Male going off feed?

[Mike Cavanaugh]

Update.

Still no luck. Last night I put a live rat pup in overnight. Got excited when the rat was nowhere to be found this morning. BUT I lifted up the hide and the pup was sound asleep on top of the snake! It has now been 6 months. I had a crappy scale in the beginning of all this, and I believe he was either 1050 or 1100 grams. Now I have a good scale and he is weighing in at 950. he looks noticably skinnier.

So I should still just keep offering once per week? Only thing I haven't done yet Is move to a smaller tub. right now in a 32quart.


Mike

[Spaniard]

6 months of the current set up hasn't worked; I would definitely try moving him into a smaller tub. I used a 15qt, no hide, small water bowl. My male is a very small snake though so use your judgment in picking a smaller sized tub. You want it to be nice and snug but still leave enough room for the snake to be able to thermo regulate without a problem.

Thats what I would do but you could wait it out and monitor the weights. Its whatever you feel comfortable with in the end.

[Mike Cavanaugh]

at 950 grams I think a 15 quart would be too small. he wouldn't even have room to really be on one side or the other I don't think.

[littleindiangirl]

domestic rat or asf? try switching it up. we have a picky male that will eat asf's for weeks, then out right refuse them. we give him a domestic rat, and he starts eating those like they're going out of style.

[Mike Cavanaugh]

have tried both.

[Freakie_frog]

Ok here are somethings that has worked for me many times.

1: Offer a live mouse. I've had animals that wouldn't touch rats nail mice and then switch back to rats

2: cover the tub/tank for a week or so so that no light gets in then offer him a mouse late at night.

3: Take him for a car ride. I know its sounds weird but there's something about the vibration that will spur feeding in some animals.

4: The smaller tub is a good one to try with a P/K item

[dr del]

Hi,

As a tip to stop live prey irritating the snake and possibly putting it into defensive mode rather than feeding mode you can use a container tall enough the prey cannot get out and with a top opening that the snake can easily get in. As an added bonus that imitates a snake entering nest chamber in the wild - you can even put some bedding in to keep the prey animal happy with nibbles etc.

Try and use something stable though.


dr del

[greghall]

Mine went off for 3 months then fed for 3 weeks & went off again now for 2 months its frustrating but thats what they do! I don't worry any more about it.

[Mike Cavanaugh]

Ok, I switched him to a 15 quart sterilite tub that fits into one of my racks. no hide (there isn't room for him in that tiny tub AND a hide) and a small water bowl. He is on the top of the rack where it is warmest... hot side of 93 degrees

Will see how that goes. The next feeding attempt (in one week)... What size rat and how should I feed it? Should I get a live pup and drop it in the tub with him over night? Or should I hold a small live rat in front of his face and give up if he doesn't strike in a couple minutes??? Or should I drop a small live rat in the tub with him and check back in 5 minutes? I am assuming dropping the small rat in with him would be a bad idea... too cramped in there, it would probably just scare the hell out of him!

he was eating small live rats when he went off feed. in the 24 attempted feedings since he went off feed, probably half the time I offered normal rats, half the time I offered ASF's.

[Spaniard]

I would go for a live rat pup over night. Good luck man.

Edit: Maybe a hopper might be better, more movement to stimulate a strike, not sure about being able to leave one over night though.