BP Won't eat

[Wolfus_305]

Hi there,
I've had this BP since September. That is the last time he ate. He is about 6 years old and 4 feet long. He is still pretty chubby and doesn't appear to be losing weight. He is fairly active at night and quite often I see him drinking his water. His humidity levels are even and within the range that people on this site suggested for his breed. His temps on both hot and cool sides are within the proper ranges. He has hides on both sides of his habitat and a branch shaped like a triangle to climb on.
He is supposed to eat f/t large rats. I've tried that once a month since I purchased him and he still won't eat. I was just wondering if anybody has any tips for me. Anything from how to thaw the rat to how to feed my BP.
Thanks so much!
Kenny

[Kmef07]

I thaw my rats by getting the hottest water i can out of the sink and filling a cup up with that water then i cover the top of the cup with a paper towel and let sit for about 45 mins the water is still really warm when i pour it out.

a couple tricks i've heard is to put the mouse in a brown paper bag inside the snakes cage and let it sit over night and sometimes the snake will just crawl in and eat it. it is supposed to simulate a burrow. your snake depending on how big might need some other type of bag. lol

if all else fails try feeding live. but bps are really picky eaters my breeder once told me of one of his that didn't eat for about 1.5 years. it lost some weight but overall it was healthy he still has it about 3 years later and it is really healthy and has never had a problem feeding again.

others will have a lot more tips im sure this forum is great for info on bps.

[dexter 1988]

Hi there,
I've had this BP since September. That is the last time he ate. He is about 6 years old and 4 feet long. He is still pretty chubby and doesn't appear to be losing weight. He is fairly active at night and quite often I see him drinking his water. His humidity levels are even and within the range that people on this site suggested for his breed. His temps on both hot and cool sides are within the proper ranges. He has hides on both sides of his habitat and a branch shaped like a triangle to climb on.
He is supposed to eat f/t large rats. I've tried that once a month since I purchased him and he still won't eat. I was just wondering if anybody has any tips for me. Anything from how to thaw the rat to how to feed my BP.
Thanks so much!
Kenny

try alive one or put your bp and a f/t rat in a brownpaper bag this is info i got off google i have never try it my self.:freakedout:

[Wolfus_305]

Thanks so much!
I'll try that and let you know what happens!
Kenny

[herpocrite27]

Hey Wolfus, my BP went off feed during the start of this winter, I was so frustrated. I was feeding her medium rats once a week, but then on day, she refused to eat them. I tryed for a month to get her to eat them, but nothing worked. I then tried feeding her 2 large mice and she took them without hesitation. If the rats dont work you might want to try it. Good luck

[Wolfus_305]

When I got him he was eating f/t large rats. He would go up to it, look interested and then it would still be there in the morning and he would be curled up in one of his hides. He has shed once since I got him but that was a while ago and it went smoothly. I tried medium rats (i was shocked at the size difference). Do you think I should try small rats/large mice?
Kenny

[Aaron_S]

Don't go to a smaller size. Kepp with the large rats and you have to make sure that the rat is very warm when you goto offer it. You also can't just toss it in the cage and hope he eats it. You should dangle it, make it kinda look like it's still alive. Use tongs.

[Wolfus_305]

I put the rat in a ziploc bag (I don't like the feeling of wet rat fur). Then I put that in a bowl and soak it in warm-hot water until it's warm on the outside. Then I pour out the water and put in warmer-hotter water and wait until the rat is mushy-ish (the inside is no longer frozen). I don't thaw the rat in the same room as my BP, should I try that or will it not really make a difference? When the rat seems thawed and warm all the way through I place it in my BP's habitat and wiggle it around using tongs. The front of my BP's habitat is all glass so I do my best to stand to the side so that he can't see me. I feed him around 11PM and I make sure that the house is quiet and nobody is walking around in the room with my BP's habitat. I leave his red heat light on and I turn out the rest of the lights that shine into/are in the room with his habitat. After an hour, sometimes an hour and a half I will stop wriggling the rat and place it on a piece of driftwood that his previous owner used for feeding him. I will usually go back a while later and if it's still there I will move it around for another little while but eventually I've got to go to sleep. I will try feeding him again this Friday night (I can't be up too late during the week because of school). Thank you for all your advice. Wish me luck!
Kenny :)

[citysnakes]

do you know the weight of the large size rats that you are trying to feed him?

[Wolfus_305]

Mkay, I did some searching and pulled out my scale.
The rats are around 216g each. They are 9" long (excluding tail) and 6" around the middle (when frozen). My BP is 4 feet long and just judging by eyesight (since I didn't want to stress him out by taking him out of his habitat to measure him) he is about 7-10" around the middle. Let me know if there's any more info you need.
Kenny

[Chu'Wuti]

he is about 7-10" around the middle

Kenny, is that a circumference or a diameter? What is his diameter--the approximate distance across his middle? What's the rat's diameter?

Can you weigh the BP?

Try thawing the rat out right over/near/in the enclosure. Then heat the head of the rat very thoroughly to create a strong heat signature immediately before you try offering the rat.

[Wolfus_305]

the 7-10" was an approx. circumference.
he is 8" circumference. 1/5" diameter (approx)
and he weighs 600g give or take 50 due to hiw constant squirming.
The rats are approx. 1" diameter (when frozen, so they are kind of lop sided) and 5"-6" circumference

[citysnakes]

if you were to use Mykee's rule when feeding your bp then a 216g rat is definitely too big for your adult male that weighs 600g and a rat in between the 60g-90g range may be a more suitable meal. some ball pythons may feel intimidated by a prey item that is too large and will refuse it. its an idea but aside from double checking all your husbandry and making corrections, offering a smaller sized rat may help get your bp to eat.

[jimbousmc]

if the snake was taken from the wild often during the winter months it will not feed, and i dont suggest trying a different animal then you are feeding your snake as snakes tend get a taste for a different animal and may never go for your rats again. also if you put some tuna oil on the rat it sometimes helps them to eat. but if not dont worry your snake will be fine and eating again once it warms up. i would suggest asking your friend whom you recieved the snake if it was captive bred or taken from the wild. as it isnt a common trait for captive bred not to eat for to long of periods but they will still go shorter periods. i have even heard of people giving them some kind of supplement to make them wanna eat though i have never tried this but it might be worth looking into

[Wolfus_305]

I will try the smaller rats I have. I can weigh them when i get home from school today.
Checked all his humidity, heat, uv, water etc. and they seem to be fine. My bp was captive bred. I will try feeding again this Friday using all the tips I have gotten. Thank you so much. I will let you know what happens!

[siz]

Good luck, Kenny!

[Chu'Wuti]

1/5" diameter (approx) uhhh . . . I'm confused . . . a fifth of an inch in diameter? If he weighs 600 gm, which is close to twice that of my young BP, then yours should be quite a bit more than a fifth of an inch d. Mine's about 1.5 inch d (one and one-half inches); that's an estimate, as he's in his hide digesting a nice meal right now.

sounds like you've got a good plan, though, for your next feeding effort. When you are ready to offer the rat, heat the head a little extra by holding it under hot running water for several seconds to create a strong heat signature (you can do this while it's still in the plastic bag). It also gets a little blood flowing which can help with an appetizing scent for the BP. Then offer the rat to your snake.

Hang in there!

[Kmef07]

chu i was eating when i read the thing about the blood flowing in the dead rat. needless to say i threw the rest of my burger away lol. but i think he meant that it is 1.5 and just hit the next key over on the keyboard.

[Wolfus_305]

HAH ok a few items of discussion:
1- I meant 1.5 but accidentally hit the / key instead. I'm horrible at editing.
2- I am a she not a he. Kenny is short for Kendra.
3- I happened to be eating too, guess I learned a lesson: don't eat at the computer.
Thanks again for all the help everybody has given me. I will be sure to update you late Friday/early Satuday.
Kenny

[Chu'Wuti]

i was eating when i read the thing about the blood flowing in the dead rat. needless to say i threw the rest of my burger away

OMG! ROFLLMAO!!!

Sorry, lady and gent! Yep, the lesson is don't eat at the computer when you're reading stuff on sSnakeSs!

Although, having had kids discuss road kill at the dinner table (and having dealt with all the other associated gross things having to do with raising kids), nothing much bothers me nowadays. I eat/read/type/eat . . . no problem!

Even the snot regurg on another thread was pretty funny (though I can see why it would be worrisome, too, of course!)

[Wolfus_305]

Wow! You are the ultimate multi-tasker!!
Mhhmm. I read that thread. I have no idea what it could be but it was interesting to read it just so that I know what can happen and then how to solve it after people reply to it.

[siz]

lol sorry Kendra!! :)

[Kmef07]

sorry kendra that is an awesome name why would u use it to kenny. i had an old friend named kenny and he was a dirtbag.

that was my thread on the snot-like regurg. i can say now thought that my snake was out all night last night and i am waiting till tonight to feed it and no regurg today.

[Wolfus_305]

It just sorta happened. A few years ago in gr. 9 somebody called me Kenny and it stuck.
My parents and a few people still call me Kendra. People also call me Drew, as in Kendrew,which is another nickname that got shortened.

It's nice to hear that your snake was out and about! Hopefully feeding will go well!!

[Chu'Wuti]

I guess I'll have to check back tomorrow to hear how the feeding went!

[Wolfus_305]

Yup, But I will definitly let everybody know.
Everybody has been so helpful and kind and I would like to genuinely thank everybody who has offered advice.
"Thank you"
Kenny :)

[Wolfus_305]

Mkay, an update so far:
I am heating up the rat now. I am using warm water and then when it starts to thaw I will use hotter water. I personally don't like pouring really hot water onto something (anything) frozen, I like to warm it up first. Wolfus has been periodically out and about tonight so I'm thinking this is going to go well! =]
I'll keep you posted!
Kenny

[Kmef07]

hey good luck.

[Wolfus_305]

Ok, I've been wriggling the rat since a few minutes after my last post. It doesn't seem to be fooling Wolfus. I have had a rough night. My bird, Paullie has sadly passed away and it came to us a quite the shock because he was chirping and bathing this morning. I will leave the rat in for another little while to see if he takes it. If not I'll try again soon.
Kenny

[Wolfus_305]

I am tired and giving up for tonight. The muscles used for wiggling a rat are getting tired so I'm going to have fabuloud definition in one arm. Wolfus has crossed from the hide on the warm side of his habitat, to the cool hide on the other side and back again. Giving the rat no more than a glance and the occassional flicking of his tongue. I ran the top third of the rat under hot water from the tap several times to keep in nice 'n' hot incase Wolfus was interested. The rat doesn't look very big next to him at all. It is definitly smaller in diameter and circumference than he is. Oh well. Maybe next time, right? Unless there are any other tips that could help me.
G'night...or shall I say good very early morning,
Kenny

[Chu'Wuti]

Wow, what a rough day you've had. I'm so sorry about your loss of Paullie. I wonder what could have happened? You must feel devastated. And then to have your darned snake refuse to eat . . . arrrrrghgh!

Hang in there, Kenny.

[Aaron_S]

Since it's a dead rat you could attempt to just leave it outside his hide box over night and maybe he'll take it that way.

[Wolfus_305]

Thanks Chu.
Yeah, we aren't sure what happened to Paullie. Maybe he was older than the people who previously owned him said he was. The vast majority of our pets have stories. We got Paullie because his previous owners were just going to put him out on the street. We got Spike (a beardie) because he was unhealthy looking and being constantly held, poked and prodded at a pet store.

Aaron: I usually leave the rat in just to see if he'll take and every morning I wake up, come downstairs and take a cold, smelly rat out of his habitat. This morning was no different. I leave it on some driftwood outside his hide below and slightly to the left of his heatlight hoping that maybe that will keep it sort of warm during the night, incase Wolfus decides he's interested in it.

Kenny

[herpocrite27]

Wolfus I really think you should try feeding him two large mice. I went through the same thing you are now. Mine was eating rats no problem, and now he wont eat anything but large mice. It's worth a shot, mice are cheap and a smaller meal is better than no meal. I take my snake and put her in a large cardboard box, with the flaps of the box closed, so its dark in there. Then I take the mouse by the tail and thump it on the head, so that its twitching and set it in the box with the snake.
If this doesent work try doing the same thing, but use a live mouse. I would try not to make a habbit of feeding it live rodents, because they could injure your snake. But mice are not as likely to hurt your snake, like a rat would. Sometimes snakes will only eat live. But try the method of the thumped mouse first.

[Wolfus_305]

Mmmm, I will probably try the mouse thing next weekend.
Thank you for the advice.
Are there reasons that a snake that has been eating f/t rats (mice when it was little) all it's life will suddenly decide it won't eat f/t any more? Husbandy, new setting maybe?
Kenny

[Kmef07]

i dunno but thumping the mouse on the head is an interesting thing. they twitch for a while and then seem to regain their composure and start acting somewhat normal. when i had my bp i had to put a mouse in a plastic bag and hit the whole thing against a wall a good 3-4 times to get the thing to die. they are incredibly hardy animals. it was really sad though i felt like i was making it suffer. but fortunatly for my snake i like it better than the mice so i was willing to do that.

[Aaron_S]

Kyle, you weren't hitting the rodent hard enough. If it toko 3 - 4 whacks before it finally died you need to put my swing into your arm. To echo someone else from this forum, we should all respect the feeder just as much as we respect the animal that is going to eat them. If you can't kill a rodent with one swing then you shouldn't be doing it. You to need to get it in one try so as the animal doesn't suffer and "come to" as you stated.

[citysnakes]

just allowing the snake to kill whatever type of live rodent you are feeding it is much more humane than whacking it against anything any number of times.

honestly guys, feeding live rodents to your snakes is not as dangerous as everyone seems to think. its not hard to do it safely and responsibly or in other words properly.

[Wolfus_305]

I agree with Julian. I don't think I could whack a mouse. I know some people who don't agree with me trying to feed frozen because they don't think it was a natural way for the rodents to die...I would rather have f/t or have my bp kill whatever live prey I offer him. I think as long as you are responsible and don't put a large live rat in with a small snake everything will work out fine.

[Aaron_S]

I think Julian was referring to ensuring you supervise the feeding and not just the size of prey item vs size of predator. I've done live feedings. Quite a few and I don't mind doing it. I just prefer not to. All it takes is one bite to your snakes eye and it's gone. Nobody is fast enough to intervene before it happens.

[Kmef07]

It was only one that i had to hit 3-4 times and i put it in a plastic bag and smacked it into the wall really hard. I'm not a wuss and am pretty athletic and i pitch in baseball so i know that arm is not weak. after it took that long to kill that one i just made a CO2 chamber and killed them that way. it was just weird that they keep twitching. and when it actually started moving again it freaked me out. im all about being humane and killing them fast but it just wouldn't die.

[Wolfus_305]

Oh, ok...that makes me feel better! =]
I like baseball, I prefer playing it to watching it though!
How did you make your CO2 chamber?
Mhmm. The twitching would freak me out too!

[Smilts]

a large metal ice cream scoop to the back of the head and neck seems to kill very affectivly.

[Kmef07]

i found it on a website Instructables - Make, How To, and DIY (http://www.instructables.com) it is a website that has a ton of different things to build just search co2 chamber. its really quite cool.

[Wolfus_305]

Coy: oh man I made the mistake of eating breakfast at the computer while checking ssnakess.

Kyle: ooo sounds pretty cool!!

[jimbousmc]

cmon guys its not that gross and trust me you dont wanna know what ive eatin over lol. it really isnt that bad.

[Wolfus_305]

It's not gross, it's just kind of depressing that the first thing I read in the morning was about whacking mice.
In the morning I have enough trouble just eating breakfast before school because it's so early. Once I've had the chance to wake up it takes a lot to gross me out.
Kenny

[lanalizard]

I dont want to disappoint you but I once had a BP that didnt eat for 18 months. Then i had a baby and gave him to a friend, he then force fed him and then he started eating again.

But i do agree with the other posts and try a live mouse. Or even a gerbil! Gerbils work well for that.

[Wolfus_305]

Hi everybody,
Ok I tried feeding Wolfus again last night. I thawed the rat same as usual and when it was nice and thawed and heated i ran just the head under very hot water to try to obtain a good heat signature. I wiggled it for a bit and then gave up and went to bed.
When I woke up the rat was still there. *sigh* 7 months and no food.
Kenny

[Chu'Wuti]

Kenny, is Wolfus acting like he's hunting at all? I wonder if you need to change things around in his habitat to stimulate him a bit.

Are you trying to feed him in his enclosure, or are you taking him out to feed?

[Wolfus_305]

Define: hunting.
He's usually out and about in his enclosure around 11pm. Also my dad works shifts and says he's moving around like crazy usually around 2am.
He's still drinking and occasionally he's sitting in the water.
His enclosure is still set up the way his previous owner had it set up. I would be willing to change it around a bit to persuade him to eat.
Kenn

[Chu'Wuti]

he's moving around like crazy usually around 2am.

How difficult would it be for you to get up and try to feed him then? It might kick-start his appetite . . .

I wonder why my BP comes out earlier than yours? Maybe just different personalities. but maybe something about the habitat or your environment around it is affecting him. Where do you have the enclosure located in the room? Is there a lot of activity in that room from about 7 p.m. until close to 11?

Tell us what tricks you have tried so far to get him to eat--in all their gross detail! LOL

[citysnakes]

hey Kendra was the previous owner feeding f/t? and can you give us all the details about your enclosure?

also next time you leave the f/t rat inside the enclosure overnight, put it inside one of the hides. this has worked for me a few times so maybe it will be worth a shot.

[Wolfus_305]

Chu: from your first post --> I am feeding him in his enclosure because that's what his previous owner said she was doing. He was located in her room with plenty of activity. currently he is in my "office" area. I am usually typing homework with just an over-desk lamp light on until around 9:30-10. This room is quieter than most of our house since the puppy isn't allowed in this room. Wolfus' habitat has sliding front glass doors...now complete with a lock. The top is solid (well it's not clear, it's wood) The tank is located on a wrap around counter under a windosill. The room is nice and light during the day, due to one window (above his habitat) and one window on the other side of the room. he is not getting direct sunlight though. He has a heat light (a red one...does that make a difference) on one side of his habitat and all along the back is a nice long UV light. The heat light is on all the time, since our house is pretty cool and being under a window that area is a bit cooler. The UV light is currently on from 7am - 8pm (i think that's pretty close to what the natural light here is right now). I have not changed anything about his habitat since I purchased him in september. In fact I am still using the same waterdish. I give him room temperature water every morning (since that's when I look after the rest of my pets before school) I mist him (not on him, but in the enclosure) usually around 7 or 8pm to keep the humidity between 50 and 60%. When I mist the enclosure I mist the walls of it and lightly spray the substrate so that it is not wet. Right now the temps are Hot side = 86F and cool side = 76F. The 2am thing won't work for me on a regular basis. I go to school monday to friday and I work tuesday, thursday, saturday. That leaves me with minimal time for sleep. On a weekend I would probably be able to get up around that time and thaw a rat as long as I have something to keep me entertained. Maybe that's what I will try when I next attempt feeding him.

Julian: Yes. Wolfie's previous owner was feeding "large f/t rats" She even showed me her bag of rats for him when I went to look at him. The ones I buy look the same. I have been told to try a smaller size. I Went down to medium but he still didn't want 'em.

When do you think is a good time to try feeding him again? I was told (by his previous owner) to wait a while between feedings so that he doesn't think that food is every night. "he is supposed to eat when you offer him food, don't spoil him."

Thanks so much,
Kendra

[Chu'Wuti]

OK, first of all, you have no need for the UV light. Lizards need UV radiation, but snakes (at least all of them I know of) do not. If you want a light on to mimic daylight/for you, that's fine, but it doesn't need to a fancy/expensive UV bulb.

Second of all, one of the problems may be your temps.

The ambient air temperature throughout the enclosure should be about 80-85F (27-29 C)-during the day. The hot side or basking area should be kept at 90-95F (32.5-35 C). At night, the ambient air temperature on the coolest side may be allowed to drop down no lower than 73-75F ( 23-24 C) only if a basking area of at least 80F (27 C) remains available.

My BP did not start eating until I brought the temps up to these ranges. From what Mykee, Aaron_S, and Julian have explained, BPs cannot digest a meal properly unless the temps are high enough. Your BP may instinctively know that he won't be able to digest properly because he isn't quite warm enough.

So try raising your temps--monitoring closely to ensure they stabilize where they should be. Also be sure there is good padding between your BP and the heat source for your hot side. After a few days of increased temps, try offering food again.

Good luck!

BTW, I finally decided to toss out the "don't spoil him" advice and feed mine when he acted ready to eat, because I was really concerned about his weight. I decided I'd rather have him alive & growing as he should be even if he is eating "too often" by some arbitrary standard rather than dead because I refused to feed him when he acted hungry if it was in between the "set" feeding days.

He finally began eating really well at the beginning of March--eating rats, which he had previously refused. Now that he's eating regularly, he's gaining weight again. I'm feeding him about every 5 days average, but his meals are a little small (I haven't been able to get rats right at 10% of his body weight--I have some rats that are about 6-7% of my BPs weight and some that are about 13.5-15%, and he will only eat one at a time). Once he's put on some weight and I have him eating what he should for one good meal (10% of body weight per Mykee), then I'll space out his feedings more.

[Wolfus_305]

The Uv light came with the tank so its not something that i went and specifically purchased.
The heat light is surrounded by a cage so he can't wrap around it. what do you think the best way to raise the temps would be?
Kenn

[Chu'Wuti]

First, put your hand on the window--is it cold? That can be a source of significant cooling of your tank. Even room temp (normal for humans) can cool off a snake's enclosure too much. Moving the tank away from the window is possibly one solution.

Alternatively, or even in addition to moving the tank, you might add insulation all across the back of the tank and the two ends to help reduce heat transfer.

Another would be a UTH--Can you get one? You could add that to one end, near your basking lamp, to increase the temp in that area. Adding insulation under the UTH can help direct heat up into the tank, too.

Do you have a thermostat? Using a thermostat can help regulate your heat, though if all the light & heat devices are on full strength, you won't be able to increase their output. That means adding another device, which is why I mentioned the UTH. However, in the summer, you may find his enclosure getting too hot, and then a thermostat would be very important to prevent cooking your BP.

I realize I'm talking about $$ devices, but it may be important for your BP's health.

If I can think of any other solutions, I'll let you know.

[Wolfus_305]

What is a UTH and where can I get a good quality one? Where could I get and how would I use a thermostat for his enclosure? I think there are pictures of his enclosure in my profile somewhere.
The back wall and two ends are styrofaoamy insulation covered in foam insulation covered in grout...to make it look like rock. The window is not warm but it isn't significantly cooler either.
Would a stronger heat light do the trick?
Thanks again for all your help.
Kendra

[siz]

UTH = Under Tank Heater. ZooMed makes a good one and you can get it from pretty much any pet store that sells reptiles/ZooMed products. Just ask and they can probably order one.

[Wolfus_305]

Mkay, thank you!

Chu: Just to let you know...because I asked about a stronger light in a previous post the one I am using now is 75 watts. That's what his previous owner had.

Kendra

[Chu'Wuti]

You can buy stronger heat lamps. There are ceramic heat emitters that are 150 watts. However, a UTH would be better. You use a thermostat by plugging the UTH or other heat source (or both) into it and programming the temps you want into it, then it maintains the temps for you. There are reptile thermostats.

On another thread, Mykee said this: Check out Spyder Robotics Herpstat (http://spyderrobotics.com/products/herpstat.html)
The Herpstats are the standard for reptile thermostats with a few different options for different set-ups. I currently have a pair of Herpstat II's and five Herpstat Pro's in use.

The Herpstats are pretty expensive, though. If you want something less expensive, ZooMed makes thermostats that work well for a single enclosure: Entry Detail (http://www.zoomed.com/db/products/EntryDetail.php?EntryID=125&DatabaseID=2&SearchID=3&SearchContext=YTo1OntzOjg6IlNlYXJjaElEIjtzOjE6IjMi O3M6MTA6IkRhdGFiYXNlSUQiO3M6MToiMiI7czo4OiJLZXl3b3 JkcyI7czoxMDoidGhlcm1vc3RhdCI7czo4OiJTZWFyY2hfeCI7 czoyOiIyMyI7czo4OiJTZWFyY2hfeSI7czoyOiIxOCI7fQ==)

Search around for prices at various places. Good luck!

BTW, I should add that if the window feels cooler at all to your hand, then it's probably a bigger difference than you think and it's sucking heat from your snake's enclosure. To be sure, you could put a thermometer in the window. The insulation should help some, but as the ambient temp in the room is lower than the enclosure and you have one glass wall with no insulation, you're still always losing heat. Getting a UTH & maybe also a stronger lamp with a thermostat should help a lot.

[Wolfus_305]

Thanks so much!
I will look into that immediately!
Kenn

[citysnakes]

kendra, if you could raise the temperature a few degrees by upping to a 100w heat bulb then that should be fine.

[Wolfus_305]

Hey Julian,
Ok, I will try that and see how it works. If it doesn't work I will research and invest in a UTH and thermostat.
Kendra

[newby]

Also winter/spring is breeding season for BP's so if he isnt losing weight hes ok. Just keep and eye on him and make sure he is hydrated and all that good stuff. He could also be getting ready to shed here soon as well. so keep and eye for that and if he isnt losing weight like i said he will be fine.

[Chu'Wuti]

Newby, just in case you haven't read through the entire thread, Kenny is concerned because her BP hasn't eaten since last September, about 7 months. You have a good point about weight loss, though . . . Kendra? Has your BP lost weight since September?

Sandy

[newby]

no i didnt get a chance to get to read all the way through. i was in a hurry and i read the first few posts. umm my vet told me once that balls have been known in rare cases to go up to a year without eating and be ok. he said to just make sure you do regular vet visits when they are in this fasting stage to make sure there is no parasites or other underlying problems. i just got off the phone with him about it. so as long as the snake is a healthy weight and the vet cant see anything wrong with the snake there isnt much more you can do but keep an eye on him and hope he resumes eating. also he said that sometimes the snake can become gender specific with their prey. he said sometimes they will only eat males or females. he doesnt know why that happens all he knows is that it isnt uncommon for a snake to do that. i hope this helps a little.:)

[Chu'Wuti]

Wow--that's really interesting information! I have never heard of that happening, but I can easily imagine it, as I'm sure the males & females smell quite different.

It's also good to know they can fast so long without great harm, but it's weird. Like Kendra, I'm on my first BP, so learning this kind of info is really good. I've been feeling pretty fortunate, as my BP doesn't seem to be as sensitive or picky as some BPs I've heard about here!

[Wolfus_305]

*sigh* yes, wolfus is a picky fella.
I have been trying not to handle him because "they tolerate it, they don't like it" and i didn't want to stress him out. I am working tonight but if i don't get home too late I could weigh him. Just from appearance though (sometimes i'm up late enough to see him) he doesn't look sickly and thin.
Kendra

[newby]

he should be fine i have had many reptiles and i have a really good vet that i go to so i get a lot of help. i mean my snake went a couple of months without eating and i just monitored his weight and made sure his temps and stuff were good. they will eat when they are hungry enough. there slow metabolism is what keeps them alive through a fasting period like that. umm they will lose a litlle weight during that period but it shouldnt be dramatic. just make sure you take him to the vet regularly when you can to make sure he is ok. good luck and i hope i have been of some help.

[newby]

also i forgot to mention try a different color mouse/rat different gender as well. i know i told you the gender thing but try color too. and try to handle the prey as little as possible because it gets ur smell on there and then he will think its you. also it can have a reverse effect and make your hand smell like the prey and he can attack you. so just be careful when doing all that.

[Chu'Wuti]

they will eat when they are hungry enough. Maybe, but we can't guarantee that--some refuse until they die. I don't think you're there yet, Kendra--not by a long shot--so don't panic.

Newby has a good point about color--some snakes will only eat one color, it seems.

[newby]

yeah srry if i made it sound like it was gauranteed that he will eat when he is hungry. it is true that some will not and starve to death. im srry i didnt make that clearer thanks Chu for clearing that up:)

[Wolfus_305]

Hi there,
ok, So far I have been using white rats, i haven't checked the gender though. His previous owner used white rats as well. I handle the rat as little as possible because i don't want it to smell like me and I don't want to smell like it. =P I have tried thawing the rat in a bag so that it stays dry and i have also had the bag leak so he's had the option of dry and slightly damp rats.

I was sort of worried about it at first but now that it's been seven months i am just sort of shrugging it off. It's not that i don't care it's just that it's sort of what i'm expecting now. My mum is the one worrying about Wolfus.

I don't have a herp vet. I haven't been able to find a "good" one in my area. I am still looking around though but for now it's this forum.

Thanks again! you guys are my heroes!
Kendra

[citysnakes]

hey Kendra, i wouldnt add uneccessary stress by taking a healthy, fasting snake to a vet. just keep the handling to a minimum like you are doing, get those temps slightly raised and make sure the snake has at least one tight fitting hide on each end of the enclosure.

try feeding attempts once a week and only at night and be sure to prescent the area before feeding. i would stick to white rats and keep them on the smaller side. at this point keep your options open and if you need to try a live feeding or even a different type of feeder, such as a f/t or live mouse, then do it.

trust me i know how much this sucks. i am going through the same thing with an extremely picky female that has refused every feeding attempt for eight months now. im starting to hate her...

good luck

[Chu'Wuti]

OK, Julian, Kendra, whatever you do, do NOT put those two snakes together to breed them--can you imagine what their offspring would be like . . . OMG!

All kidding aside, I know it's frustrating. I started to feel as if I was just wasting money by thawing out a rat, trying to feed it, then having to throw it away . . . week after week . . .

Just think--one of these days they WILL eat--and you're both going to be so thrilled!

[Wolfus_305]

Hahah yes Chu, that would be awful!!

Finally! Somebody else going through the same thing for this long!

I can't imagine how excited I'll be when he actually eats! I will stick to white rats and I will try smaller ones. I will raise the temps too. I have ever only fed at night. 11pm or later is when i try to feed him but i need to get to bed.

Kendra

[citysnakes]

i dont even want to imagine those little baby balls from hell!:no:

i know Sandy, i hate to throw away f/t feeders that have been refused. to me its the same as throwing out food and its such a waste. when i do have refused feeders though, some lucky snake gets double meat that night.

ya Kendra some nights i cant stand feeding so late because of early morning classes the next day. damn nocturnal beasts...

[HMT]

Just my two cents..

feeding live isn't that bad of an option. I know a lot of people are opposed to it, but my snake has been far healthier on live mice than he ever was on frozen- the stores near me were not selling reliable frozen mice, and eventually admitted that their freezer "had problems" and was thawing/ refreezing the contents repeatedly. Some of the mice I bought were so rancid that the snake refused to go near them. And their live mice were in horrible condition. For lack of a better option, I began breeding my own prey items for him. I do not kill my mice-- it is far quicker and more merciful to allow the snake to do it, supervised.

If you're worried about the snake being bitten, you have a few options. First, buy your live prey a few days or so before feeding time, and have an adequate enclosure for it... with plenty of chew-toys and items intended to dull their teeth. This also gives you a chance to observe the prey and make sure it's healthy before feeding.

Secondly, when feeding, feed in a separate enclosure to allow you full access to the snake/ prey, without hides or such to get in the way. This also creates an association of that area with food, instead of the tank-opening-sound with food, which can get you bitten. (and wash your hands- smelling like prey will also get you bitten) If you're nervous about the mouse/ rat biting the snake, stand at the ready with a wooden chopstick to jam in the prey's mouth as soon as the snake strikes. And female prey are less likely to try to bite than males are, from what I've seen.

I handle my snake often, and it hasn't harmed him. Quite the opposite.. cleaning his enclosure, feeding, and vet visits are far easier and less stressful on the snake when the snake is used to being handled. (and trust me, if you ever have to give your snake meds for parasites or whatever... you will want him used to being handled) He doesn't shy away from being handled at all anymore, and will actually strike at his prey item before I finish placing him into the feeding area, and if I allowed it would kill and eat the prey without leaving my hands.

Good luck getting your BP to eat... but don't stress it or miss school. Just try different options and don't necessarily stick with what the previous owner did. I'm sure the snake knows you are not his previous owner, nor is your house the same place he used to live.

[Chu'Wuti]

damn nocturnal beasts... LOL!

I have fed live with WC snakes. I was lucky that one of my sons knew another kid who began breeding his own & set up a deal with him. Unfortunately, the guy actually got a contract with the local PetSmart to provide mice to them and the store inserted in the contract that he could sell only to them! He still sold on the side to my son for awhile, but my son moved to another state. Now I don't have anything WC (and if I did it would be Opheodrys Aestivus so it wouldn't need mice), so if I had to feed live, I'd have a problem, as DH would not be one for raising mice or rats! Maybe I could get my stepson/DIL to let me have their rats. ;)

Anyway, I'd rather not feed live myself. However, it might be worth a shot just to get those two picky eaters started!

HMT, you might want to do a search for "live prey" or something; as you're new on the forum, you don't know what the general feeling is about feeding live . . . or about feeding separately, which I also used to do and don't any longer after a discussion here.

My snake definitely knows the difference between "tank-opening-sound" with smell of prey versus tank-opening-sound NO smell of prey. Sound is not nearly as important as smell and heat to these guys.

when i do have refused feeders though, some lucky snake gets double meat that night.
OK, that does it!! I need another snake! In fact, not just ANother, multiple others! As soon as my exams are over . . .

[HMT]

HMT, you might want to do a search for "live prey" or something; as you're new on the forum, you don't know what the general feeling is about feeding live . . . or about feeding separately, which I also used to do and don't any longer after a discussion here.

When I first bought my ball, I was pretty ignorant. I believed everything the pet store told me. After a frightening bout of prolapse from the parasites he had when I bought him, and a 400$ vet bill, I did a LOT of research. Funny thing about the internet, is that it is full of opinions. I think everyone has their own way of doing things, and there is more than one way to do something "right". If one thing isn't working, why not try it another way? If Kendra's snake isn't eating at all... isn't trying live prey worth a shot?

I feed my ball separate from his tank for many reasons. I could discuss it here, but that would derail the topic. I'll search for that thread you mentioned and read up on it.

[Chu'Wuti]

If Kendra's snake isn't eating at all... isn't trying live prey worth a shot?


Absolutely--as I acknowledged:

However, it might be worth a shot just to get those two picky eaters started!

My comments were not to pick on you, HMT. It's just that I've seen some pretty assertive (to put it mildly) words get tossed back & forth when people disagree with something, so I wanted to warn you in advance . . . my father always said, "Forewarned is forearmed" and it's been pretty good advice to keep in mind.

And as I said, I used to feed my BP in a separate feeding enclosure, too--actually for several months. Then he quit eating. It turned out that not taking him out of his enclosure was one of the keys to getting him to eat again (along with warmer temps). So I'll just stick with it.

[Wolfus_305]

Wow, I miss a lot when I'm studying.

The first thing I think when I hear "feed it live" is ohmygosh! what do i do with the mouse if my snake doesn't eat it?! I know that's a wee bit on the crazy side but my snake hasn't eaten at all since I bought him so i am losing faith. Geez this is annoying! I'm not sure where to get a live prey item even if i was to feed him live. The pet store that I used to go to closed and the one that just opened across the street from me doesn't sell live.


I have been feeding him in his tank since I can't get into the shed to even locate a suitable "feeding tank" for him. I thought he would be more comfortable in his own environment.

HMT: yes, Sandy was simply warning you. Some discussions on here get pretty heated especially the ones on feeding and enclosures.

Julian: IT'S NOT FAIR! at least you have other snakes that eat. My one and only is still refusing! In order to be in class on time I need to leave my house at 8 which means i'm up at 6:45, that's way too early for a teen and I don't think that waking up for 3AM feedings would help me stay awake in math.

Kendra

[siz]

Haha, yeah I haven't been on all weekend and it looks like I've missed a lot too.

My ball was originally fed live mice so I fed her live for a few months after having her. I switched to F/T (rats) because of the cost of buying live from pet stores is more than buying frozen. Now I buy all my feeders from a local breeder but I just haven't switched back to live because I have no where to keep live rats if delivery days don't fall on feeding days. Personally I prefered feeding live, I got a quick feeding response, you have more knowledge of what's going into your snake, and the first time is very cool! :D
I'd say give it a shot Kenny, it might be just what Wolfus needs. If he doesn't eat, do you have any friends with snakes? Or who want a new pet, hahah.

I am curious about the mouse/rat colour trigger, I can understand gender but colour? Can snakes even see colours? I have heard that 'white mouse only' thing from a couple people before but I sort of thought it was a feeding myth..has this actually been proven to work?

[Chu'Wuti]

One way of looking at this is not to think of black and white as colors, but as light and dark. All animals can see light and dark (unless they are blind).

As to whether it works, IDK for sure. I can say that my BP refused to eat black mice the first time I offered them. In fact, that's when he quit eating for the about two months or so . . . now he eats black or white with no trouble, though.

[citysnakes]

feeding live isn't that bad of an option.

i dont think anyone has said anything negative about live feeding at all.

also an association cannot be made with the "tank-openning-sound" and food because, assuming you are a good snake keeper, the tank should be opened on many other occasions besides feeding, such as, water bowl fill ups, spot cleaning and handling seesions for example. in all of these cases the "tank-openning-sound" will be heard. for this reason, it is not possible to condition the animal to make a specific association with a regularily occuring stimulus.

[Wolfus_305]

Hi there,
*sigh* unfortunately none of my friends have snakes (and barley tolerate this one) and nobody i know would be allowed a mouse for a pet...

I open his enclosure all the time, for water changes, to check on him, to stand up stuff that moved because he was crawling (slithering?) on it, to spray for humidity etc. I haven't been handling him due to him not eating.

That colour thing is very interesting. I don't know if this ties in at all but I have noticed with my puppy that he doesn't like people with darker skin tones, my last dog didn't either. Maybe it's the way they see, such as the features they can make out or a different scent?

Where would I get a live mouse? what size would you think is best and how should i feed it to my snake? how long would i leave it in with the snake before i decide the snake doesn't want it?

Kendra

[HMT]

I understood the warning and appreciate it. :) I've been on a few other pet-specific forums before, and I know people can get passionate about whatever opinions they have.

Where would I get a live mouse? what size would you think is best and how should i feed it to my snake? how long would i leave it in with the snake before i decide the snake doesn't want it?

If he was eating rats, you should probably start with an adult mouse, from a pet store. Look for a store that sells feeder mice instead of "fancy" mice, because those will be cheaper. Petco usually sells them, as do many local stores I have encountered. I honestly don't know if the color or sex will matter- its up to your snake's preferences. Mine eats anything. You will know that your snake is interested because he will react quickly- pulling his head back, turning to watch the prey, etc. If he avoids the prey or ignores it, remove it from the tank quickly, because prey can and will attack the snake. Having a chopstick ready will help keep the prey away from his face, if the snake is not reacting. If he has never eaten live it might take him a little while, but I wouldn't leave the mouse with the snake for more than 5-10 minutes, and make sure it is supervised.

If the snake refuses this food... you can keep the mouse cheaply with a rubbermaid container, water bottle, bedding, and food- mouse food or birdseed & veggies left over from your fridge work fine. At least with this method you aren't buying mice and throwing them out every week if he refuses to eat.

[Chu'Wuti]

I know people can get passionate about whatever opinions they have.

Excellent--and diplomatic--way of putting it! ;)

Kendra, you might also be able to start with a young rat that is no bigger or even a little smaller than an adult mouse . . .

[Wolfus_305]

I will do some pet store hunting and attempt to find a live prey item
I am looking for an "adult mouse".
I always supervise, even when the rat is f/t until i get insanely tired or realize i have homework that i forgot about and it's due the next day. I will for sure supervise when/if I feed live. I know that the Pj's closest to me closed. the next ones (closest) don't sell feeder rodents at all and they won't sell me any kind of pet since I'm under 18. they wouldn't even let me buy a fish.

Sandy: are you referring to live or f/t?

On a side note: how are you guys quoting those messages? I tried it a few times on other posts and it didn't work.

Kendra

[Chu'Wuti]

I'm referring to live. If your snake ate rats previously, you don't necessarily have to buy a mouse, just a rat of the same size or a bit smaller.

Block highlight & copy the words you want to quote. Go to the message box for inputting a new message. Hit the icon on the far right that looks like a little square balloon with scribble in it. Paste. You will end up with the word "quote" in all caps in square brackets at the beginning and "/quote" in all caps in square brackets at the end of the pasted words. When you hit Post Quick Reply, it will appear as quoted material.

Block highlight & copy the words

[Wolfus_305]

Really, wow. The rats were pretty big. I'd be scared of a live one that big. With it's tail straight it's as long as my arm from my hand to my elbow almost.

Ok thanks!

Kendra

[Chu'Wuti]

OK, so mice it is. I hope this works!!!!

[Wolfus_305]

I will for sure let you know! Maybe this weekend I'll grab a live mousey.

Thanks again
Kendra:)

[Wolfus_305]

Ok,

I tried a black/dark rat last night. all the previous ones were white-ish. I heated it up really good...i burned myself a few times. I also used a medium rat, not a large one. Wolfus came out of hiding and crawled/slithered all over it, his tongue was going crazy and he kept looking at the rat but it's still there this morning.
*sigh*

[Chu'Wuti]

Did you just lay it in the enclosure? He might need it to move more. He's clearly interested, though--hang in there!

Edit--BTW, I've also found that moving the rat away from the snake is more likely to elicit a strike than moving the rat toward the snake is--when the prey is moving toward the snake, it appears to be threatening, but when it's moving away, it apparently appears to the snake that it's trying to escape. I do little tiny jerks/twitches; it seems to work!

[Will0W783]

My fiance's female ball python hasn't been eating well the last few months either. She has taken maybe three f/t adult mice in the time we've had her. I'm wondering if she isn't all follicled up and ready to breed and that is why she wont eat? I have a male ball python- should I put him in there and see if they get busy? Maybe your snake is a female and follicled up too Wolfus?

[Wolfus_305]

I do wriggle the little rat around but it doesn't seem to do much. *sigh* i'll try again in a while and let you know what happens.

Wolfus is 100% male snake. it is kind of annoying that he hasn't eaten since september though.

[Kmef07]

Has he eaten since you've gotten him?

Wolfus is 100% male snake

as opposed to 80% male lol?

[Chu'Wuti]

Has he eaten since you've gotten him?

He last ate in September; she got him in September. That's why she's frustrated and feeling kinda low about feeding this guy . . . I wish I lived near her so I could help better.

as opposed to 80% male lol?

Well, I suppose he could be an XXY . . . ;)

[Will0W783]

Lol...Fragile X snake...

[Chu'Wuti]

;) just couldn't resist!

[Will0W783]

Don't blame you- if I wasn't so dead-tired today, I might have gone for it..lol

[Kmef07]

Haha ya sorry i dont think there are any gender confused snakes out there.

[Wolfus_305]

oh you never know, maybe i have the first known gender confused snake http://www.ssnakess.com/forums/images/icons/icon12.gif
Yeah it's very frusterating. He's my first snake (other than when i was a little kid) and It's annoying me!
Yeah Sandy! it would be great if you lived closer to Toronto! =]

[Wolfus_305]

Ok everybody

A few weeks ago i tried frozen. This time a dark one (all his others were light) still nothing.
tonight i tried a live mouse... still nothing.
Only time will tell.
Kenny

[Kmef07]

silly thing still hasn't eaten? i'd try at this point to adjust enviromental things. even maybe where the cage is at in you house. maybe move it to a less traffic area of the house.

[Wolfus_305]

It's a fairly large tank so i have nowhere else to put it at the moment that has electrical outlets available. I will keep that in mind though and try to think of something.
I have started lowering his temps at night a few weeks ago, and i am constantly checking the humidity. He was out and about and very active last night though...

[Aaron_S]

Move him to a smaller tank?

[Wolfus_305]

He was owned previously and he was kept in this tank for a few years at least.
He comes out at night and drinks and "explores" the whole tank

[PythonMan420]

also try heating the rat a little more

[Aaron_S]

When I first got back into ball pythons I placed my snakes in enclosures that I thought were suitable. They would "explore" and act like regular ball pythons but they wouldn't eat. Moved them to smaller enclosures and BAM! they are amazing eaters.

[citysnakes]

Kenny, try something different with your setup. it doesnt matter if he was previously housed for years that way. he'll get used to the change and it may be for the better.

[Wolfus_305]

Mkay, I'll look for something and try to get something set up for him.
Thanks
Kenny

[Will0W783]

How long is he again? I had my ball in a 55-gallon for a while, but he had shed problems and was finicky with food. I put him in a 30-breeder, and he eats anything and everything now and has great sheds. For balls, smaller is definitely better, as long as the snake can stretch out if it wants to and can turn around comfortably. Mine is 4-feet long and probably 3 inches or so thick.

[Wolfus_305]

Hi there,

My BP is 3'11". He's also pretty heavy and he's not skinny at all.
His enclosure is 4 feet long by 2 feet deep by 2 feet high.

[Will0W783]

That sounds like an OK enclosure, as long as you can keep humidity up in it.

[Wolfus_305]

I mist it with warm weather and in general (except for shedding time) the humidity never drops below 55%. Also I always measure the humidity on the "cool" side of the enclosure since that what I was told to do, please correct me if this is improper.
Kenny

[bads15]

OK so i have been skimming through all the posts on this thread so i hope i am not being redundant because there is one thing i haven't noticed anyone say. ASF ( African soft fur rats) also known as natl rats.one thing a lot of pet stores dont tell you is that the rats that a majority of them selling are actualy norwegen rats ( common north american rats.) norwegen rats are not the natural prey they eat in the wild in africa. ASF rats have actualy been known to get balls to come out of fasting.

i had a few balls that would only eat once every three weeks if i was lucky. since i learned about ASF rats they now eat every week like clockwork. also i like this better because its better to feed them smaller meals more often then larger meals less frequently. since i did this they never shy away from meals anymore. saves me money since i never need to throw meals out anymore. as for the fasting thing just keep monitoring it's weight and you should be alright. ASF rats can be ordered in frozen as well through a number of places. if you are in canada you can try the classified area on reptiles canada. you will probly notice that your ball might start feeding with a vengance so use tongs when wiggleing the rat so as not to get bit. they seem to like the movement as well as the heat. i hope this helps.

[Kmef07]

Ya that is a great suggestion. My breeder that is local around here breeds both the Norwegian and also the african soft fur. I asked him why and he said he feeds his balls that because they seem to be better eaters on them.

good advice bads.

[Wolfus_305]

Ok wow, never heard of that before. Sounds like it could definitely work though.
I am friends with the owner of the pet store close to me so I can ask him to order me a frozen ASF rat. Any suggestion on size?

[Chu'Wuti]

No bigger than, and maybe even slightly smaller than the girth of your BP at its widest point. This is to jump-start its digestive system, so you don't want to feed it a full-sized meal the first time. You could even do a half-size and then do the same thing again 4-5 days later if he acts like he's hunting.

Hugs, Kenny--GOOD LUCK!

[Wolfus_305]

I will order one this weekend since my family will be away and the house will be very calm and quiet. I'll get a small one. Thank you so much for all the help, i'll definitely tell you what happens!

Very nice picture Sandy!!

[bads15]

just curious if your ball finally ate and if so, what did you have to do to get it to happen?

[Wolfus_305]

Nope still nothing. Trust me I will be the most excited person in the world when i finally see him eat. I'll be sure to post all about it though!!
Kenny

[siz]

Did you try the ASF? Still no luck? What a jerk lol.
I don't recall if this has been mentioned and I don't have time to read back through nall these pages right now, have you tried scenting with chicken broth or tuna? I've heard that works well but I have never needed to try it.

[jonny666]

I was just going to try suggesting chix broth or tuna myself. Do not worry it will eat. If you get results with either let me know. Also heard ASF are great for tricky eaters.

[Wolfus_305]

What do i do with the broth/tuna??

[siz]

Just dip the feeder into it so it gets scented

[bads15]

has your bp lost much weight yet? are you sure your technic is bang on? just curious. have you tried live yet. i would go with a live asf then convert it to f/k or f/t

[pyythonboa]

i just got my bp from a pet store shes about 1 year and there waz 4 adult bp there.the store owner said that the adults only eat once a year.he said once they get to almost full size they dont eat as much as they use to.he said he's been feeding them once a year for 2 years now.but i dont know how true this is. just food for though.

[mps725]

Pyythonboa: Once a year, wow! I wonder if that pet store owner is even attempting to feed the snake more often or if he is doing just enough to keep it alive in order to sell it (my guess).

Poor Pythons :(

[Wolfus_305]

Ok I tried a live mouse and he was sort of interested like he followed it and watched it but then he curled up and ignored it.

When I got him she was feeding him a large f/t rat every 10 days.

I took him out yesterday and he still feels really heavy and he looks healthy and I had an experienced snake person check him out and he doesn't have mites or anything else. He hasn't lost weight and he's still drinking and very active at night.

[Will0W783]

I feel your pain Kenny. My adult coastal carpet had mites and then just decided that he wasn't going to eat anymore. It's been about 7 weeks and he just shows no interest in frozen/thawed or live. He always ate f/t rats for me every week. It's frustrating, but everyone tells me he'll eat when he's ready. I hope your bp eats soon!

[herpocrite27]

Wolfus 305, I am having a similar problem. My ball quit eating rats for two months. I then switched to 2 mice a week and had some sucess with that, but only late at night. Most recently I she decided not to eat the mice either. I have tried other rodents like hamsters and no sucess. I have never had any luck with any pre killed prey. The closest I can get to killed prey "that I have ever had sucess with", was stunning the rodents with a thump on the head. I too am a little lost on what to try next, it's so frustrating. I will let you know if I have any major breakthroughs. Good luck

[siz]

Kenny did you not try ASFs?

[Wolfus_305]

Not yet because i am waiting a bit before trying to feed him again. I'll probably try that this weekend since the house will be quiet due to my studying for an exam.

[jonny666]

I did not go back through all the threads but did you try braining the F/T mouse or pre-killed one?

[Wolfus_305]

Define pre killed. yes I've tried a f/t brained one and still nothing. i even warm up the head extra for a good heat signature after letting it thaw by his enclosure (for the scent)
Kenny

[jonny666]

Take live mouse kill it anyway you see fit. Then brain it. I say anyway you see fit because people have their own way of doing things. Just make sure it is dead.

[Will0W783]

I hate prekilled. I've tried smacking them against a wall and just stunned them. I've also tried cervical dislocation, and it's tougher than it looks. I messed up the first time and only partially paralyzed the mouse. If you're going to do it, I suggest using a wooden pencil. Pin the mouse and place the pencil behind the ears on the neck. Press down and toward the head...hard. When you feel a pop you've got it. It should die instantly- if you do it wrong you'll just hurt it really badly. Although it's going to be eaten anyway..lol

[jonny666]

I grab the mouse by tail and swing away against the corner of a table. Always does the trick. Just swing hard do not feel bad about mouse your snake has to eat. Luckily I only have one snake that eats freshly killed. Everything else is on F/T.

[Wolfus_305]

Ummm I don't think i could do that. oh well. he'll just have to decide to start eating live or f/t.

[herpocrite27]

What is this braining business? I believe I heard about it before, but I'm not sure. Is it where you cut the head open a bit and expose the brain for scent reasons? Has anyone tried it with sucess?

[Will0W783]

Braining means smashing it in the head so you kind of expose the brain because you've smashed it open. As far as I know, anyway. You could cut it open all nice and neat, but that wouldn't be "braining" per se.

[jonny666]

I like to cut it open not smash it. I have used it to some effect. I tend to use it as a last resort.

[herpocrite27]

Well I finally got my Ball to eat some large mice last night. She caught and ate one live mouse and 15 minutes later I put a second live mouse in the tank for her. She was interested and came a few inches out of her hide to investigate, bu then looked timmed when the mouse approached. I then took the mouse out and tried the braining technique. She approached the dead mouse, rubber her face all over it and then ate it. Next week I hope to try to get her to start eating rats again with this techique. Thank you guys and girls for the tip.

[Wolfus_305]

CONGRATULATIONS!! =D
on getting your snake to eat.
I am ordering some natal rats and i'll let you guys know what happens
Thanks again so much for all the advice!

[bads15]

how did the asf rats work out? any luck?

[Wolfus_305]

Nope. I'm going to try again probably this weekend. I'll be sure to let you know!
Kenny

[Wolfus_305]

OHMYGOSH!!!!!!! Ok so tonight i do everything i normally do. have the radio on, have the lights on. remember i have a rat in the freezer so i figure "why not?". so i heat the small normal white rat up the way i normally do, with hot water. and when it's warm i dangle it where Wolfus is, like i normally do but today HE POUNCED ON IT! then he ate it! This is his first meal in 2 weeks shy of 1 year!! *whew*
Thank you everybody for all your support and suggestions i really do appreciate it!

Now that he's eaten is there anything else i need to know to look for good or bad?

Kendra http://www.ssnakess.com/forums/images/icons/icon10.gif

[BruinsBeard]

Holy ****. That must have been the most stressful thing ever. I just got my ball recently and he ate fine. Still I constantly worry about him. Glad he ate finally!

[Wolfus_305]

I don't even think stressful begins to describe it. He was my first "real" snake. We had one when i was little but that doesn't really count.
The first time i went to feed him I got super excited and with each failed attempts i got discouraged and then i got bored.
When he pounced and attacked the rat i was really shocked.. i think i jumped. then i watched him "constrict" it for about 5 minutes even though it was FT and then he took his mouth off of it's ear and started eating it from the nose and when he got about down to where the back legs are he sort of stood up and wiggled and gulped down the last bit. =D

I hope your ball doesn't turn out to be as picky as mine did!

Kendra

[citysnakes]

Congrats Kenny! Finally!

[Wolfus_305]

Ok it's the next morning and i'm still having trouble believing that I actually watched him eat!
Thank you so much!
Kendra

[bads15]

was it an asf rat or a Norwegian? if it was an asf i would just keep feeding her those then.

[Wolfus_305]

See that's the thing, it wasn't a special rat at all. it was just a normal rat. a white one, which i did try before because i heard sometimes colour and gender might affect weather the snake wants it. I didn't change anything in my routine of getting it ready for the Wolfus or anything. I wasn't expecting Wolfus to take the rat let alone eat it. he normally shy's away from them.

[agentcooper]

Really happy to hear that today. Nice work.

[siz]

Awesome Kenny, finally!! Jeeeze what a long wait. Here's hoping his fast is OVER!!!! :D

[Wolfus_305]

YESSSS! I knowww! I'm super relieved! I was getting really stressed out as i'm pretty sure you can imagine. I mean my pets are like my (future) kids. If they don't eat it's "what you don't like my cooking" and you try something different. A whole year (almost) i waited!

[Will0W783]

Congrats, that's awesome. You must be sooo relieved. My adult carpet hasn't eaten since the first week of June, but he had an RI he just got over, so I'm hoping he'll finally eat this week. Of course, that's nothing compared the the year yours went. It's amazing they can go that long without eating, isn't it?

[Will0W783]

I can't even last 4 hours without food..lol

[Wolfus_305]

AHAHA yess i'm the same way, constantly munching on some snacks!
It was a tough year but hopefully i'll get him eating well before we get into winter!!
Hope yours starts eating real soon!! =D

[Chu'Wuti]

Kenny, BIG HUGS!! And CONGRATULATIONS!! HOORAY! (How can I show how thrilled I am for you???!)

:shocked: :freakedout: :Wow: :Wow: and SUPER-HAPPY!!!

I'm so glad you've hung in there on that BP!

[Wolfus_305]

HUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUGS and jumps up and down squealing happily!!! I can't tell you how relieved I am!!! I was getting so depressed and discouraged!! I'm so happy he finally ate. I will probably try another rat tomorrow. AHAH i would NEVER give up on Wolfus! =D

[Will0W783]

Awesome- no need to overload him though. Keep him to a regular schedule, and he will hopefully settle in to eating well for you. Remember it takes them almost a week or so to digest a meal, so I wouldn't offer him anything again until the 30th if he ate the 23rd. I am sooo happy for you!

[Chu'Wuti]

Now that you've got him eating, you want to keep him eating! I can feel your eagerness to feed him again. However, it might be that if you try to feed him too soon, you could end up discouraging him. Patience . . .

His digestive system is just now kicking back into gear. Let him digest properly this week, and watch for feces to appear in 4-5 days (very approximate) from when he ate. As Kimberly suggested, think about feeding him again the 30th--that's a good spacing if he comes out and acts like he's hunting again. If he doesn't start acting like he's hunting, you could give him an extra day or two.

We're all keeping our fingers crossed that this promising change becomes a norm!

[Wolfus_305]

Oki doki, 30th it is! Thanks so much! I'm hoping this becomes the norm too!
Hopefully next time I'll be able to get some pictures! If i do i'll be sure to post them right away for you guys!

[Will0W783]

I hope it becomes the norm for him as well- wonder what his issue was. Best of luck, and try not to stress now if he remains picky, you know he won't starve himself to death. :)

[Kmef07]

hey im so happy you finally got your bp to eat!!

[Wolfus_305]

Thank you! Mhm i'm doing my best not to stress him AT ALL. i'm keeping the room abnormally quiet and empty. also not taking him out. only opening the tank to mist/change water. I'm still super ecstatic that he ate! Finally. Yes, he'll eat when he's hungry, he'll crack under pressure =P

[Wolfus_305]

Ohh so I saw Wolfus out hunting for the first time. It was cute. He was looking around and his tongue was flicking and later after he hid again I went to mist his enclosure and when the door opened he popped out and was in an S shape and was looking at me like "where's my dinner mum?".
Just thought i'd share that. Still no poop though.

[Wolfus_305]

Hi there,
so i know how you all like updates on situations and stuff sorry i haven't been on in forever it's a combination of being sick and homework and actual work.

Wolfus has been eating regularly about every 10-14 days and he's active and sometimes i see him out hunting.\
Thank you all so much for your help and suggestions!

Kendra

[Will0W783]

Oh that is wonderful Kenny!

[siz]

Yay! Glad you finally won him over.

[Chu'Wuti]

Congratulations, Kendra! I know you must feel greatly relieved to have him eating regularly. My BP has never quit eating again after last winter's break, and he's eating pretty good-sized rats now--and after, even with a bulging belly, he looks at me as if to say, "Isn't there another one of those?"

Whew! I'll bet Wolfus has started growing, too--enjoy!

[Wolfus_305]

I hope Wolfus doesn't stop eating again, way too stressful for me!

After his first few real meals i definitely noticed him putting on some weight, though he was not terribly skinny before he looks a lot healthier now.

Ahah yes! i've noticed too that even after a good sized meal he'll use his puppy dog eyes and seem to want some more =P

Kendra

[Wolfus_305]

*sigh* i'm back again.
this is quite frustrating. it's been about 2 months since he last ate, which considering his 11.5 month strike last year is nothing. Nothing has changed in his habitat or in the room he's kept in. He looks like he's hunting, will get ready to strike when i wiggle the rat around (the same way i've been doing it all this time) and then he doesn't strike at it. he truly is a very picky eater. I'll keep you updated.

Kendra

[HMT]

Mine is on a hunger strike too... its been 3 months since his last meal. It is so frustrating! This is the first time he's refused to eat.

I'm hoping it's a winter thing and he'll start eating when our weather gets consistently warmer. In the meantime, I'm keeping live prey to test his hunger so that I'm not wasting $ on f/t rats.

[Wolfus_305]

Oh, trust me I know it's frustrating. I got him and for the first 11.5 months I had him he did not eat at all, nothing, not a thing. If you read through this whole thread you'll see a bunch of advice that really helped me.

Good luck, I hope he eats soon for you!

Kendra

[Chu'Wuti]

Kendra, HMT,

Mine quite eating for several months again, too, and he just ate the 23rd when our weather finally got above 60 deg during the day and above 40 at night for a week consistently. I do believe that some of them go through a winter fasting; it probably has something to do with where we're keeping them or with household nighttime temps, even though we are heating their nice enclosures. As I cannot change the location of the enclosure at this time--we're going through some major remodeling that will continue through the summer--I'm going to feed him really well this spring & summer. In early fall, I'm thing I'll feed him a little more often to sort of bulk him up for his winter fast.

I have a sneaking suspicion that once I'm able to move my snakes upstairs, this winter fast won't occur anymore, but that remains to be seen.

Hang in there! Sandy

[Feebo]

Wolfus I wouldn`t worry too much about this, as I`m sure you know, these guys are famous for this. My biggest Ball python Troy eats two or three times a YEAR ! Of course I offer food every few weeks incase she decides she`s hungry, luckily I have a lot of snakes so food doesn`t get wasted but my point is, she`s never become ill or even been under weight, she just doesn`t want to eat more than a handful of times in a year.... ;D