not eating...

[alexmurphy]

I don't know what's going on. my snake was fine with f/t for 3 years until about a month and a half ago. I have gone through 3 rats now. The first 2 she attacked and strangled, but didn't eat. The last one I tried to feed her, she didn't even bother attacking. She eyeballed it as if she was hungry, got the "attack" stance...then turned away.

I feed her in a cardboard box, the same box i always use to feed her. Now and then i swap it for another that is the same shape and size.

should I move on to live bait? thats the only option i see right now.

[Stubean15]

make sure your husbandry is good give it some time before you try again.. like 5 or 6 days and try feeding in the cage its less stressful than being moved and you may have a better chance.. it will NOT make your snake aggressive to feed it inside its enclosure

[bsavage]

I don't know what's going on. my snake was fine with f/t for 3 years until about a month and a half ago. I have gone through 3 rats now. The first 2 she attacked and strangled, but didn't eat. The last one I tried to feed her, she didn't even bother attacking. She eyeballed it as if she was hungry, got the "attack" stance...then turned away.

I feed her in a cardboard box, the same box i always use to feed her. Now and then i swap it for another that is the same shape and size.

should I move on to live bait? thats the only option i see right now.

BPS can go a lot longer than a month and half without not eating and suffer no ill effects. Make sure your husbandry is up to par, and if it is, don't worry so much. Keep an eye on her weight and give it time(even another month or two). If you notice her weight dropping or strange behaviour, get her to a vet, that is your best course of action. Other than that, she'll eat when she wants to.This is a basic fact of Ball Python husbandry. They go on hunger strikes sometimes. This is espcially common in BP which are going through breeding cycles, sheds and stress, so, again, keep an eye, but don't freak out and switch on over to live yet.