My ball python isn't eating.

[MATT FISHER REPTILES]

balls go off feed all the time. there are many large breeders that have the majority of there collection go off feed for most of the winter months. my rule of thumb is to try once a week and dont even start to worry about 2 months. i thaw out about 100 rats a week and take them to the snake room. 0ut of 105 bp's i usually have about 15 rats left over. there are a few problem feeders but for the most part some snakes that eay every week with out a problem one week will just want nothing to do with it. just the ball python game.

and if you are feeding live mice i would go with a weened rat they are way less likley to bite your snake as they relly dont even have that big of teeth yet. most of my feeding live feeders bites come from mice they are relly bad about it.

[rabernet]

balls go off feed all the time. there are many large breeders that have the majority of there collection go off feed for most of the winter months.

They do? I don't believe Adam's 700+ snakes go off feed for most of the winter months, last I talked to him, they eat year round. I'll have to ask Kara about their collection next time I talk to her and see if that's true for them.

I don't have a large collection, but my 20+ animals are all still eating each week, even those that are breeding.

[frankykeno]

My 26 are all eating other than the very occasional refusal or perhaps one of the WC adults that tend to fast a bit here or there. Other than that it's just typical stuff....put rat in...TWHUMMMP....happy full snake.....they don't seem to care if it's December or August.

[MATT FISHER REPTILES]

do you drop temps for breeding. that is usually what triggers it.

[rabernet]

do you drop temps for breeding. that is usually what triggers it.

Nope, I didn't cool, but that's because my apartment gets cooler and draftier in the winter anyway. But I keep the hot spot the same temps year round, but the cool side is cooler.

I know Adam cools, and his eat year round too.

[frankykeno]

Correct me if I'm wrong here but I don't believe this person is asking about refusal to eat in a breeding size adult BP.

[rabernet]

do you drop temps for breeding. that is usually what triggers it.

And this person isn't breeding, so since she shouldn't be dropping temps, it shouldn't be triggered to fast - that's why we say not eating is a symptom of a problem.

From what I can tell, her ball isn't eating because she overhandles it, and has moved it at least two times without allowing it to acclimate, and is offering prey too often. She says her temps are "sufficient" but hasn't shared what they are.

[West Coast Jungle]

Sounds like the OP mentioned the answer to the refusal but doesn't realize it.

New enviroment.
Daily handling.
Bit by mouse.

Anyone of these alone could cause a feeding refusal and all 3 together

[Leda]

She wasn't bitten to the extent of actual damage. The very tip of her tail was barely grazed. But it still bothered me.

Her day time temps are kept at 85° - 90° F. She has her "basking" area, her hides, everything seems alright.

She's very active, she soaks, she acts completely normal excluding the fact that I've tried to feed her a couple times and she hasn't eaten. She didn't appear completely uninterested in the mouse, but just didn't eat it.

The mouse kind of looked screwed up when I first got it, maybe there was something wrong with it. But she was INTERESTED in it, but just didn't make any moves.

I'll try a different mouse when I notice that she's gotten used to her new environment. Simple as that. She's not sick, I haven't changed the temps. She's simply a new snake adjusting to an environment outside of what she's used to. It's what I initially figured, I also figured that it'd be nice to get some other opinions and assurance.


Plus, this is a forum for people to get help/discuss their pets. Not a urinating contest. It's extremely unproductive to turn it into a fight when it's supposed to be help.

[rabernet]

Leda,

Not sure if you just read the same thread that I did, but there was no fighting, simply discussion.