Vote for BP.Net for the 2013 Forum of the Year! Click here for more info.

» Site Navigation

» Home
 > FAQ

» Online Users: 674

0 members and 674 guests
No Members online
Most users ever online was 47,180, 07-16-2025 at 05:30 PM.

» Today's Birthdays

None

» Stats

Members: 75,905
Threads: 249,103
Posts: 2,572,095
Top Poster: JLC (31,651)
Welcome to our newest member, Pattyhud
Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 17
  1. #1
    Registered User capykat's Avatar
    Join Date
    07-05-2016
    Location
    Ohio
    Posts
    8
    Thanks
    6
    Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post

    Not recognizing food?

    I bought my first BP a few months ago and when I bought her/him the workers at the pet store told me the snake had not eaten for 3 week, I know I shouldn't have purchased a snake with bad eating habits but the thought of being able to help the little snake really got to me. It took me almost a month to get the snake to eat on its own (I did have to resort to force feeding because the snake was so underweight). Ever since then my snake has not been a consistent feeder and will go up to 3 weeks without taking food. I know this behavior is common among BPs but my snake is underweight and needs to start putting on the pounds. When I offered a thawed large mouse to her today she flicked her tongue around like she usually does when I offer a meal but she never took it. I didn't want to have to do an assist or force feed but she hasn't eaten in 3 weeks and is very skinny. I gently head her head and as soon as I put the mouse in her mouth she bit down and coiled the mouse like she had taken it herself. She has done this before and her behavior to me seems like she isn't recognizing the mouse as food until I put it in her mouth. Is this behavior normal? And does anyone have any feeding tips I could try, I don't like having to assist her if I can avoid it. Thanks!




  2. #2
    BPnet Veteran chrid16371's Avatar
    Join Date
    01-31-2016
    Location
    Pennsylvania
    Posts
    1,113
    Thanks
    101
    Thanked 292 Times in 228 Posts
    Images: 1

    Re: Not recognizing food?

    Have you tried live? How much does the snake weigh?

    Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using Tapatalk
    Last edited by chrid16371; 07-05-2016 at 07:13 PM.

  3. #3
    Telling it like it is! Stewart_Reptiles's Avatar
    Join Date
    09-28-2006
    Posts
    24,845
    Thanks
    6,116
    Thanked 20,811 Times in 9,584 Posts
    Blog Entries
    1
    Images: 6
    What is your husbandry like?

    Enclosure size, temperture, type of hides (are they tight?) etc

    How big is your snake, how often do you handle it etc.

    In 99% of the cases of young animal not eating (500 grams or less) husbandry issues are to blame.

    You do not assist or force feed a snake that knows are to eat you unless everything else has failed and the animal health is in jeopardy, this will include live feeding.
    Deborah Stewart


  4. The Following User Says Thank You to Stewart_Reptiles For This Useful Post:

    Fazer72110 (07-05-2016)

  5. #4
    Registered User capykat's Avatar
    Join Date
    07-05-2016
    Location
    Ohio
    Posts
    8
    Thanks
    6
    Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post

    Re: Not recognizing food?

    Quote Originally Posted by Deborah View Post
    What is your husbandry like?

    Enclosure size, temperture, type of hides (are they tight?) etc

    How big is your snake, how often do you handle it etc.

    In 99% of the cases of young animal not eating (500 grams or less) husbandry issues are to blame.

    You do not assist or force feed a snake that knows are to eat you unless everything else has failed and the animal health is in jeopardy, this will include live feeding.

    The enclosure is about a 20 gal size, temp ranges from 75-80 on cool to 85-90 on hot side, she has two hides that she both uses one on cool side one on hot. The hide on the hot side has a small UTH. The one hide is a bit tight but she seems to like using it and the other hide is larger but still small enough that she feels safe but comfortable. I have not tried live feeding only because I haven't found a pace that sells live feeder mice. Also I used to have a lamp over my tank but I found that it was getting to hot and that the light seemed to be bothering her so I removed it. I do use an infrared lamp when the temp drops to low though. I handle her about 2 to 3 times a week and she is approx 17 in long, I'm not sure about the weight I have not purchased a digital scale yet.

  6. #5
    Sometimes It Hurts... PitOnTheProwl's Avatar
    Join Date
    11-21-2010
    Location
    San Antonio, TX
    Posts
    12,050
    Thanks
    6,313
    Thanked 6,985 Times in 4,274 Posts
    Images: 3
    where are you getting your hot temperature and how are you regulating your UTH?

  7. #6
    Registered User capykat's Avatar
    Join Date
    07-05-2016
    Location
    Ohio
    Posts
    8
    Thanks
    6
    Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post

    Re: Not recognizing food?

    Quote Originally Posted by PitOnTheProwl View Post
    where are you getting your hot temperature and how are you regulating your UTH?
    The hot temperature comes from the infrared heater which has a dial for controlling the temp. The UTH has no way of regulating but I use about an inch and a half of aspen on the tank floor so when I place my hand on the substrate over the UTH I can feel the warmth but it's not too hot. She likes to go here after she eats to digest. I use analog thermometers on both sides of my tank but I am considering moving to digital since they're more accurate.

  8. #7
    BPnet Senior Member AbsoluteApril's Avatar
    Join Date
    03-05-2014
    Location
    Utah
    Posts
    2,080
    Thanks
    2,325
    Thanked 2,605 Times in 1,296 Posts
    If everything is up to par (as others have stated, husbandry is the first thing to check) then make sure the f/t is really warm (if you aren't already). Sometimes a heated up feeder will get them to notice it (use a hair dryer or hold next to an incandescent light bulb to get it 'extra' hot). Sometimes it works to elicit the strike. I usually also tug on the feeder once they grab it to get them to wrap it tight since sometimes they strike/grab and then drop because it's only defensive. Once they have a hold on the 'struggling' prey, they tend to go into food mode. If you can find live, you may have to resort to that to get a few meals in and then work on getting back to f/t once it's feeding regularly.
    good luck!!
    Last edited by AbsoluteApril; 07-05-2016 at 08:51 PM. Reason: clarify
    ****
    For the Horde!

  9. The Following User Says Thank You to AbsoluteApril For This Useful Post:

    capykat (07-05-2016)

  10. #8
    BPnet Senior Member BMorrison's Avatar
    Join Date
    01-31-2008
    Location
    Nashville, Tennessee
    Posts
    1,826
    Thanks
    486
    Thanked 512 Times in 305 Posts
    Images: 12

    Re: Not recognizing food?

    Quote Originally Posted by capykat View Post
    The hot temperature comes from the infrared heater which has a dial for controlling the temp. The UTH has no way of regulating but I use about an inch and a half of aspen on the tank floor so when I place my hand on the substrate over the UTH I can feel the warmth but it's not too hot. She likes to go here after she eats to digest. I use analog thermometers on both sides of my tank but I am considering moving to digital since they're more accurate.
    Please turn that UTH off! Ball pythons burrow they'll find under the substrate fast. I use aspen in my racks too and they all push it out of their hides to lay right on the tub my thermostats are set to 90.0 the hottest spot they touch is 91.3. It's risking burning your snake. I'm personally a fan of the Spyder Robotics Herpstats but others here have offered excellent reviews of the VE200, VE300 and if you're on a budget you can look into the inkbird itc-308 on Amazon they run $38-56$.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

    Facebook.com/ToValhallaReptiles
    Instagram.com/ToValhallaReptiles

  11. The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to BMorrison For This Useful Post:

    capykat (07-05-2016),Fazer72110 (07-05-2016)

  12. #9
    Registered User capykat's Avatar
    Join Date
    07-05-2016
    Location
    Ohio
    Posts
    8
    Thanks
    6
    Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post

    Re: Not recognizing food?

    Thanks for all of the responses everyone! I will take all of your advice into account, I really appreciate it!

    Also what would be a good option if I wanted to try live feeding? I don't know of any place near me that sells live mice for the purpose of feeding snakes, would I have to buy a mouse from the pet store that's being sold as a pet? If I could keep my own mice for feeding that would be very helpful especially if she ends up liking the live rather than frozen.

  13. #10
    BPnet Senior Member BMorrison's Avatar
    Join Date
    01-31-2008
    Location
    Nashville, Tennessee
    Posts
    1,826
    Thanks
    486
    Thanked 512 Times in 305 Posts
    Images: 12

    Re: Not recognizing food?

    How big is she? I know I went to a petco for a mouse once and had to sign a waiver about feeding it off.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

    Facebook.com/ToValhallaReptiles
    Instagram.com/ToValhallaReptiles

Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
Powered by vBadvanced CMPS v4.2.1