Snake on Hunger Strike (Again) for 9 Months.

[Bogertophis]

Sorry to hear about the difficulty you're having with this snake. And honestly, your vet may be correct to consider "PTS" as the humane solution, but let's review what's going on before making any conclusions.

The first thing that jumps into my head is "climate control"- the UK is a far cry from this snake's origin (Africa) so while you say you've followed the guidelines given to set up his tank, are you SURE that his heat is adequate? Specifically, have you independently verified that the temperatures are actually what are shown by a t-stat? I ask because sometimes people assume that if they set a t-stat to a particular temperature that will result in that temperature actually being produced in the tank where the snake needs it- and that's not the case. So how are you measuring the temps. in this snake's home? His behavior suggests he might not have adequate heat, so we need to rule that out as a cause. And bear in mind that we're also not seeing his set-up here. Ball pythons are not the easiest snakes to house- they need more heat than many other popular pet snakes- & they go "off feed" when it's not provided. What size is his tank? How much of the floor is heated with UTH? What are the temperatures in the ROOM where the tank is? (summer AND winter, night AND day if different)

What about "privacy"- BPs are shy snakes by nature & they're ambush feeders, & while some are easier than others to feed, many are quite particular & a challenge to get it right. If they don't have an adequate sense of security (at least 2 hides that are the right size & height- that feel snug w/ only one doorway that's not overly large), they can feel too intimidated to eat. Most appreciate set-ups with plenty of "cover" besides the actual hides- & it often works best to also cover the sides, back & possibly part of the front of the glass for privacy- have you tried that? (Pics would help us understand what you're doing.) Is his home in a quiet location? What is the area of the room/home like (where his tank is)? and do you use a light in or over the tank? How bright is it in the room normally, & also at feeding time? We snake-keepers turn to our veterinarians for medical help with our pets, but they often aren't the best to ask about husbandry issues- either they don't have the time, or they don't personally keep snakes & don't really know first hand.

What time of day do you try to feed him? Have you tried jiggling prey (slightly) using feeding tongs? Do you offer him food when he is cruising the tank, or when he is in his hide? I see you're in the U.K. so I know you probably haven't resorted to any live prey- since you've used the "hair dryer" method, I know you're aware that BPs use their heat sensing pits to go after prey that has lifelike warmth, but do you understand that approaching the snake with the prey is the wrong way to go about it? That intimidates many snakes (like BPs) because it's not natural for rodents to appear to volunteer to be eaten- so if you're offering prey w/ feeding tongs, you never want to approach the snake with it. Instead, wait until night- dim light in the room- & when the snake is IN his hide & hopefully peeking out, keep your own activity at a minimum, but make it appear that the rodent offered on the tongs is cluelessly passing by where the snake is hiding, never going toward the snake, & just out of reach to elicit a slight chase by the snake. Not too much wiggling of the prey- again, too much can scare a shy feeder- keep it subtle. It can be hard at first to get this right as it requires very close observation of what entices your snake versus what will scare him off.

I've never found "braining" dead rodents to help, btw- besides, it's gross. If you want to release more scent, just use the feeding tongs to pinch-damage the rodent's nose right before offering. It's much easier & effective too.

Speaking of ruining a snake's appetite, you did NOT get the advice here to "feed him in another tub"- that's a BAD idea, because handling the snake before feeding totally takes his mind off eating (again, worse for shyer snakes like BPs). Snakes rely on their instincts to catch prey, & the only thing that normally picks them up is a predator that's about to eat THEM. So no handling of this snake for a few days before feeding him- & that begs the question, how much DO you handle this snake?

I agree that it's possible the problem lies with this snake's genetic & resulting physical issues (spider "wobble"). I'm sorry your vet has him pegged at being at the higher (worst) end of the spectrum, & while I've never had a BP with this issue, I have had snakes that had physical issues that did become worse with time (such as a neck kink).

The Reptoboost sounds like a good suggestion, though a product with electrolytes, probiotics & nutrients to provide energy would be most effective inside the snake, rather than just soaking him in it. When a snake or any animal (including humans) get too low on nutrients & fluid, it also depresses their appetite. For a human in the hospital, an IV solution takes care of that, but for a snake we cannot give an IV, so in my experience, a tube-feed is the best solution & often very effective at giving the snake enough energy for their appetite to return. SO, I'm very curious as to why your vet said they would not tube-feed this snake ever again? Did that not go well? The problem with having your vet do a tube-feed is that the snake will likely regurgitate the solution because of the stress, handling & travel to & from their office: tube-feeding is best done at home, & it's something I have experience (& success) doing. Let me know if you want instructions?
I cannot promise that will fix your snake, but you're asking for help to eliminate his suffering & to avoid euthanasia, & that's what I'd try, once any & all husbandry issues have been eliminated as possible causes.