Should I be worried?

[B.P.'s 4me]

I'm hoping someone can EITHER offer suggestions, or reassure me that this is normal, but I'm confused.
A month ago, I purchased a hatchling b.p. (August /17 hatch) from a local, and reputable breeder. She was in excellent condition (weight 196 gms.) has been eating f.t. with enthusiasm. (once a week) and has gained a bit every week. Originally I was feeding her rat fuzzies (12 -14 gms.) but was advised that may be too small so increased to small rat pups. The first was 18 gms. which she accepted well, but my supplier didn't normally carry that size so the last time I fed her (Nov. 19) was a 20 gm. pup, which seemed to be no problem. However, that was the last thing she's eaten. She did have a shed a few days later, but since then, has been very active and behaves like she's hungry. Last Saturday, I offered her a 22 gm. pup (which is all I had) which she struck immediately, wrapped, held for about 3 minutes, but instead of eating it, she moved away and wouldn't take it. I left her until last night and offered a 16 gm. pup and she did the same thing. She struck it before it hit the floor of her enclosure, coiled around it, waited a couple of minutes, did a lot of sniffing and really looked like she was going to eat it, but didn't. Her current weight is 224 gms. so she has gained since she's arrived but has been at that weight since Nov. 23, so THAT is a deviation from the norm for her.
I get that b.p. can go for periods of time without eating, but if she wasn't hungry, would anticipate that they simply wouldn't show interest. Why is she striking and acting hungry, but refusing to eat?

[Godzilla78]

That is not a long time between feedings really. How often are you offering food? What are the temperatures of the enclosure?

[SDA]

Temperature of the enclosure and the temperature of the rat can play a role in interest in food.

Has anything at all changed outside of a shed and larger sized prey? I would personally just hold off a week before offering again and see if you have success. Make sure to warm the rat up a bit more than you did with the smaller size and see if that helps as well. You would be surprised how temps of prey can play a factor in feeding.

[Godzilla78]

Yeah, she is right about the rat temp. I have been heating up my thawed rats underneath a heat lamp until it is over 100 degrees fahrenheit, and it definitely helps stimulate feeding response.

[B.P.'s 4me]

Thank you Godzilla, I'm feeding every 7 days, she's been eating enthusiastically every 7 days but now it's been almost 17 days. When I've asked about feeding frequency, most suggest that hatchlings should be fed weekly, is this too often then?

[B.P.'s 4me]

Temperature of the enclosure and the temperature of the rat can play a role in interest in food.

Has anything at all changed outside of a shed and larger sized prey? I would personally just hold off a week before offering again and see if you have success. Make sure to warm the rat up a bit more than you did with the smaller size and see if that helps as well. You would be surprised how temps of prey can play a factor in feeding.

Thank you! She's in a bin, I did change from newspaper liner to aspen mulch, but aside from that, no changes. I do warm the rat first, temps. are 85 - 88 hot spot and 75 - 78 cool. Humidity is aprox. 60 %. There is a hide for each temp. range. :-)

[B.P.'s 4me]

Yeah, she is right about the rat temp. I have been heating up my thawed rats underneath a heat lamp until it is over 100 degrees fahrenheit, and it definitely helps stimulate feeding response.

Yes, I have been warming the rat for her, as I said, I'm curious because she does strike immediately, and stays coiled on the prey as she did before, but at the stage where previously, she would nose around and find the head to start swallowing, she noses around, and SEEMS very interested, then appears to change her mind. It's very strange.

[Godzilla78]

Maybe it is the prey size. Wait a week and then offer a slightly smaller prey item than the ones that are being rejected.

[Aerries]

My girl I️ feel is so small almost same hatch date the 15th of Aug and empty weight at 100g...maybe I️ should up her to med mouse....


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[savora]

My girl I️ feel is so small almost same hatch date the 15th of Aug and empty weight at 100g...maybe I️ should up her to med mouse....


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Mine was hatched the ninth of August and she's only 100g too! I got her on Nov. 11, and she was 89g then. (She also hasn't pooped for me yet, so I imagine that's making up a few of her grams.)