Help my blood wont eat!!!!!!

[Heather06]

I have tried everything. We took her to the vet and they injected some hormones to make her eat, but even that wont work. Her cage is right, humidity and temp as well. She just wont eat. I have had her since Thanksgiving and we have had to resort to force feeding so that we would not lose her. PLease someone tell me how I can get her to eat on her own. I dont want to have to force feed her the rest of her life!!!:eek:

[SerpentLust]

How old/large is she? Is she noticeably under-weight?

Define "everything" as far as what you have tried to get her to eat.

[Paul_Begg]

If you could give a bit more info on the husbandry, that would be a help.
What food have you offered, more importantly where did you get it? have you talked to the people you got it from?
Cheers
Paul

[bassteck76]

If its an adult female you may just have to wait her out........if she is ovulating or is in a long winter fast there may not be much you can do until she picks back up on her own. I know of a breeder that had a female Ball go off of food for over a year.........then she just started eating again like nothing happened.

[SerpentLust]

My adult female spotted python is doing the long winter fast at the moment. She hasn't eaten since November. But I'm just watching her weight and body, she's fine.

[Heather06]

She is a blood python. She is about a year old. She looks to be in good weight and size. She isnt an adult yet so she should be eating. I have tried pinkies, fuzzies and hoppers?? I think that is what there called. I have tried both frozen and alive. I got her from a petland. When I got her the store said that she was eating, but I think that they lied to me, cause when I tried to feed her later on she wouldnt.

[Paul_Begg]

Can you post a pic of your set up, including the temps.
Cheers
Paul
how long have you had it for?

[gonesnakee]

A year old Blood Python should be eating adult mice or small rats for starters. What prey did they say it was feeding on & at what frequency? I have NEVER EVER heard of ANYONE EVER injecting a snake with hormones to try & get it to eat. I have been working with/breeding snakes since 1999 & most all of my friends breed snakes as well. I would seriously be questioning this vet & their worthiness of treating your snake. Explain all husbandry in full detail for starters & we can go from there. More often than not it is a husbandry issue & can be corrected. Mark

[Heather06]

I know she should be eating on her own adn adult mice, but she wont. She willl only let us give her the next size down. My camera is broken right now. He temp is good and humidity, I know that already I check it all everyday. Her weight is fine and her color as well. She is very happy and healthy other than she wont eat on her own. She sheds well and has a very good temper for a blood python.

[bassteck76]

Well "IF" all is good on the keeping side..............sounds like she may just be on an extended winter holiday..........All you can do is keep trying and a trip to the vet would hurt just to rule out any unseen issues.

[gonesnakee]

Still haven't stated what is considered "good" in reguards to temps etc. one persons idea of good can be totally wrong for what is proper. Also haven't stated previous feeding history or described the setup. Its nice to "assume" everything is being done right, just like we like to "assume" the vet knows what they are doing. The only way to help for sure is to know all of the facts on husbandry & history. There is a reason why the snake isn't eating & it isn't very likely because everything is "good". Cage size & type? Hot side & cold side temps? Hides, what & where located? Heat source? Substrate? Cage location? etc. etc. the more details given the more help you can recv. For you to just say its all good, well I guess there is nothing wrong then so no one here can help then either ;) Mark

[Dark Wyvern]

I have NEVER EVER heard of ANYONE EVER injecting a snake with hormones to try & get it to eat.

I agree that it should be eating larger food items. I don't know how often Bloods fast, but if her size is ok, maybe you should allow her to fast and NOT force feed her for awhile. I have heard of vets injecting snakes with chemicals/hormones to induce appitite, but they don't usually do it unless the snake has been fasting for very long. If she is a GOOD wieght, she should be able to fast on her own a while, maybe you should leave her the heck along for a month or so , no handling, no feeding, just change the paper and water and keep everything to a minimum.

What does "she will let us give her" the smaller size mean? she won't let you force feed her large prey?
have you tired chopping up larger prey and feeding them half at a time? maybe the size intimidates her. Soaking prey in chicken broth, braining and cutting up prey are all options. A very gruesome option is braining a live mouse, but even I haven't tried that, since all my snakes have never fasted to that extreme and they prefer FT anyways.

Before you resort to force feeding, you need to make sure her cage is ideal and that she feels secure, and allow her a few weeks AT LEAST to just chill and have no distractions. If she is losing weight rapidly or showing ribs, take her to another good herp vet and see if they can do antyhing different. Rememebr that force feeding and vet trips are VERY stressful, and she may just be afraid. give her time.

[gonesnakee]

Really? I'll have to ask around about that some more. Like I said I've never heard of it before. I have seen them inject fluids etc. but not anything to stimulate appettite. My one friend (another breeder) has heard/seen that Flagyl (used orally basically used to kill internal parasites etc.) will stimulate appettite but it may just have to do with the fact that it removes the nasties & makes the snake feel better overall, thus wanting to eat again. Any idea on what exactly is injected? Not saying that they never do or anything just that I have never heard of it nor have my other breeder friends. I know a breeder that is also a vet tech I'll have to remember to ask her about it. There is always lots to be learned. Cheers Mark