Feeding problems

[Megz]

It has now been 3 weeks and 1 day and she still isn't eating and i don't know what to do. i tried soaking the rat i tried warming it so its not soaked i tried everything. i have tried everything i use to do for her. she just stopped eating and now isn't eating at all. i put the rat in and immediately she comes right out smelling with her tongue stares at it all ready to strike and then just sits there. she just sits there and then goes back into her hide. i don't know what to do at this point. why would she just stop eating like ughh. Like i don't understand she was eating perfect then stopped for a week and a half then ate and now stopped for 3weeks and a day. What if she just doesn't eat?? Any suggestions I know they are finicky eaters but im all worried about her

[kat_black181]

The snake knows what it's doing. Watch her weight. As long as she's maintaining and not dropping weight, just be patient with her. Continue to offer once weekly as usual. If she starts dropping weight, then you should get worried.

[Megz]

well she went from 954g on the 11th to now 906g. However on the 19th she was 914g and now 906g so not that much there. the weight before some people were saying it could've been her stool etc etc. but im worried is there something more i should do? what freaks me out kinda is that she comes out all hungry and ready and then she just loses interest. so i dont know what it could be i dont know what to do

[kat_black181]

well she went from 954g on the 11th to now 906g. However on the 19th she was 914g and now 906g so not that much there. the weight before some people were saying it could've been her stool etc etc. but im worried is there something more i should do? what freaks me out kinda is that she comes out all hungry and ready and then she just loses interest. so i dont know what it could be i dont know what to do

Are you absolutely certain of the weights? That sounds like a big drop in such a short period of time. If you are certain, I agree that it was her stool.

If you are terribly worried, a vet trip couldn't hurt anything. It may stress her, though. But it would ease your fears.

[MsMissy]

I'll throw a few things out here.... 1- Have you considered upgrading her home? It seems to small <imo, but doesn't count for a hill of beans but yeah...> 2- Have you picked up a good old fashioned adult live mouse and dropped it in there?

That first pic of her on the floor... she looks to be a nice healthy size there. How recent is it?

[steve_r34]

ok i read almost everything and what sticks out to me is she is900 grams and her girth is the size of a adult mouse ???? if i read that right something is wrong i got a 300g boy whos girth is way bigger then that .. and heres another thing u said she was eatting rats then u went to mice and she wont take the mice? then go back to the rats .. also u can try something live .. i seen someone saying to upgrade her tub .. at 800/900 grams i throw my females in a 41 quart if that helps any ..

[MsMissy]

Unless that pic is old... I'm not seeing 900gr at all.... I think it's page 3? I have a yearling about that size <he eats small rats> and weighs in at 650gr. perhaps the scale is screwy???

[Megz]

I picked up a live gerbil on the 8th and she ate that. I am feeding her adult mice the size of her girth her girth is definitely not as big as it use to be so i dont want her eating something too big. If i made it unclear before sorry I never switched her from rats she has been eating rats since she was born except when i fed her that gerbil. She was eating fine for a long time and now shes just not and im not sure what to do here. the scale isnt wrong i double checked with another. should i take her to a vet i am trying not to worry. When i gave her the gerbil she ate it and i was told just to wade her out for her to eat the frozen. The problem with the live feed is if they scratch or bite so im much more comfortable with the frozen. i just dont understand why she would just stop eating and for so long I'm really scared because she rams her cage alot as if she is searching for food and yet she wont eat. when i put the rat in she came out of her hide so fast with her tongue flickering but then just lost interest so i can safely assume she is indeed hungry. I left it in there in case she wants it a bit later but i checked on her just a second ago and she is just sitting there with the rat in there totally not interested. Has this happened to anyone else. im really scared for her because she never did this and its all of a sudden now

[Holtgards]

Have you tried exposing the brain yet?

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[kat_black181]

Honestly, 3 weeks is not a long time for a ball python... I know you're worried. Take her to the vet, if just to ease your own fears.

Are yoy handling every day? If so, I would stop and leave her be for at least a week.