anyone ever force feed an adult??

RebelArtt · 03-07-12, 06:11 PM

i have an adult female normal ball python. she is 10 years old & refuses to eat. i've tried live & frozen. i've tried pinkies, fuzzies, hoppers, adult mice, rat pups, rat fuzzies, small rats, & medium rats. she wont eat anything. i have 5 other balls & 4 corn snakes that are eating fine. i haven't bred her & her temp & humidity is all normal. i know her previous owner used to hibernate her ((previous owner only had her for 4 years)) but i've tried to get her off of that habit in the 6 years i've had her. she normally doesn't stop eating for this long. she started refusing in november, like normal. but she usually starts eating again come mid jan.

the vet said there is nothing medically wrong with her.

what should i do??? has anyone ever force fed a 4 foot ball???

alessia55 · 03-07-12, 06:20 PM

I think you should let her be and keep offering food every 10 days or so. Offering food any more often will be stressful. So long as she isn't losing significant weight, you shouldn't worry. Force feeding her will be stressful, so I'd be patient and persistent for now. I know it's stressful for you, but she's probably fine.

*Don't Mind Me* · 03-07-12, 06:39 PM

It is probably very stressful to force feed her too often, and I would recommend you make sure her set up is okay. Keep a basking spot and a hiding spot (for use while digesting) in her terrarium so she can feel secure. Also, aren't pythons nocturnal hunters?

Jenn_06 · 03-07-12, 06:26 PM

your BP is going to be ok, one of my BP did not eat for 8 months, just keep a eye on the weight, she will eat when she is ready.

marvelfreak · 03-07-12, 06:38 PM

I have a 10 year old female Jungle carpet that will stop eating in November ever year and won't start eating again until late March. Your snake will be fine just keep a close eye on her weight.

BarelyBreathing · 03-08-12, 11:38 AM

Three words: African Soft Fur

ASFs are like candy for ball pythons. I've never had one resist them.

Jenn_06 · 03-08-12, 11:43 AM

but when you feed ASF its hard to get them back on rats sometimes

BarelyBreathing · 03-08-12, 01:30 PM

I haven't had a problem with that.

mykee · 03-08-12, 02:07 PM

I had an LTC ball that went off food for 23 months. DO NOT force feed her. The stress could quite literally kill her.

Swany · 03-10-12, 04:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mykee

I had an LTC ball that went off food for 23 months. DO NOT force feed her. The stress could quite literally kill her.

How old was the snake and how much weight did it lose in two years ?

jarich · 03-10-12, 12:27 PM

Holy &%#£! 23 months?! That's the longest I've ever heard of.

UwabamiReptiles · 03-10-12, 10:38 PM

Basically two years? Its amazing they can go that long without eating. That would have driven me crazy, I have a female right now going on 4 months and I'm getting impatient. After hearing that, I'll stop worrying.

jaleely · 03-11-12, 09:47 PM

23 months seems a bit extreme. Was the snake hybernating or something? My 11 year old male BP that we got when he was 10, didn't eat for i think about 9 months. He had been forcefed, and it took him all of that time to get over it, and get used to us. He is still a bit jerky sometimes, but overall he tolerates us fairly well now. He just woke up one day and decided to follow us around the house from inside his cage, and when we offered him a rat, he gobbled it right down.