Fasting?....

[Jazz6279]

Hi All,

Just wondering what time of the year is most popular for people's bp's deciding to start their fast (if they start at all) and not including when/if their being cooled for breeding?
Just curious :)

Fiona.

[mykee]

I started cycling all of my balls almost a month ago, and all but three (18) have gone off food. Last year, I did not cycle at all, and ALL of my balls went off food.

[daver676]

I have a 5-6 month old ball, which will stay at the same temps all winter. Can I expect a fast? I know it will vary with the snake, but I'm talking average here.

[BoidKeeper]

I'd say they normally stop anywhere from the last week of August to the first week of Setember and start again anywhere from mid March to even as late as June for one I used to have.
Cheers,
Trevor

[jfmoore]

Daver676 – My experience has been that spring/summer-hatched ball pythons that have been fed appropriately-sized meals once a week will USUALLY feed straight on through their first winter if kept at their normal temperatures. I suspect that many which are fed really large meals offered on an every-few-days basis in an attempt to achieve sexual maturity as quickly as possible are more likely to go on their first fast right off the bat during their first winter. I’m guessing, it’s their bodies telling them in effect, “hey – I must be two years old already.”

Of course, there are no guarantees. You could always get the oddball that seems to be on a schedule totally different from every other one in your collection.

-Joan

[mykee]

Joan, I've seen the exact opposite with my hatchlings. I have 6 hatchlings right now, and the two that are the largest, are continuing to eat through the others' fast. Must be a regional thing.....

[BoidKeeper]

All the BP's I've had that have been hatchlings have always eaten through their first winter. I guess I've been lucky too. It does seem more like it's the sexually mature ones that stop eating.
Cheers,
Trevor

[emroul]

Man, I just got a pair of het albino's and they haven't eaten for me yet, maybe it's the time of year? But they only ate once since hatching, so I don't see why they would want to stop... (They were just born the middle of October). All my other BP's are eating with no hesitation except those two little buggers. Frustrating.....

Jennifer