help please - BP hasn't eaten since mid Feb - acts like he is hungry

[Minjo]

I have a 2 yr old male ball python. He was eating constantly every week. In mid Feb he just stopped eating. He has shed twice since then. He hasn't lost much weight. He just finished shedding yesterday and tonight he was very active and looked like he was hungry (searching for food). He has always eaten frozen. I offered him a nice toasty medium size rat (he was eating these before he stopped eating). He absolutely refused to take it. In fact he would go away from it. I usually feed him in a separate tank but have tried to feed him inside his tank...neither works.

Any suggestions?? Or, should I not be worried?

Thanks much,

Minjo

[martin82531]

My albino went off feed from Feb 7th to May 9th. As long as your husbandry is correct and weight loss is minimal, you shouldn't have anything to worry about. During this time the albino went from 1120g to 1055g, he's now back to eating every 10-14 days.


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[AlexisFitzy]

My normal Levi went off feed in February as well and just began to start eating again. As the comment said above as long as your husbandry is on point he will be okay he's just fasting for a little while. You have a sexually mature male so they will fast every year at some point. But don't worry he will start eating again when he wants to, and be ready when he does. Yesterday was feeding day and Levi struck and flew right out of the cage at me while I was holding the rat I was about to offer him haha. He's voraciously eating now. So you'll just have to wait him out until he wants to start eating. I would start offering food every 10-14 days. Since your feeding frozen you want to waste as little as possible and offering between longer periods gives them more time to build up an apetite. hope all this helps! Keep us updated


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[bcr229]

I've had a male off since December, another since January, one that didn't eat from October thru April, and one that's only eaten once a month since January. They fast.

In the meantime make sure his enclosure is super-clean, all sheds, urates, excrement, etc. are removed quickly, and your temps and humidity are correct. You may also want to extend your feeding schedule to 10-14 days.

[Minjo]

Good news!! Balla has eaten again. She ate one mouse last week and two this week. Knubis is still not eating

[MasonC2K]

I think instead of hungry looking for food he was horny looking for females. I have a male lesser that has not eaten since Feb. I bred him exclusively to a Pin female to make Kingpins. I am sure he'd lock up with any female I put him with.

[Minjo]

update: Kanubis and Balla both had a good shed. I didn't even have to increase my humidity because it is so humid this year that their tanks are staying around 63-65% without having to use the foggers.

Balla ate two mice today but Kanubis can still care less. He is active and is wanting to come out of his cage (he is my social butterfly, so to speak). His last feeding was in mid February but I will try again in a couple of weeks.

Kanubis's weight is fine. He hasn't lost much and his strength is good.

[Minjo]

Good News!! Kanubis has finally eaten. He stopped eating in Mid-February. He just took his first mouse in 6.5 months. He has had 4 sheds during that time.

So for those who are worried when you snake stops eating, its true what they say - snakes will eat when they are hungry.