Hi

[Loosecannon]

Hi everyone I am new to owning snakes and have a question for you. I have 2 4 month old carpet Pythons and try and feed them every week but one of them is refusing to eat his fuzzy. The last time he ate was almost 3 weeks ago. I'm not sure how to get him to eat. Has anyone got any suggestions for me please

[Desirae]

Hey there, and welcome to the hobby! I still have a lot to learn, but I want to try and help you to the best of my abilities.

Make sure that your temps are not too low, as that can be a big influence to feeding and can inhibit appetite: especially now that the colder months are approaching in Australia.

If his weight is not dropping and he are is still drinking & passing urinates it doesn't seem to be too much of an issue. Refusing food is very common for many reasons. Keep an eye out for any unusual behaviour, but if your snake is still moving or sleeping normally then there shouldn't be a big problem.

When was the last time either of your pythons went through shed? Judging from how young they are, I assume that is either happened fairly recently or shall occur soon. This is another factor to consider.

As for suggestions for feeding, lots of people suggest a car ride because apparently the vibrations can stimulate their appetite haha.

Other ways include;
Leaving food in over night, braining or alternative prey items. If nothing has worked, a defrosted warm fuzzy can be left in his enclosure over night. Food thawed out in very warm/hot water can help by increasing the fuzzies body warmth. Thus, making is appear more alive.

Has your snake been eating fuzzies for a while now or is it a new transition? Maybe the one python is taking longer to become accustomed to the upgraded food.

~ Good luck with your scaly babie

[EL Ziggy]

Hi Loose,

Besides the car ride I agree with a lot of what Desirae said :). Double check your temps, make sure the animal isn't going into shed, and try to warm the fuzzy up to about 100F before serving. I use a hair dryer to super heat my thawed feeders. Leaving the feeder in overnight, braining, scenting, and alternative prey items are other good ideas. However if he's eating rat fuzzys I wouldn't offer a mouse. I'd just wait him out. If he's still being a bit stubborn try offering food every 2 weeks instead of weekly for a while. He should get back on track soon. Share pics of your carpets and setup when you can.

[Scubadiver59]

Welcome and glad to hear that there's another CP aficionado out there! I have a 6yr old male CP I took off someone's hands and he's been *ahem* fun to say the least...testy, always hungry, and messy. I look forward to hearing about your experiences bringing them up!

[tcarlow]

Any update/luck on this?