Best way to get back on feed.

[oorob00]

I have a male ball that is about 1 1/2 to 2 years old. He has been off of feed since september and it is now march. Last year he did the same thing but he started to feed again around Febuary. I have most of my guys/gals in a rack with heat tape heating the enclosures. My hot side is 90-92 and the cool side is 76-78 and has not changed at all since he went off of feed. I had another male go off of feed but he is eating again. I am just worried about him because he has lost about 150grams in the past 6 months but other than that he is healthy in every way. Tell me what to do. I have tried live rats and mice, stunned rats and mice, F/T rats and mice all of different sizes but he doesn't seem the least bit interested. Last year i just went in one day to try to feed him and he just started back up like normal but this year so far nothing. I need any suggestions that you may have. Thanks.

[oorob00]

Ok i am home now and have access to my records. The last time he ate was on 9-21. I weighed him on 10-4 and he was 834g. Today 3-24he weighs 680g. So he has lost 154g in almost 6 months

[Adam_Wysocki]

Bump your temps ... 92-94 on the hot side, 82-84 on the cool. If your ball python is otherwise healthy, this will work.

Ball pythons will frequently fast when the temps get below 80, especially males. A warm ball python is a hungry ball python. That's why it's so uncommon for them to fast in the summer.

-adam

[oorob00]

what is the best way to bump the temp in a rack system without bumping up the warm side?

[kavmon]

if your hot spot is already 92-94, and the cool side is too low then you may need to bump up the temps in your room/area the rack is in. i keep my room 80-82 on average and that is my cool temps.



vaughn

[oorob00]

what would be the best way to heat the room without heating the whole house? would a space heater work? only thing i would rather not leave a space heater on all the time due to the fire hazard. Or should i just add heat tape to the cool side and put it on a seperate theromostat?

[kavmon]

i would do a little space heater hooked up to a thermostat like a ranco or johnsons control. alot of people use the oil filled heaters hooked up to a helix or herpstat to keep their rooms constant.




vaughn

[oorob00]

thanks i am going to see about a small space heater on a thermostat. i will pick one up from walmart or homedepot and let you all know how it goes.

[str33tsk8rx]

i have a similiar problem with my python as well. I only got him last year in september and he went off feed in december. i was having difficulties with the temperature at that time so i put him in a rubbermaid setup instead of the aquarium i had him him in. BUt now the temps and humidity are perfect but he's still not eating. Are there any other factors besides temperature which might affect a ball python's feeding routine?

[kavmon]

too big of an enclosure, no hides or cover, too much handling just off the top of my head! provided the temps are good.




vaughn