BP wont eat

[Alexiel03]

okay so my new 2014 fire bee male has been refusing food for the last 2 to 3 months and ive tried just about everything to get him to eat. ive tried f/t mice, f/t small rats, mouse scented f/t rats, live mice and live small rats. still hasn't eaten anything. he has shed for me once and pooped 2 times and had a couple urates too. the breeder i got him from said he was on live rats but he still wont eat the rats i have offered. he has only lost about 70-80 grams though. all his temps and humidity are correct. could it be that he wants to breed? i can pair him up with my 2012 mojave girl if thats the case because i planned on trying to breed my mojave this season. any advice would be very helpful. my other bps have been slamming food for me including my mojo girl who is now 2000 grams.

[Eric Alan]

he has only lost about 70-80 grams though.

What were his before and after weights? 70-80 grams is nothing for a 1000+ gram male. It's a little different if he was only 400 grams to start with.

[Alexiel03]

What were his before and after weights? 70-80 grams is nothing for a 1000+ gram male. It's a little different if he was only 400 grams to start with.

he was weighed at 698 grams when he arrived on 7/22/15 and i weighed him in at 672 grams on 9/19/15, i made a mistake in how much he lost lol oops, but its only 26 grams hes lost xD sorry about that i had just woke up when i posted this lol

[Eric Alan]

he was weighed at 698 grams when he arrived on 7/22/15 and i weighed him in at 672 grams on 9/19/15, i made a mistake in how much he lost lol oops, but its only 26 grams hes lost xD sorry about that i had just woke up when i posted this lol

So basically he hasn't lost any actual weight - just "poop" weight. Nothing to worry about.

[Alexiel03]

So basically he hasn't lost any actual weight - just "poop" weight. Nothing to worry about.

yeah, just poop and urate weight. should i try pairing him? i have heard that will give him his apatite back

[Eric Alan]

yeah, just poop and urate weight. should i try pairing him? i have heard that will give him his apatite back

Or have the opposite effect. Some males go off feed completely during breeding season. Pairing to stimulate appetite is usually a trick associated with females.

[Alexiel03]

Or have the opposite effect. Some males go off feed completely during breeding season. Pairing to stimulate appetite is usually a trick associated with females.

okay, i didnt know it it only applied to females lol my other male bp (2013 butter pastel) is still taking food, he skipped last week but thats typical of him. im wanting to breed him and my mojave this season my fire bee is the only one refusing food.

[Eric Alan]

okay, i didnt know it it only applied to females lol my other male bp (2013 butter pastel) is still taking food, he skipped last week but thats typical of him. im wanting to breed him and my mojave this season my fire bee is the only one refusing food.

Sounds like an awesome pairing - good luck!

[Alexiel03]

Finally got him to eat a live small rat! i put him in the tub i use to hold the rats in when im cleaning their cage, then put the rat in with him and bam! grabbed it right up without hesitation.

i think the reason he wasnt eating is because he is used to being in a tub/rack and i have him in a 20 gal tank (which is my quarantine tank) he will be going into a tub in my snake room on the 22nd so im going to have to feed him in the holding tub till then.

super happy he ate! i hate feeding live rats, i used to have 2 as pets a while back and it makes me sad when i have to watch them die like that :/ im going to try a f/t next week and hope he takes it!