mice eventually, but I just want her eating and being healthy first. Thanks for the post, it helps hearing from you experienced BP'ers not to worry. Yeah, I guess the breeder totally forgot to tell me. He is a good guy and has a good rep, but it slipped his mind.

[rabernet]

Have you reviewed the "Why Won't My Snake Eat" portion of our caresheet?

http://ball-pythons.net/modules/Sect...warticle&id=59

How often are you trying to offer food is another thought that I had. Sometimes, in our concern about them NOT eating, we offer more frequently, which actually only stresses the animal more.

I wouldn't even worry about the 1700 gram girl at this point - in fact, I'd not even offer to her again right now. I'm presuming she has a hide. I'd leave her alone, don't even handle her unless necessary (cleaning and watering and that's it), and watch her behavior. When you see her start to hover at the entrance of her hide - not just resting with her head out - but very alert looking - then drop in a live prey item. Let her get hungry, wait for her to be in hunt mode (that head out of the hide, alert looking) and then offer.

[rj1204]

I have reviewed it. Everything is good except I do not have a hide for her. The breeder I bought her from did not have her in a hide so I did not put one in for her. Do you think I should give her one?

As far as offering food, I offered her a F/T small rat before I found out she was a mouse eater on week 2 with me. I offered her another on week 3 but she didn't show much interest either time. I waited 2 weeks to offer her again and she did not take a live small rat I offered. I contacted the breeder and he advised that he totally forgot to tell me that she is a mouse eater. I bought a live mouse the next day and again, she was alert but didn't take it. So, I think I will just skip feeding day this Tuesday and wait until next Tuesday to try another live mouse. I covered the front of her tub with newspaper so she doesn't even see me walk in now. I figured that would keep it dark and she wouldn't see any movement (me checking on them).

I could put a hide in there. What would you recommend? Other then that, eveything is as good as it can be, I think.

[rabernet]

I have reviewed it. Everything is good except I do not have a hide for her. The breeder I bought her from did not have her in a hide so I did not put one in for her. Do you think I should give her one?

As far as offering food, I offered her a F/T small rat before I found out she was a mouse eater on week 2 with me. I offered her another on week 3 but she didn't show much interest either time. I waited 2 weeks to offer her again and she did not take a live small rat I offered. I contacted the breeder and he advised that he totally forgot to tell me that she is a mouse eater. I bought a live mouse the next day and again, she was alert but didn't take it. So, I think I will just skip feeding day this Tuesday and wait until next Tuesday to try another live mouse. I covered the front of her tub with newspaper so she doesn't even see me walk in now. I figured that would keep it dark and she wouldn't see any movement (me checking on them).

I could put a hide in there. What would you recommend? Other then that, eveything is as good as it can be, I think.

If you can fit a hide in there, I would - that would allow you to observe when she appears to be actively seeking food. I would even hold off feeding her for up to a month to allow her to get good and hungry. She's got good weight on her, a month would be nothing to her. If she starts looking like she's in hunt mode before then, then offer her a live mouse.

What sort of bedding do you have her on? Is it the same as the breeder?

[rj1204]

Ok, I put a shoe box hide in there with her......placed it right over her on the heat. She didn't even move and she is still in there so I think she is comfortable in it. I have the same bedding as the breeder, newspaper. The only differences are he had an Animal Plastics rack (IRIS 41q tubs) with back heat and kept his snake room in the mid-80's........I have a melamine rack (Sterilite 41q tubs) with belly heat, which is about 90-91 and the cool side is about 81-82.

I will watch to see if she comes out in hunting mode. I will give her at least 2 weeks if not longer until I try again. Thanks for the advice.

[rj1204]

So, its been a week and a half since I tried feeding my two problem eaters. I put a hide in for my female and she spent a good 6-7 days in the hide on the heat. I noticed her at the front of the tub curled up with her head a half inch away from the opening in strike position. She moved around over the course of three days but kept putting her head up there. So, I thought I would try to feed her. We had a Reptile Expo in Arlington, TX so I bought a live mouse. She was in the middle of her tub and I dropped the mouse in and walked out. I came back 10 minutes later and the mouse was crawling all over the place.......everytime in walked over her, she jumped. Obviously I took it out. I changed her tub (she had urine blocks) so I know she is drinking. When I moved her, she was again very agitated (very jumpy and hissing). Anyways, I'm going to wait a good 3 weeks to try again this time, even if she is hunting around the tub or looking hungry.

All my tubs are 82 on the cool side and heat surface above the belly heat on the tub is 90-92. The humidity is 50%-60% so again, I don't believe it is a husbandry issue. I have 5 other adult BP's that have switched from live to F/T and now 8 out of my 10 BP's are eating F/T and eating well. I didn't have a chance to weigh her since she was so pissy but I did weigh my bumble bee that is not eating, just like her. He is still the same weight (700g's) as the day I got him 6 weeks ago. I'm not super worried since I brought them home June 12, 2010 and today is July 24, 2010, but I am a little conerned. I am going to try and leave them alone as much as possible for 3 weeks and then try again. Thanks for any advice if you have any!