The scent of Rats..........

[Artemis]

So the snake wont eat, but its weirdo because when i offer he comes out, gets in position, and waits expectantly for me to feed him, when the food is already in there, right in front of his face. Whether I move it around or keep it totally still, he will get right up on it, tongue flick on it, but not actually strike at it....

So is this because he is still stressed from the move??? Or is it because im now getting my feeders from a different place and they dont smell quite like his food to him. I figured one rat would smell the same as any other, but deeper thought made me realize with a different diet and/or bedding prior to the gas chamber, they might not. After an HOUR of holding one in there trying to wait him out and hoping he would strike I pulled it out and im gonna try again in a few days, but its going on 5 weeks now he hasnt eaten, which hasnt happened before.

Is this more likely a time of year thing, or a new feeders thing, or what?? He sure acts hungry, but wont actually eat!! What gives?

Artemis

[BornboreD]

Rats smell like rats. Time of year most likely. If he seems really interested and is getting his nose right up to it and tongue flicking it with no strike, try this...........give him just a light tap on the nose with the rat. ;) My Albino's like that. I could stand there holding the rat all night and he won't take it, and if I move it around too much he shy's away from it. I always give him a few minutes to smell it and get all excited then I tap him on the nose, and strike and coil!! :)

Just an idea.....

Colin

**EDIT**

I don't mean a tap per say........I mean more like a slight nudge. KInda like the rat swayed in the breeze. :p

[marisa]

Sometimes mine completly ignore the rat in the tongs while still reacting to movement, acting like they want to eat badly. I either warm it up even hotter or they get skipped until next feeding.

Marisa

[Artemis]

I tried making it hotter, that didnt work. I didnt want to risk making it too hot and burning him, though. Also, I tried smacking him with it lightly also, and he DIDNT like it. Went straight back to his hide ;) being a sissy.

Marisa you might be right about movement, but he makes his S pose and always seems like he is just about to spring for it any second. After an hour, though, my hand actually got tired of holding the dagone thing so I gave up. Hopefully if I starve him out till next week he will change his mind....

:) Mykee looks like all those naysayers balking at my frequent feedings up till now can eat their words, huh. He wasnt getting fat, he was bulking up lol.

[marisa]

haha. I have a male 03 here, who when he wants to eat, he immediatly grabs the rat, and when he doesn't want to eat, he comes up to it, and moves around it to the right or left. When he does that, he won't eat that night. It's like his little refusal calling card even though to some he might still seem interested in eating.

Marisa

[BornboreD]

Yeah, a couple of mine do that from time to time. It's like they're peeking around the rat at you and sayin, "No, thanks. I'm fine". :)

Colin

[nita]

I agree with Marisa, I have some that do this too and they won't eat. I would think it is the time of year and the move. More that the move made him realize what time of the year it is!! The Het Pied I got for x-mas was eating great until Corey shipped him to me and now he has decided not to eat. My guess is that the slight drop in temps for the trip made the little guy realize it was winter and now he isn't eating for me but I'm not concerned he isnt' dropping weight or anything just curled comfy in his hide and seems to be waiting for spring. I still offer him food and last week he actually struck at his rat but then proceeded to ignore it. He'll come around, so will yours.

[Phrasty]

I know what your talking about, my girl used to just crawl all over the rats i gave her for abot 3 or 4 weeks and wouldnt eat. I forgot who told me but i stopped dangling the rat and started just dipping the head of the rat in pretty warm water for about a min or 2 and jsut drop it infront of her hide, now she seems to like that. hasnt refused once since then (knock on wood) she just comes out surveys it for a bit then drags it into her hide and there we go. what i also fond too that you should try, and this was also key. it was the time of day i fed, if she had come out for the night already she wouldnt eat, it had to be at twilight, right as night falls and right before she would come out. Hope this helps.. good luck

[jlsamsel]

I'll probably get my hand smacked for this but.......




My ball was always shy of rats no matter what the size. I can't tell you how many times he's refused rats in the past decade. Offer him a mouse though and he will come to life even if it's winter time. Now, I don't always fall back on this....only when he goes weeks and weeks without eating or he starts dropping weight. Think of it as an appetizer....just anything to get him in a frenzy. One mouse is usually enough to set him off to eat more and he's never not taken a rat afterwards.




Well, it's always worked for me:)

[Artemis]

JL thats not so terrible. Mine started on mice, which I know everyone says is a big no no too, but he switched ok for me. Some BPs arent as particular as others I dont think.

Thing is... everyone gives a different answer to the "how long is too long question" so I wont even ask it. But perhaps a better question is, Whats the longest a BP of yours has ever gone without eating?"

Im not stressing too bad yet- coming up on week 6..... Thats if he wont eat for me this week. He looks good. Not dehydrated or anything. I also think its possible he could be in shed. Do shed cycles slow down in the winter typically also?

Nita what you said makes a lot of sense, and I agree with you. All you guys made me feel better knowing im not the only one who has this problem. Spring is peeking its head out here, though. I think the groundhog lied. (at least I hope so)

Artemis

[marisa]

Eight one of my females has gone a year without food before without losing weight.

It was no biggie. Right now she is coming off another fast, since July. She is a large ball but only eats about four months of the year. She never looses weight during these fasts, only gains when she is feeding.

Marisa