Adult Not Eating for First Time

[WhiteSoxPyro83]

Hello All!,
I am new here, and am really excited to have access to such a information rich environment. I am relatively new to snake ownership. I inherited a 9-year-old Ball Python about a year ago. The snake was originally owned by my best friend of 27 years. My friend passed last year, and his parents decided to give him to me. I couldn't have been more honored, and I love having him. In other words, he means the world to me, and I have been spoiling him. I want to provide the best care possible. For the last year, things have gone pretty smoothly. My friend never upgraded his diet to rats. When I got him, he was by no means emaciated; however, he was small and undersized. He was on a diet consisting of mice for 8 years. After I got him, I started feeding him rats. He exploded in size. He has shed like 7 times in the past year, and his belly is actually pink right now. Has anybody ever seen a situation like this? Is it unhealthy for a snake to grow that fast? I sure hope not, I am just feeding him I originally fed him one small...then medium rat every three weeks. Now that he has grown so large, I feed him one large rat a month. He has never hesitated to eat...ever...quite the opposite actually. However, I just tried to feed him and he refused. He is now well fed; therefore, I am not worried about him not eating. I was just hoping to get some insight on adults not eating. I live in Chicago and it is cold. Could it be the season? As I stated earlier, he is about to shed...his belly is pink right now. Could that be the reason? He has taken food a couple times with a pink belly, so that is why my curiosity is up. Will an adult snake eat voraciously, and all of a sudden stop, while still displaying healthy behavior, and no obvious signs of illness? How long should it be before I am concerned? A preemptive thanks to all those that respond. Oh and side note: I now have a pet adult rat. The pet store I get them from is 45 mins away. How long can I keep this thing? (I do not feed my snake in his regular cage, and the rat is chilling in his feeding cage, and can stay there as far as I'm concerned.) What can I give the rat to gut load him for a healthier meal? Any and all insight would be greatly appreciated.

[Gerardo]

Sometimes snakes just srop eating for no apparent reason. I think you should be feeding him more often ( every 7 to 10 days). How much does he weigh?

[WhiteSoxPyro83]

He is fat and plump. I read that adults eating full sized rats shouldn't be eating that much. It was my understanding that juveniles should eat more often, but once a month seems fine for him...especially considering how fast he grew. No?

[Gerardo]

From what ive heard medium rats is as big as you are suppose to feed and younger snakes are suppose to eat every 5 to 7 days and adults every 7 to 10 days. If anybody with more experience thinks its wrong please let me know.

[Emeraldtail]

I've had the same ball python for 20 years and every winter he goes off feed for several months. If he's not showing signs of any illness, I wouldn't worry too much. They have very slow metabolisms and can go a very long time without food.

[ellenb19]

Im dealing with the same situation..I have 2 Ball Pythons...Both female ages 5 and 6 years old..the younger one always ate every 10-14 days...Never refused a rat...Now shes not wanting to eat..Its been almost 3 weeks since she ate last..My older one eats every 5 weeks...Can not get her to eat any earlier..Now its been almost 7 weeks since she has eaten....I always heard they slow down in winter, and can go a long time without eating...I've only had these snakes since last summer. They are handled all the time, and shed normally...They both are quite big around, and do not look like there starving...I feed them in a different tank, at different times..They only eat live rats...I do live in a colder climate ( southern Michgan ), but their tank is always heated at the proper temputuare...

[WhiteSoxPyro83]

Im dealing with the same situation..I have 2 Ball Pythons...Both female ages 5 and 6 years old..the younger one always ate every 10-14 days...Never refused a rat...Now shes not wanting to eat..Its been almost 3 weeks since she ate last..My older one eats every 5 weeks...Can not get her to eat any earlier..Now its been almost 7 weeks since she has eaten....I always heard they slow down in winter, and can go a long time without eating...I've only had these snakes since last summer. They are handled all the time, and shed normally...They both are quite big around, and do not look like there starving...I feed them in a different tank, at different times..They only eat live rats...I do live in a colder climate ( southern Michgan ), but their tank is always heated at the proper temputuare...

So...you do feed your adult every five weeks? I think that every 7-10 days for an adult is too much. I may be wrong...but he is in no way skinny or emaciated. What do you do with your live rats if you snakes don't eat them?

[Annarose15]

Try switching him to a small/medium rat (around 80 grams) every two weeks (after he sheds). Although non-breeders don't need to be fed every week, it is inefficient for him to eat an enormous meal only one a month. Large adult rats can also be much more dangerous to your snake if they feel threatened than a smaller rat. It's past the time of year that males would typically go off feed (or near the end of it), so he is probably just still digesting that huge rat. Feeding him smaller meals more often will allow him to have more evenly spaced nutrition, and not be as uncomfortable for days after eating.

[WhiteSoxPyro83]

Try switching him to a small/medium rat (around 80 grams) every two weeks (after he sheds). Although non-breeders don't need to be fed every week, it is inefficient for him to eat an enormous meal only one a month. Large adult rats can also be much more dangerous to your snake if they feel threatened than a smaller rat. It's past the time of year that males would typically go off feed (or near the end of it), so he is probably just still digesting that huge rat. Feeding him smaller meals more often will allow him to have more evenly spaced nutrition, and not be as uncomfortable for days after eating.

Thank you very much for the info. I only upsized his meals because of his age, per the advice of the pet shop owner. I was told once a month is plenty for a mature adult; however, what you said makes sense. He is not digesting it still (I think so anyway, he pooped over two weeks ago). Believe it or not, medium rats are hard to come by by me. Large seem to be more abundant....that's also another reason I upsized him. As far as the danger part, I am always standing by to intervene if necessary. I never thought about him feeling threatened, as he is an aggressive eater(but a lover! lol) I am just going to be patient. Furthermore, have you or anybody else ever heard of a situation like mine as far as a huge growth spirt at 9 years old becaus of an all mice diet for all its life? I am really curious on this one.

[WhiteSoxPyro83]

Thank you very much for the info. I only upsized his meals because of his age, per the advice of the pet shop owner. I was told once a month is plenty for a mature adult; however, what you said makes sense. He is not digesting it still (I think so anyway, he pooped over two weeks ago). Believe it or not, medium rats are hard to come by by me. Large seem to be more abundant....that's also another reason I upsized him. As far as the danger part, I am always standing by to intervene if necessary. I never thought about him feeling threatened, as he is an aggressive eater(but a lover! lol) I am just going to be patient. Furthermore, have you or anybody else ever heard of a situation like mine as far as a huge growth spirt at 9 years old becaus of an all mice diet for all its life? I am really curious on this one.

Oh...and I will take that advice for sure. I am taking the large back today, and am going to wait until they get a medium. Do you feed live? what do you do with the rat if your snake refuses?