Feeding help asap

[EthanMG]

I have a three year old male ball python who never missed a meal for his whole life until about October of last year. Since then he has not eaten, and I have tried many different things such as the hairdryer method. I have been offering once a month as well. He always really interested and then he’s about to strike and then randomly he just retracts and recoils and hides. So, I came up with the idea to wait until the night that he’s active moving around his enclosure and then get a rat and thaw out the same night to feed him while he’s looking for food. Is this possible? I have a sitting in a warm water filled bowl and changing it out, but the rat is not thawing out. Is it possible to thaw out an hour ish? Will the inside still be frozen and I can’t tell? Any help would be appreciated!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Lord Sorril]

There are a lot of factors:

1. When did he start eating frozen thawed?
2. Did something change in October? Did you upgrade the enclosure or move the snake to a new home?
3. How much does he weigh?
4. Have you tried a different batch of rats?

8 months is about where I would expect a full-size male to go off a hunger-strike (assuming no environmental conditions are out of alignment).
A lot of my adult male bps are just starting to come out of breeding mode and are eating again-however, mine usually stop around February and resume in June.

If his feeding schedule was consistent and he has not eaten since October: I would not rush thaw a rodent in the off-chance he might take one tonight. Feed him one that is frozen in the center and he might develop an immediate aversion.

[EthanMG]

There are a lot of factors:

1. When did he start eating frozen thawed?
2. Did something change in October? Did you upgrade the enclosure or move the snake to a new home?
3. How much does he weigh?
4. Have you tried a different batch of rats?

8 months is about where I would expect a full-size male to go off a hunger-strike (assuming no environmental conditions are out of alignment).
A lot of my adult male bps are just starting to come out of breeding mode and are eating again-however, mine usually stop around February and resume in June.

If his feeding schedule was consistent and he has not eaten since October: I would not rush thaw a rodent in the off-chance he might take one tonight. Feed him one that is frozen in the center and he might develop an immediate aversion.

Okay thank you for the quick response! I did weigh him, and he is losing a little bit of weight but not very much. Over the 7ish months it’s been about 200 grams (1660–>1445g). That makes sense that it is not a good idea to have the rats still be partially frozen and scare him from eating, but what I am wondering is there a way to be sure that the inside is not frozen at all?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Bogertophis]

You have to feel it by hand to make sure it's no longer frozen- it needs to feel soft inside. Rats take a long time to thaw- they thaw fastest directly in water, & you have to change the water multiple times when it gets too icy cold. But don't thaw in hot water (because the outside gets warm enough to spoil while the inside is still frozen); thaw in cool water until it's soft throughout, & only then warm it in very warm water before offering.

You can't really rush thawing rats- & snakes are likely to regurgitate a meal that's partially frozen. Regurgitation is risky, snakes can aspirate & die from it, so avoid causing regurges.

[EthanMG]

You have to feel it by hand to make sure it's no longer frozen- it needs to feel soft inside. Rats take a long time to thaw- they thaw fastest directly in water, & you have to change the water multiple times when it gets too icy cold. But don't thaw in hot water (because the outside gets warm enough to spoil while the inside is still frozen); thaw in cool water until it's soft throughout, & only then warm it in very warm water before offering.

You can't really rush thawing rats- & snakes are likely to regurgitate a meal that's partially frozen. Regurgitation is risky, snakes can aspirate & die from it, so avoid causing regurges.

Okay thank you for the help. I thawed it in warm water and it’s definitely thawed now. I’m putting it in hot now to heat before I present it to him. Only problem is he’s back in his hide after these 2 hours


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[EthanMG]

SUCCESS! So far at least haha we’ll see if he eats it. Man that feels good after 7-8 months.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Armiyana]

Only problem is he’s back in his hide after these 2 hours

Ball pythons tend to be ambush hunters by nature so that's okay! Most of mine are in their hides when I go to feed them, they're just waiting the the door with the snoot peeking out. And it looks like you finally had that success with it too!
I'm glad you got him to take a meal. My oldest boy pulled a long hunger strike like that on me a couple of times. It's frustrating, but can just happen during the breeding season.

A final thought on things though. It's hard to tell from the photo, but how is his body condition? Another factor to things is they will sometimes go off food when they start getting too heavy. How often was he eating before? An adult male usually doesn't need a meal each week unless you're giving very small prey. Obesity is fairly common in males especially. Keeping them on the lean side tends to keep them eating more regularly I feel.

[EthanMG]

Ball pythons tend to be ambush hunters by nature so that's okay! Most of mine are in their hides when I go to feed them, they're just waiting the the door with the snoot peeking out. And it looks like you finally had that success with it too!
I'm glad you got him to take a meal. My oldest boy pulled a long hunger strike like that on me a couple of times. It's frustrating, but can just happen during the breeding season.

A final thought on things though. It's hard to tell from the photo, but how is his body condition? Another factor to things is they will sometimes go off food when they start getting too heavy. How often was he eating before? An adult male usually doesn't need a meal each week unless you're giving very small prey. Obesity is fairly common in males especially. Keeping them on the lean side tends to keep them eating more regularly I feel.

Thanks for the response . He is healthy weight I think at least. Before he went off food he was eating once every 3 weeks to a month. A rat that weighs 12% of his body weight


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Armiyana]

Okay good! Hopefully he'll just settle back into a similar pattern after this. That sounds like an okay size and schedule.