possible impaction?!?!

[Whodinidunit]

Hey guys I have a little question and a little concern here. My BP (whodini) is too on a fast himself. the last meal I recall him eating was just before Christmas. So It is approaching the 6 month mark. <br>

I know it is normal for BP's to go on feeding strikes but what I find weird with him is he shows all the signs that he is hunting for food, always around his tank searching high and low. Very active. and even when I lower food in He'll come up to it in the stalkerish type manner like his sizing up but then at the last second turns away and goes the opposit direction. <br>

I have tried p/k, f/t, and live, small and medium rats but nothing changes. <br>

I took him to this lady here that runs a reptiel rehab called RARE here in western NY and she says he looks anemic and asks if he has pooped since the last feed. Honestly I do not remember if he did or not. About 2 hours later she called me and said "If he hasn't been going poop or anything then he might have a possible impaction.<br>

I notice he has been drinking alot of water lately and there are small amounts of urites found periodically when I spot clean. It's hard to tell with aspen bedding (I think I'm gonna have to change).<br>

I also just made a couple changes that I think may help in his feeding strike but unsure at the time.<br>

His tank used to be right next to my computer desk in my family/computer room, but it was a high traffic area I would say. However, he would hide until I sit down then he would pop his head out and look at me with this "Are you going to play with me look". Now his tank is moved to my unoccupied upstairs bedroom where my Hognose and sand boa tanks are. I know definately 2 sides are covered as it is right against the wall like that and he is on the opposite side of the room then my other 2 snakes.
The other change I made was I switched from a regular human heat pad from a drug store to a zoo med 10-20 gallon UTH. His tank is a 39 gal high not wide. <br>

His temps are 88-91 on the hot side and 77-80 on the cool side . humidity is contantly aounf 55-60% aspen bedding and hideson both sides with a small water dish.<br>

I was hoping that these changes might help him get off his strike. I did try putting him and his food and a small box for the duration I was moving his tank and stand but he did not seem to work at that time. <br>

I do have a vet appointment tommorrow Morning for him. So I guess I will have to wait and see. I do not feel any lumps on his underside that would indicate a blockage or impact. your thoughts?<br>

I also heard something about this newspaper trick. can someone give me more details and explination on this?

[Stewart_Reptiles]

To make it simple a BP that does not eat is a BP does not have anything to poop!

Newspaper trick is when you place some loose crumble newspaper in the enclosure which help the animal feel more secure.

As far as your BP not eating it can be seasonal, husbandry, stress related or due to over feeding.

How big is your BP and what type of prey did you offer prior to the fast?

Do you have 2 tight identical hides> (All sides touching your BP’s body)

Do you use a Digital thermometer/hygrometer?

How often do you handle your BP?

[Whodinidunit]

To make it simple a BP that does not eat is a BP does not have anything to poop!

Newspaper trick is when you place some loose crumble newspaper in the enclosure which help the animal feel more secure.

As far as your BP not eating it can be seasonal, husbandry, stress related or due to over feeding.

How big is your BP and what type of prey did you offer prior to the fast?

Do you have 2 tight identical hides> (All sides touching your BP’s body)

Do you use a Digital thermometer/hygrometer?

How often do you handle your BP?

The reasoning I was given was if it doesn't eat food it will begin to eat it's own body fat *shruggs*

His last meal was a small f/t rat, before that he was doing 1 to 2 med rats a week.

He is about 4.5 foot long and I am unsure of weight as I do not have a scale to weigh him on. I'll find that out tommorrow when I take him to the vet.

there are 2 hides: 1 is a broken red clay pot and the other is a rubbermaid container with a hole cut out (I do believe that one could be a little smaller).

I do handle him at least 2 times a week recently. I'll just put him around my neck and shoulders and proceed to do what i need to do in the house.

I have 1 digital thermometer on hot side and a dual digital/hydrometer on the cool side.

[Stewart_Reptiles]

before that he was doing 1 to 2 med rats a week.

That's a lot of food for a male, I would recommend feeding smaller preys in the future.

BP are known to fast to catch up.

Personnally I don't feed anything larger than 1 small rat (4 weeks old) once a week this allows me to have BP that eat with consistency.

[hoo-t]

I agree 100% with Deborah. If they don't eat, they don't poop. Yes, they'll use their body fat, but it doesn't end up as poop. Poop is undigested food (or rather food that is undigestible). Body fat was digested the first time around. The one thing I would add is that you should try an even smaller meal until you get him going again, then you can bump him up to a small. I would try a weanling rat. If that doesn't work try mice. When they don't eat for an extended time, their beneficial flora that aids in digestion dies off. A much smaller meal will be easier to digest, and get the flora going again. It sometimes seems that the snakes "know" this and seek out smaller prey items.

I have a male that has been on a fast since last september. A few weeks ago, I finally assist fed several mouse pinkies, yes, pinkies. The snake isn't going to get much out of those, except to rebuild the flora. He took a weanling rat last night. That was the first voluntary food since september!

Oh, couple other thoughts. Are you feeding late in the day? Balls are nocturnal, so sometimes feeding at night will help. Finally, weather can sometimes play a role. It was storming last night when my fasting snake finally ate.

Good luck!
Steve

[Whodinidunit]

Good News is it is not an impaction. vet said he is healthy and doesn't look anemic to him. He weighs 3.5lbs so I believe that 1590 grams. Doc says that part of the feeding strike is weather related because we livein Buffalo, NY and the weather can be bitter cold and nasty. The other part is he believes my snake is looking to mate.

but I did change his tank location and setup a little just last week, hopefully this new change will help. I will try the newspaper trick i hear people talk about as well..

[missi182]

Since you have moved him, try and give him a week or two of no handling or lay off the handling all together until he eats. I noticed you purchased a UTH, how are you controlling it? You don't want to deal with a burt belly as well as a hunger strike. UTHs reach well over 110 degrees without a control, which is why a digital thermometer with a surface probe right on the glass over the UTH is important.

When you do offer prey once a week - now that you have tried different prey, offer what he was eating before or slightly smaller (so a small rat) but don't keep changing it.

[Schlyne]

His temps are 88-91 on the hot side and 77-80 on the cool side . humidity is contantly aounf 55-60% aspen bedding and hideson both sides with a small water dish.<br>

I also heard something about this newspaper trick. can someone give me more details and explination on this?

Your temps seem too cool. Try bumping them up about 3 degrees for both sides and you may see a big improvement.

The newspaper trick is when you add more layers or crumpled balls of newspaper to the tank to provide more cover for the animal.

[Whodinidunit]

Since you have moved him, try and give him a week or two of no handling or lay off the handling all together until he eats. I noticed you purchased a UTH, how are you controlling it? You don't want to deal with a burt belly as well as a hunger strike. UTHs reach well over 110 degrees without a control, which is why a digital thermometer with a surface probe right on the glass over the UTH is important.

When you do offer prey once a week - now that you have tried different prey, offer what he was eating before or slightly smaller (so a small rat) but don't keep changing it.

I have he zoomed thermostat to control temp as well as I put in the zoomed cage carpet. help reduce the risk of burning