Not eating (7 months)

[Daniel_Effler]

Hello everyone, I'm looking for a second opinion and wanted to get the take of the forum.

I have a big breeding age female. Was 1800g when I got her. I'm not sure about now since my scale just does 1000g. I know with adults fasting can happen and stress can cause it also. I also know they can for months without significant health issues.

She was a little overweight with I got her. A slight depression down to the spine visible. She has lost some weight and no longer has that indention and I can tell the skin is looser than before. It was been 7 months and she is active and seems healthy but still refuses food. I offered ever week when feeding my others. She did poop a couple of times when I got her and everything looked normal.

She was eating FT rats before I got her. (That's what the seller said)

I've offered verious sizes of rats and recently a FT quail. She looked interested in the quail but did not take it.

I have changed the bedding and cleaned a couple of times since I got her and changed her enclosure and moved her as well.
Her mat is set for 89°F and I keep a larger water bowl for humidity and mist often.

Should I be worried or do you think this is still normal and just a waiting game?

Now

When I got her


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[Daniel_Effler]

I should add I have 14 and she is the only one not eating right now. She is the biggest and oldest I have though.

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[Malum Argenteum]

"I've offered verious sizes of rats and recently a FT quail. She looked interested in the quail but did not take it. "

Since she has some interest in food, perhaps, but not in the rats you're offering, this makes me think of a tip I give new keepers who get snakes from me that won't eat in their new home: try rats from a different source. Some snakes are funny about the source of the feeder (probably what the rat was fed, what substrate it was on, and the like) and a couple times I've had snakes eating very well for me, but the new keeper couldn't get them to feed on prey from their source; simply getting a rodent from a different vendor worked like a charm.

Trying a prekilled rat might be the ticket, too.

As a relevant aside, I hope you're not offering the refused prey to your other snakes. Not trying to be insulting or something with this, just a friendly mention about pathogen control practice; I kind of assume that a snake that has not yet fed is still in QT anyway.

[Daniel_Effler]

"I've offered verious sizes of rats and recently a FT quail. She looked interested in the quail but did not take it. "

Since she has some interest in food, perhaps, but not in the rats you're offering, this makes me think of a tip I give new keepers who get snakes from me that won't eat in their new home: try rats from a different source. Some snakes are funny about the source of the feeder (probably what the rat was fed, what substrate it was on, and the like) and a couple times I've had snakes eating very well for me, but the new keeper couldn't get them to feed on prey from their source; simply getting a rodent from a different vendor worked like a charm.

Trying a prekilled rat might be the ticket, too.

As a relevant aside, I hope you're not offering the refused prey to your other snakes. Not trying to be insulting or something with this, just a friendly mention about pathogen control practice; I kind of assume that a snake that has not yet fed is still in QT anyway.

Hmm never even considered that. I will try that. I did just get a shipment from rodent pro. I have been using ones from cold-blooded cafe.

Thanks for the reminder. I do that with other snakes but not with her. For one the large rats I normally try to feed her are too big for my others. But yes that is definitely a major concern.


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[Armiyana]

I second the change in feeder location. Hopefully that helps.
Otherwise....Sometimes it's how you're reheating them as well.
I had to change up my thawing process because of 2 new snakes being pretty picky. Before I would just pop some feeders into water to thaw them out and my snakes would get some extra hydration from eating the damp rats once I heated them up to temp. The new ones however weren't happy with the less smelly rats. So Now they're back to being thawed out/brought to temp in ziplock bags to keep all that rodenty goodness about them. lol

Either way, gorgeous little noodle. She's still looking good so hopefully she'll figure things out while she's still at a good weight and before she starts to loose too much.

[Bogertophis]

I second the change in feeder location. Hopefully that helps.
Otherwise....Sometimes it's how you're reheating them as well.
I had to change up my thawing process because of 2 new snakes being pretty picky. Before I would just pop some feeders into water to thaw them out and my snakes would get some extra hydration from eating the damp rats once I heated them up to temp. The new ones however weren't happy with the less smelly rats. So Now they're back to being thawed out/brought to temp in ziplock bags to keep all that rodenty goodness about them. lol

Either way, gorgeous little noodle. She's still looking good so hopefully she'll figure things out while she's still at a good weight and before she starts to loose too much.

I like to thaw directly in water too, but you're so right, some snakes miss that rodent fragrance. You might be able to talk a supplier or pet store into parting with some of their dirty used rodent bedding to roll the f/t rodent in, as an alternative to ziplock baggies. Oh the things we do for our snakes!

[OhhWatALoser]

I'll also add, given the length of time she hasn't eaten, I'd make sure she has a hide or 2, if she doesn't already. Security is an often overlooked variable for them eating.

Also i have some that really like mice over rats, so ill roll a thawed rat in the mice bedding, picky things they can be.

[Albert Clark]

Consider the substrate change also as MA alluded to. Even if you just swap out what’s underneath the hides to start. There has been articles about 100% cypress mulch and it’s effects on non feeding ball pythons in the past. Reptile Prime and Repibark are also good choices depending on what you already have in existence. Of course blending all the other suggestions which are all things to consider. The combination of one or more should do the trick.

[Daniel_Effler]

Ok well she has still not eat and losing weight now. I don't know what to do with her. I've tried live I've tried birds nice and rats. I've tried Force feeding her and sticking the head of a Frozen thawed rat in her mouth multiple times. It's been over a year.

I have tried different kinds of substrates went up and down with her temperature a few degrees Fahrenheit each way.

I don't know what else I can possibly do. At this point I'm thinking about putting her up for a free adoption just so that maybe somebody else that has more experience can work with her.

Going crazy over here.

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[Bogertophis]

Ok well she has still not eat and losing weight now. I don't know what to do with her. I've tried live I've tried birds nice and rats. I've tried Force feeding her and sticking the head of a Frozen thawed rat in her mouth multiple times. It's been over a year.

I have tried different kinds of substrates went up and down with her temperature a few degrees Fahrenheit each way.

I don't know what else I can possibly do. At this point I'm thinking about putting her up for a free adoption just so that maybe somebody else that has more experience can work with her.

Going crazy over here.

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Do you know her actual age? You got her as a large adult, right? Re-homing older snakes can sometimes affect them worse than with the younger ones- especially if they've only had one home prior. But I doubt that's the issue here- it's possible she's older than you were led to believe?

I'm not a fan of "force-feeding"- if you'd like instructions for tube-feeding, I'll happily pm them to you- it's gentler than "force-feeding" & doesn't make for a weird association or fear of the prey.

By the way, in an earlier post you mentioned trying to feed her large rats- but some snakes prefer smaller ones- have you tried offering SMALL rats? I would.
What about mice? Some BPs have a strong preference for mice- was the prior owner feeding rats, or mice (if you know)??? (& some sellers lie)

I've often found that a snake that hasn't eaten for a long time just doesn't have the energy or feel well enough to have an appetite*, & that once you give them some easily-digested "energy" in the form of a tube-feeding, they feel better & may resume eating normally- sometimes even after only one time. I know many are hesitant to try tube-feeding because of those bad experiences shared by people that did it wrong, but personally, that's what I'd so. There may also be some sort of health issue going on here that you cannot see- might want to consult an experienced vet also.

*It's similar to the difference that an I.V. makes for a human that's hospitalized- without it, they'd just keep going downhill.