Thriving vs surviving...

[pretends2bnormal]

Thanks for the reply...

He's about 2 1/2 years old. He's around 1,100 grams right now and looking a bit thin since his most recent 300 gram poop/pee.

I'll typically wait around 4 weeks to offer live. So usually 4 offers of F/T before offering live.

I've tried both mice and rats when offering F/T. He's never taken a rat. He'll VERY occasionally take ONE F/T mouse (only about 21-23 grams) and only ONE.

I feed live mice because I can't find rats within a reasonable driving distance.

He's in a 3 foot Neodeshas enclosure. He's been in there since he graduated quarantine about 15 months ago. I've played with temps a bit, but haven't seen any difference in behavior or feeding with different temps. His hot spot is 87-88 and his cool side is around 79-80 with an ambient in the 84 range. He's got enough substrate to burrow, but hardly ever does. He's got 2 RBI hides that fit him well. He usually pushes all the substrate out of the hides and lays on the bare enclosure bottom inside his hides.

I've only tried mice and rats.


Thanks again for the reply. Im open to just about any ideas.

So, I'll preface by saying, I'm definitely not an expert... but I've read and seen a ton of advice from people with a lot of breeding/keeping experience with STPs in another group. I have a bit of a hobby reading all of the problem threads and watching the advice and what winds up working.

First thing that stands out is honestly the temps. From what I've seen with problem feeder and/or poor temperament snakes posted there, the temps usually are a match for yours or higher to match a BP up to 90. Most of the really successful breeders on there are religious about a hot spot being 85 at the most, if offered at all. Most prefer to do 82-84 ambient and nothing else.

What all have you tried for the temps? Any thing like those ^? (78-82/84 ambient, max hot spot 85)

When you offer f/t, does he usually assume a hunting position before you offer? (Head peaking out of hide. In my blood, I'll also see a slight lifted chin off the floor when he is extra alert)

When thinking about blood/stps I try to think of them as large, extra shy ball pythons. All the same "tricks" can be required along the lines of no lights, you staying out of sight, and wandering a f/t feeder past the hide or nose. My guy always strikes when he sees the tail end, for example, right at the hips/rear. He will not strike prey hanging from the tail nor head on unless he is extra amped up that day.

Are there any similarities you can think of about the times he DID take a f/t mouse? Positioning, timing (either time of day or # of weeks without eating or without offering?), etc. Any tiny thing at all might be a clue for what to try to replicate.

I can't recall where, but I have read somewhere that bloods at least eat birds as prey pretty regularly in the wild, so some will take to chicks more easily f/t than other prey. Especially if you have other snakes who can eat chicks if it doesnt work out, that is probably worth trying. I'm not 100% sure how good of a staple they are for STPs, but if he decides they're awesome, it gives you a stronger motivating smell to use to scent rats and try to trick him.

It might be worth a try to give him a "feast", a large live meal maybe 1 extra mouse, (but not so big it risks regurge) and then not offering anything at all for a few weeks. Give him time to digest it and to get thoroughly hungry. Watch for hunting/ambush behavior. My impulse is to say 3-4 weeks skipped, no live and no f/t offerings. Then bring home 1 live mouse and leave it in the room in a cage, scent the room all day if you can, and then offer f/t as realistically as you can. Grab and walk it by the scruff, follow the paths you usually see the live prey follow. If you offer a non-mouse, try to get some bedding to thaw in for scenting as well as the feeder.

If try 1 fails, it may be worth doing a few weeks in a row live to "fatten him up" to a good weight then repeat the above and every time he won't take it, skip offering 2 more weeks. Watch his body condition but I expect most healthy STPs can handle 2 months skipped without much issue. (Also live mice can generally be returned, so your scenting mouse can be taken back if it fails each round.)

What area are you in? I can ask around and see if there's anyone breeding privately up near you. PM me if you don't want to post that specifically publicly.


Apologies for the word vomit, and I didn't see other replies before. I'm more than willing to brainstorm ideas if you want to try, but 100% understandable if you want to rehome and move on to get some peace of mind back. It is very stressful when things don't work regardless of what you try.

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