Is my snake starving himself?!?

[bcr229]

First, I would not return to that particular pet store if the employees yelled at you.

Second, don't ever leave a live feeder unsupervised with your snake, because if your snake isn't interested in eating the mouse or rat, eventually the feeder will start chewing on your snake.

Third, if your male ball python has made it to seven years old without fasting, congratulations. Mine usually start at around 18 months old when they get interested in girls.

I have an adult male that doesn't eat at all between Halloween and Easter, and the rest of the year he will only eat every 2-3 weeks. There's nothing wrong with him, he just doesn't need a lot of food. Many of my other males - and even females - will just stop eating for several months at a time (which is why I own boas, they eat what the picky ball pythons don't). Most snakes in captivity are way overfed.

Personally I would only attempt to feed every 2-3 weeks. If you don't want live feeders hanging about, you have an excuse to get another snake with a better food response.

So, double-check your husbandry, temperatures, humidity, etc. and keep an eye on your snake's weight. If everything is ok it's just a matter of waiting him out.