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

» Site Navigation

» Home
 > FAQ

» Online Users: 729

3 members and 726 guests
Most users ever online was 47,180, 07-16-2025 at 05:30 PM.

» Today's Birthdays

None

» Stats

Members: 75,904
Threads: 249,099
Posts: 2,572,074
Top Poster: JLC (31,651)
Welcome to our newest member, GeneticArtist
Results 1 to 8 of 8
  1. #1
    Registered User Itsmrfish's Avatar
    Join Date
    10-17-2015
    Posts
    2
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post

    Exclamation Help, My ball-Python hasn't eaten and our class is worried!

    Hello,
    I have a 4 yo common ball python as a class pet and she has stopped eating for now 17 days. I feed her small rats purchased from the local Petsmart and she has been eating one a week for the previous month when all of a sudden she stopped. She shows no interest in eating, often sticking her head out to see what is dangling in her tank however she quickly goes back to sitting in her hide. I have tried different heating methods (hot water baths and hair drier) thinking that it was not warm enough for her to see it but that didn't do anything. At first I thought it was a respatory infection but her vents and mouth show no sign of mucus or inflammation.

    Tank stats:
    Animal Plastics T3
    Hotside 90
    Cold side 80
    Humidity 65%-75% (depending on building)

    What should I do?

  2. #2
    BPnet Senior Member L.West's Avatar
    Join Date
    09-11-2008
    Location
    Deerfield, MI
    Posts
    1,941
    Thanks
    1,125
    Thanked 452 Times in 339 Posts
    Images: 5

    Re: Help, My ball-Python hasn't eaten and our class is worried!

    For what its worth - I had a bp go 8 months without eating and was no worse for wear.

    I would continue to offer each week and don't get upset if it refuses. It is the season for that sorta thing.

    You say all the temps are correct so I wouldn't worry too much. Watch his weight and as long as it isn't losing lots of weight it will probably start eating in the spring again.

    Sorry I can't be of more help.
    L. West
    1.0 CORAL ALBINO BOA (OWEN)
    1.0 PANAMANIAN HYPO BOA (SAWYER)
    1.0 DUMERIL'S BOA (GRAYSON)
    1.0 ALBINO HONDURAN (RIVER)
    0.1 TANGERINE HONDURAN (FAITH)
    1.0 ALBINO TESSERA CORN SNAKE (RILEY)

  3. #3
    Super Moderator bcr229's Avatar
    Join Date
    03-18-2013
    Location
    Eastern WV Panhandle
    Posts
    9,565
    Thanks
    2,967
    Thanked 9,991 Times in 4,834 Posts
    Images: 34
    My adult female pet/non-breeders are on a two-week feeding schedule, males are on a three-week schedule, and even then they will still skip meals.

  4. The Following 3 Users Say Thank You to bcr229 For This Useful Post:

    Bogertophis (01-07-2020),Gio (01-08-2020),jmcrook (01-07-2020)

  5. #4
    BPnet Senior Member Lord Sorril's Avatar
    Join Date
    03-05-2018
    Location
    Massachusetts - USA
    Posts
    1,875
    Thanks
    841
    Thanked 4,045 Times in 1,481 Posts
    Images: 120

    Re: Help, My ball-Python hasn't eaten and our class is worried!

    Quote Originally Posted by Itsmrfish View Post
    Humidity 65%-75% (depending on building)

    What should I do?
    I notice that you marked humidity as varying between buildings. Moving a ball pythons enclosure to different locations is not ideal-it creates stress of a new environment.

    A Ball Python is not a good classroom pet.
    Last edited by Lord Sorril; 01-07-2020 at 05:21 PM.
    *.* TNTC

  6. The Following 3 Users Say Thank You to Lord Sorril For This Useful Post:

    Bogertophis (01-07-2020),Caitlin (01-07-2020),Craiga 01453 (01-07-2020)

  7. #5
    BPnet Veteran Caitlin's Avatar
    Join Date
    08-11-2019
    Posts
    565
    Thanks
    1,154
    Thanked 1,396 Times in 464 Posts
    Images: 51
    I'm not fond of seeing ball pythons as classroom pets - there is just so much stress involved for the snake. How often is she handled? It also sounds like her enclosure gets moved between buildings. Those two factors alone could be enough to disrupt her eating patterns. Yes, she's 4 but stress builds up over time and sometimes an animal just reaches the point where enough is enough.
    1.0 Jungle Carpet Python 'Ziggy'
    1.0 Bredl's Python 'Calcifer'
    0.1 Brazilian Rainbow Boa 'Mara'
    1.1 Tarahumara Mountain Boas 'Paco' and 'Frida'
    2.0 Dumeril's Boas 'Gyre' and 'Titan'
    1.0 Stimson's Python 'Jake'
    1.1 Children's Pythons 'Miso' and 'Ozzy'
    1.0 Anthill Python 'Cricket'
    1.0 Plains Hognose 'Peanut'
    1.1 Rough-scaled Sand Boas 'Rassi' and 'Kala'
    1.0 Ball Python (BEL) 'Sugar'
    1.0 Gray-banded Kingsnake 'Nacho'
    1.0 Green Tree Python (Aru) 'Jade'

  8. The Following 3 Users Say Thank You to Caitlin For This Useful Post:

    Bogertophis (01-07-2020),Craiga 01453 (01-07-2020),Gio (01-08-2020)

  9. #6
    BPnet Lifer Bogertophis's Avatar
    Join Date
    04-28-2018
    Location
    USA
    Posts
    20,781
    Thanks
    29,331
    Thanked 20,554 Times in 12,280 Posts
    A four-year old BP is pretty much an adult...it's not rare for them to eat less often*, or go on a fast if they've been routinely over-eating. *I'd feed every 2-3 weeks
    as bcr229 posted above. And for what it's worth, I also don't think most snakes make good classroom pets, & especially not the more sensitive ones like BPs -that
    need higher heat & humidity levels, & tend to be shy feeders. A better choice might have been a corn or other type of rat or gopher/bull snake. BPs are also more
    nocturnal when it comes to feeding habits, which puts them at odds with a classroom. You may be seeing the cumulative effects of stress, fear, lack of sleep, etc.
    Please keep in mind that long term stress can predispose animals & humans alike to illness when it continues. This might be a hint...

    I assume you know that snakes typically refuse food for a while when in a shed cycle too...have you checked her eyes for 'blue'? (in dark room w/ penlight)
    Last edited by Bogertophis; 01-07-2020 at 06:16 PM.
    Rudeness is the weak man's imitation of strength.
    Eric Hoffer (1902 - 1983)

    The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.” ~ Gandhi

  10. The Following User Says Thank You to Bogertophis For This Useful Post:

    Craiga 01453 (01-07-2020)

  11. #7
    Registered User Itsmrfish's Avatar
    Join Date
    10-17-2015
    Posts
    2
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post

    Re: Help, My ball-Python hasn't eaten and our class is worried!

    Sorry, I miss spoke, the building humidity changes wildly some times (which is why i went with the better tank). Her enclosure only fluctuates a little.

  12. The Following User Says Thank You to Itsmrfish For This Useful Post:

    Craiga 01453 (01-08-2020)

  13. #8
    Banned
    Join Date
    01-27-2017
    Location
    MA, USA
    Posts
    10,560
    Thanks
    14,297
    Thanked 11,073 Times in 5,330 Posts

    Re: Help, My ball-Python hasn't eaten and our class is worried!

    Quote Originally Posted by Itsmrfish View Post
    Sorry, I miss spoke, the building humidity changes wildly some times (which is why i went with the better tank). Her enclosure only fluctuates a little.
    Even in one building, snakes in general aren't great classroom pets. Especially a species as solitary as a BP. We often advise people to house their BPs in low traffic areas of the house, so a busy classroom is essentially the opposite of that. Traffic = stress, especially for species as secretive as a BP.

    Is the snake handled?

    Are you trying to feed during the day in front of a classroom of kids?

    How much experience do you have keeping snakes?

  14. The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to Craiga 01453 For This Useful Post:

    Absololol (01-15-2020),Bogertophis (01-08-2020)

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