View Full Version : need your input
krystle
03-04-12, 07:09 PM
ok guys here is the deal my gtp hasnt eaten for 3 weeks now and was sitting on the ground(changed a few things and that seems to have stopped). i was messing with its cage most of the week trying to get it comfy again, let it chill for a couple of days and tried again last night. we tried a pinky (which it was eating before i bought it) seemed sort of interested but not really, so we stopped trying my bf went to fix the thermo and the snake started hunting his finger lol (he almost got bit twice). the question is sense i feed it the last two times live a couple of weeks ago and it took it should i try live again tonight sense the snake seems hungry? i know your not suppose to try very often but with the response last night i dont know if i should or not.
theapexgerman
03-04-12, 07:11 PM
if it eat live give it live I feed all of my snakes live and I wouldn't try for like 4 or 5 days then try again
Well, first off, how old is the snake?
if its an adult/full grown, 3 weeks is not a big deal for the snake to not feed at all..
if its a juvenile, same thing, but most likely an issue with husbandry.
give us every detail
temps, gradients, pictures of the viv, humidity <-- HUGE ONE, etc etc!
theapexgerman
03-04-12, 07:12 PM
but if you try f/t lastnight try live then if it doesn't eat wait like 5 days
theapexgerman
03-04-12, 07:14 PM
Well, first off, how old is the snake?
if its an adult/full grown, 3 weeks is not a big deal for the snake to not feed at all..
if its a juvenile, same thing, but most likely an issue with husbandry.
give us every detail
temps, gradients, pictures of the viv, humidity <-- HUGE ONE, etc etc!
She said it ate a few weeks ago live I belive she try f/t and if that the case that why the snake not eating
BarelyBreathing
03-04-12, 07:14 PM
Call Jason. He may be able to take your snake until he gets him eating again.
I got a sunglow boa from Ryan (Clockwork) who wasn't eating, and he got him eating again, no charge. Considering how closely they work together, I think Jason would do the same.
krystle
03-04-12, 07:33 PM
i know it was the husbandry i got heat tape on it instead of the heat lamp, i added background around the entire cage except the front and but acrylic on top to keep the humidity up. the snake is almost a year old, sense i got it i feed it live the first two weeks no problem and i know it wasnt happy with the husbandry so i got that finally fixed last week. i only tried a frozen because that is what the guy i got it from was feeding it i thought i was worth a try.
Well, first off, how old is the snake?
if its an adult/full grown, 3 weeks is not a big deal for the snake to not feed at all..
if its a juvenile, same thing, but most likely an issue with husbandry.
give us every detail
temps, gradients, pictures of the viv, humidity <-- HUGE ONE, etc etc!
krystle
03-04-12, 07:34 PM
i might have to if it doesnt eat by next week
Call Jason. He may be able to take your snake until he gets him eating again.
I got a sunglow boa from Ryan (Clockwork) who wasn't eating, and he got him eating again, no charge. Considering how closely they work together, I think Jason would do the same.
theapexgerman
03-04-12, 07:36 PM
Have you try live yet today?
krystle
03-04-12, 07:39 PM
nope i was thinking maybe but was trying to get some input before i did i know that you can sometimes stress gtps if you try to feed them to much and thats the last thing i want for it i already feel bad that the cage wasnt right and it stopped eating because of it you know. :/
Gungirl
03-04-12, 07:41 PM
Only offer food 1 time every 7-10 days other wise you can stress them out. Also make sure your temps and humidity are correct before feeding so that you don't have to deal with a regurgitation. If your snake was being fed f/t don't offer it live just wait it out. Once your snake settles down it will eat as long as it is housed correctly.
theapexgerman
03-04-12, 07:42 PM
Go ahead and try it won't hurt and then if he doesn't then wait 5 days
theapexgerman
03-04-12, 07:43 PM
Only offer food 1 time every 7-10 days other wise you can stress them out. Also make sure your temps and humidity are correct before feeding so that you don't have to deal with a regurgitation. If your snake was being fed f/t don't offer it live just wait it out. Once your snake settles down it will eat as long as it is housed correctly.
Her snake was eating live tho she just try a frozen instead of a live
Gungirl
03-04-12, 07:45 PM
Her snake was eating live tho she just try a frozen instead of a live
Please go back and read her thread again. She stated she tried f/t because that is what is was being fed before she got it. So that tells me the snake willingly takes f/t and there is no reason to feed live.
krystle
03-04-12, 07:47 PM
this is true but i did give it live and it took them no prob the first two weeks
Gungirl
03-04-12, 07:48 PM
Your snake might be coming up to a shed also, this can throw some off feed.
theapexgerman
03-04-12, 07:49 PM
This parrt of her first post " the question is sense i feed it the last two times live a couple of weeks ago and it took it should i try live again tonight"
maximus30576
03-04-12, 07:56 PM
Isnt a pinky small for year old gtp ...
krystle
03-04-12, 07:57 PM
Do they stop eating that long before they shed?
Gungirl
03-04-12, 08:00 PM
Isnt a pinky small for year old gtp ...
Yes
Do they stop eating that long before they shed?
Sometimes they will especially if the set up isn't right.
krystle
03-04-12, 08:02 PM
That's what I thought when I got it I feed it live fuzzies and it took it for the first two weeks then it stopped and I am pretty sure it wad because of the way I had itIsnt a pinky small for year old gtp ...
Gungirl
03-04-12, 08:02 PM
Do you have a picture of the set up?
maximus30576
03-04-12, 08:04 PM
You might try just laying the fuzzy beside it on the perch , i got mine to eat that way once before when it wasnt interested. And actually he was in shed when i done this ..
i know it was the husbandry i got heat tape on it instead of the heat lamp, i added background around the entire cage except the front and but acrylic on top to keep the humidity up. the snake is almost a year old, sense i got it i feed it live the first two weeks no problem and i know it wasnt happy with the husbandry so i got that finally fixed last week. i only tried a frozen because that is what the guy i got it from was feeding it i thought i was worth a try.
if the old owner was feeding frozen, AVOID LIVE
the snakes fed frozen fine, which means its up to husbandry.
how recently did you get the snake? it could still be adjusting to the new environment and/or the changes you made in husbandry (even if they are for the better)
wait a little while before trying feeding a proper sized F/T meal again, if its too small the snake might not care to eat it
krystle
03-04-12, 08:16 PM
I got it Feb 4 so just a month
I got it Feb 4 so just a month
ok wait a week or two, let it calm down and settle in, and feed it an appropriately sized F/T. if thats how it was feeding, go with that. ask the old owner, was he just putting it in the cage or wiggling it to try and get the snake to strike? it could be used to feeding on one or the other
krystle
03-04-12, 08:26 PM
No but I will when I get homeDo you have a picture of the set up?
krystle
03-04-12, 10:26 PM
here is pics of the setup
Brently
03-04-12, 10:51 PM
I know you have gotten enough feed back by now, but when I got Athena she wouldn't eat for a while either. Don't get freaked out until it has been a month and a half. Sometimes your snakes may go off food. Just be patient. If you are doing things right it will come back on.
maybe its just the picture/setup but the snake looks tiny?
you sure of the age and/or that the old owner wasnt underfeeding?
lady_bug87
03-04-12, 11:11 PM
maybe its just the picture/setup but the snake looks tiny?
you sure of the age and/or that the old owner wasnt underfeeding?
It looks a little thin but not outrageous depending on when it was hatched I know she said almost a year but that could be any number of months. I have a May hatch and she's eating hoppers lol
It looks a little thin but not outrageous depending on when it was hatched I know she said almost a year but that could be any number of months. I have a May hatch and she's eating hoppers lol
ah ok good to know :P
krystle
03-04-12, 11:52 PM
I know its small but I think its the pic it does seem skinny, the guy I bought it from was feeding it pinkies I don't know why sense I got it I have been doing fuzzies!
lady_bug87
03-04-12, 11:59 PM
Keep it on fuzzies sometimes with mine we have to tickle her body with the f/t mouse
krystle
03-05-12, 12:10 AM
Thanks if it doesn't eat tonight ill try in a week with a fuzzie f/t. Oh and sense I don't usually feed f/t how long do you let them thaw?
Fuzzy takes like 15-20 minutes in water usually, but I've left them in the water for over an hour and they were still fine.
edit, once thawed, run under hot water(hot as your tap gets) for 10-15 seconds, dry it on paper towel and offer it to the snake.
Thanks if it doesn't eat tonight ill try in a week with a fuzzie f/t. Oh and sense I don't usually feed f/t how long do you let them thaw?
thaw it for 30 min in hot tap water at least, you don't want a frozen core of the mouse or it can upset the snakes digestive system
good thing is the smaller the faster they thaw, so 30 min is plenty. i keep min in a ziplock while thawing, while others just put the mouse in the water
krystle
03-05-12, 10:02 AM
Oh ok thanks guys ill try in a week again and hope it will. snake seems happier in the new set up so I think it will be a waiting game at this point.
lady_bug87
03-05-12, 10:44 AM
Here for reference, this is a picture of my late May hatch female Sorong x Jade Line (mixed locality) GTP. She eats a hopper mouse every 7 days or so. She is probably about 3ft long
Ignore my pregnant body in the back lol
MoreliAddict
03-05-12, 11:00 AM
offering your GTP a couple live feeds may have thrown it off of f/t. it's really best that you keep it on f/t and the only way to do this is to be persistent and only offer f/t until it gets hungry enough to take one again. double check that your husbandry is spot-on, only offer food every 7-10 days, and leave it alone as much as possible.
krystle
03-05-12, 11:18 AM
Nice snake mine is about 2 feet right and its an april hatch I think mine is small because of being feed pinkies but it seems health and everythingHere for reference, this is a picture of my late May hatch female Sorong x Jade Line (mixed locality) GTP. She eats a hopper mouse every 7 days or so. She is probably about 3ft long
Ignore my pregnant body in the back lol
lady_bug87
03-05-12, 11:21 AM
Thanks, what locality is it? Some can be smaller than others... and just make sure your husbandry is spot on and try again, It took me a while to really get mine started sometimes you have to pester them with their food. When I got her all I had were short tongs and she wouldn't eat because my hand was too close so I got longer ones and she felt more comfortable.
Also when are you feeding? I know mine will only take food at night when its dark or close to it
krystle
03-05-12, 11:55 AM
It's a blueline aru cross and I only try at night. I think my husbandry is finally on spot snake been drinking and staying perched so I think its a matter of time before ot eats again.
Lankyrob
03-05-12, 01:53 PM
I would definitely bump up the prey size, my GTP never ate pinkies with me, he was already taking small rats at about 3 months old
krystle
03-05-12, 03:26 PM
Wow that seems like big prey for a baby, ill keep mine at fuzzies and work my way up.
Lankyrob
03-05-12, 03:53 PM
A GTP will easily take prey up to 4 times its own girth HOWEVER it has been recently advised that this COULD cause prolapse when the snake poos. I was feeding 4x times his girth for the first year before i was told about the risk of prolapse (my guy had no issues whatsoever with this). I now feed prey that is between 2 and 2.5 times his girth.
Gungirl
03-05-12, 04:08 PM
I feed no larger than twice the size of my snake. Although I normally gauge it more as 1.5x the size. Better safe than sorry!
krystle
03-05-12, 04:11 PM
Oh ok makes sense I like to be safe then sorry too. glad your guy is ok tho
lady_bug87
03-05-12, 06:34 PM
I would stick with fuzzies, when you see that the bump is not as big then move to hoppers.
krystle
03-05-12, 06:53 PM
That's the plan thanks everyone for your input!
krystle
03-05-12, 11:59 PM
oh a better note the snake seems happier and way more active at night it was trying to perch on the top lip of the tank!:laugh:
A GTP will easily take prey up to 4 times its own girth HOWEVER it has been recently advised that this COULD cause prolapse when the snake poos. I was feeding 4x times his girth for the first year before i was told about the risk of prolapse (my guy had no issues whatsoever with this). I now feed prey that is between 2 and 2.5 times his girth.
4 times yeah but it probably wouldn't be that easy :D
Prolapse is common with this species, best to go for 1.5-2.5 times girth like stated above. By the looks of the pictures I would try a hopper rat for a couple weeks, then move up to juvies. Can't shock the system all at once now hehe. Good luck on getting her to eat again, sometimes a bump up in prey size can initiate a feed response as well... Especially from fuzzy to full furred rats.
lady_bug87
03-06-12, 08:06 AM
hopper rats? No man mice. a fuzzy rat is HUGE lol
I'd hate to see your mice... But you're right a hopper rat is a big meal. The cage seemed larger when I first looked at it, appeared 18x18x18 but I see now it's 12x12x12. Still, mice are tiny, especially fuzzy mice. I just don't see them leaving a lump in a yearling GTP. A fuzzy rat isn't really that big to a morelia python. The one on your arm I personally would feed fuzzy rats at least, though that's me I guess. But I always say there's no one way to keep a snake...
KORBIN5895
03-06-12, 08:48 AM
^^^^^^^ I have a hard time seeing a jumbo mouse leaving much of a lump in this snake pictured above.
Lankyrob
03-06-12, 09:31 AM
4 times yeah but it probably wouldn't be that easy :D
Prolapse is common with this species, best to go for 1.5-2.5 times girth like stated above. By the looks of the pictures I would try a hopper rat for a couple weeks, then move up to juvies. Can't shock the system all at once now hehe. Good luck on getting her to eat again, sometimes a bump up in prey size can initiate a feed response as well... Especially from fuzzy to full furred rats.
YOu would be surprised, my guy was polishing off prey 4 times its size almost as quick as it does with the current prey size. :)
YOu would be surprised, my guy was polishing off prey 4 times its size almost as quick as it does with the current prey size. :)
That is very impressive! Snakes are amazing. Then there's people wonder why we keep them... I've never tried 4 times girth with any of my snakes, but my jungle gets that way sometimes when no else wants to eat lol. But multiple prey, not one cat... err rat. A video would be so good for this, I should get one...
krystle
03-06-12, 10:14 AM
I know its small prey but to be on the safe side and not upgrade it to fast, ill stick with fuzzies.thanks guys and that would be cool to see a vid of your carpets Caylan!
Lankyrob
03-06-12, 10:17 AM
That is very impressive! Snakes are amazing. Then there's people wonder why we keep them... I've never tried 4 times girth with any of my snakes, but my jungle gets that way sometimes when no else wants to eat lol. But multiple prey, not one cat... err rat. A video would be so good for this, I should get one...
My JCP is taking the same size rats as my SD retic - it looks impossible but he never seems to struggle at all :)
Jenn_06
03-06-12, 10:24 AM
I will never give a prey that is TOO big. My burm Sassy has a big scare on her neck from eating a rat that was too big so you need to be careful.
lady_bug87
03-06-12, 11:36 AM
mine is on hopper mice it leaves a bump she could probably take an adult mouse
Gungirl
03-06-12, 12:12 PM
I know its small prey but to be on the safe side and not upgrade it to fast, ill stick with fuzzies.thanks guys and that would be cool to see a vid of your carpets Caylan!
Your doing the smart thing. :)
Stay on the smaller side for a GTP(I stay on the small side for all my snakes) but that doesn't mean no lump at all... Here's what most of my snakes look like on feeding day(I try not to take too many pics, because they are usually still hungry!!)...
http://i735.photobucket.com/albums/ww355/Inugohan/Reptiles/Female%20Jungle/IMG_1842.jpg
When she comes out of shed, and my rats get delivered, I'll put up a tripod or something in her cage and watch her eat. Maybe with some Sync footage, but he don't like me watching :D Maybe show what Tiny can do... Hmmm!(sorry Todd... ;))
PS Fuzzy rats would be perfect way to go I think! Tiny eats them and she's about as thick as a pencil... Good luck Krystle!
krystle
03-07-12, 02:16 PM
Nice snake my brb looks like that on feeding day too lol. My gtp seems happier with the changes to the cage its been super active at night and seem to be regulating its body temp too ( mostly at night) so I hope it will eat this weekend.
That's awesome! Good luck, hope it eats for you!
krystle
03-08-12, 12:49 PM
Thanks me too
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