Still not back on feed - an update

[mocolo]

Ok, so it's me again. I while back, I posted about my BP, Tilly, who hasn't eaten since the middle of October (he ate a medium rat a few weeks later in November), so it's been about 6 months since a meal. He is a male, and is almost 6 years old. His temps are low 80's and low 90's, and good humidity, 2 hides, everything is right! I took the advice you guys gave me, and tried feeding a smaller rat, so last night, I tried with a small rat..and he refused!! So now i'm getting really worried! At Reptilia (If anyone of you live in Toronto you should know), one of the workers there told me that his BP hasn't eaten since November as well, and that I should only try feeding once a month till he eats again..so I just don't know what to do!

[Sausage]

Are you sure that your husbandry is exactly right? Sometimes one little detail can throw them off feed. Other times they just go off feed for no aparent reason. As long as he isn't losing a lot of weight, he should be alright.

[BiG~PUN]

Dont stress to much. My bp did the same to me awhile back, the reptile store said that this wasnt uncommon and to try once a month. I did just that and few monthes later he took the rat. Just keep following the advice the people on this forum gave you, and it will eat eventually. good luck.

[Larry Suttles]

Have you tried mice yet? I'm sure he'll kick be on in time

[kellysballs]

I havent had any of mine that were off feed that long but, one of my females quit eating this winter and refused for 5wks. (nothing about her husbandry has changed and she ate for months every week with no prob). Anyway I dropped a african soft furred rat in her enclosure and BAM! Now she is back to small rats every week no prob. Maybe trying a different food source will get his appitite going again. Only problem is you want to be able to get this new food source all the time if he decides that thats all he will eat.

Just a thought.

Good Luck.

[mocolo]

Ok so, it's me..again . I just tried feeding Tilly last night (he still hasn't eaten). This time it was a large rat, since it was all I have in my house. And guess what, he STILL hasn't eaten? Should I be getting worried? Between this "feeding" and the last one i tried, it has been 3 whole weeks. So in total, it's been about SEVEN months since Tilly has eaten! Any advice or things I should do? Should I be considering a vet visit?

[dr del]

Well,


What have you tried so far? Did you try the mice? Prescenting the room? Live?Scenting the rats with other prey?Placing used rodent bedding in the tank inside a secure hide?

Once we know what you have already tried then we can maybe look for things still to try?


dr del

[mocolo]

I've basically tried waiting 2-3 weeks inbetween feeds to try not to stress it out. I was originally using large rats about once every 2 weeks, and he would eat just fine. But then as you know, he stopped feeding at the end of October. I have tried small rats, but to no avail.. I guess I can try a few mice next time. Haven't prescented the room, but I for sure will do that next time. I really don't want to do live because Tilly has always been an F/T mouse, and I have no setup for a mouse if he ends up not taking it. And that goes the same for the used rodent bedding...where would i get it :S And what other prey would you suggest to scent it with. The place where I get my rats, Reptilia, basically only sells rats, and I am definitely not going to start to make my own PK rodents lol.

[dr del]

O.k,


Well the used rodent bedding can normally be obtained for free from a local petshop if there are any near you - it can be worth tryng rat bedding with a f/t mouse and visa versa as a side point.

If your using f/t exclusively there are also a few things specific to them like splitting the head open slightly to get the smell of brains ( warning this is even more gross than it sounds). Also might be worth asking how you prepare the meal for him to see if anyone has tips for that too. Like heating the head with a hairdrier or a different way of doing the "zombie rat dance" for example.

On the pre-scenting you can try scenting small rats ( that seems to be recomended as the largest meal that won't make them go into "catch up" mode when fed weekly) with mice,gerbils,chicks,hamsters and possibly even rabbits. Its best to start with something you can buy frozen and just rub on the meal and return to the freezer. Nothing worse than finally persuading them to eat something and then discovering you can't get any more.

Maybe if you asked on the board you might find somewhere close to you that has a larger range of food available?

Do you feed in his home or in a seperate enclosure and have you stopped all handling aside from essential tank cleaning?

Pre-scenting the room to get them in the mood is a good way of getting them in the mood before they actually se the prey - and one of mine is also more likely to eat after I mist their tank.

How is his weight holding up?


dr del

[mocolo]

Haha, I've never heard of the brain technique, and I hope that will be last resort after I have tried everything else! Umm, as for preparing the meals, I take them out the night before, and put them in the fridge. Then, about 5 hours before the meal, I let it thaw out on a counter. Then, what I used to do, was about 20 minutes before feeding, I would take the thawed rat and put it in a water-tight bag, then leave it in very, very hot water for about 20 minutes. The reason I stopped doing it that way was that I was afraid I was accidentally cooking the rat a bit, because sometimes when I opened the bag, a funky smell would pop out at me, other than the "dead rat" smell XD. So now, I do the exact same method, except substitute the soaking for about 15 minutes of using a hairdryer. And....no progress has been made with that either . So, if/when I actually get mice, I'll try the scenting method as well.

And, I literally haven't touched him besides for cleaning his cage, so nothing to worry about that. There hasn't been much to clean up anyways besides teeny little urates I found, not surprising since he hasn't eaten in 7 months. And yep, I feed him in his enclosure, which is a glass viv.