NOT eating

[amcgee2842]

Got a 9 month old ball python back in January and has been eating just fine until the last two feedings..I feed thawed frozen mice...He strikes and coils around the mice I then leave him alone only to come back the next day to see the mice on top of the substrate not eaten....I have cool side and warm side all Temps and humidity are correct...any ideas?

[EL-Ziggy]

Is your prey item hot enough? I usually serve my feeders at about 100F. Other than that if your husbandry is on point, and the animal isn't sick, then it sounds like your BP is just being a BP. They're notorious for taking unexplained food breaks. I'd just keep offering food every 10-14 days until he's back on track. I've had BPs go 6 months without eating that were just fine. As long as he's not losing significant weight I wouldn't worry at all.

[blue roses]

How much does he weigh, and could he be going into shed. Also I have a 250g girl who went on an 8 week long hunger strike. No reason, and would not eat no matter what i did or what i offered. After 8 weeks she just started eating again, like she turned the eating switch off then back on. If your temps, and humidity are spot on, and he seems healthy and active, i would watch his weight and if he isn't losing very much, i wouldn't worry right away, i learned my lesson, i went into an unnessescery panic. Just offer on the next feeding day. Many people here will tell you theeir BPs have not eaten for months.

[bcr229]

At this age you should have switched him to rats by now.

I find that when mine start to "kill" the feeder but not eat it then it's time to put them on a 10-14 day feeding schedule, they're maturing and don't need to eat as often.

[amcgee2842]

As for as temp. Of the mouse I usally thaw them out in warm water for about 45 mins. Then I empty it and put the mouse hotest water that comes out of the faucet which is to hot to put my hands in and let soak for 5 mins. Not sure the temp of the mouse after that but I figured it's hot enough...I think large mice are too small and small rats are to big but petsmarts doesn't sell anything inbtween....

[cchardwick]

I just had this happen last night, I tried a fresh killed mouse, the ball python wrapped around it but left it in the tank until I pulled it out the next day. So I threw in a live mouse and closed it up for about a half hour. Then I opened it up and there was just a tail sticking out of her mouth LOL. If I were you I'd try a live one or a fresh killed (use CO2). I moved away from frozen thawed, hard to get the right temp and they end up smelling a bit funny and the rodent nose bleeds are terrible, now I raise all my own rodents, mice, African soft furs and just this week had some regular rat pups. I had two snakes that would refuse a mouse and ASF and the following day offered a live rat pup and both ate them! I do spend a lot of time feeding and cleaning rodent tanks, but it's nice to have a variety of food items for these picky eaters. Takes me about 15 minutes per day to feed all my rodent tanks, then about three hours each weekend to clean the rodent tanks. It's a lot of work but well worth it if you have the time. I try to feed fresh killed to all of my bigger snakes since the rodents tend to bite and fresh killed is safer. If they don't eat I'll offer live, usually very supervised and usually never leave one in the tub like that closed up, but I know this snake I'm feeding and she is a mean girl, if I leave it open she strikes at me instead of the mouse!