Stubborn IJ

[Insurrection]

Hey everyone, just looking for some input here.
My carpet has decided to become a stubborn feeder recently.
Its been about just over a month now, but he has remained nice and fat and active. His only concern seems to be getting out of his tank. The minute I open the door he makes his way out.

He was recently moved to a larger pvc enclosure (24 h, 24 w, 36 L). His hot spot is 90-93 * and the other side never lower than eighty. I use a daytime spot light on the one side, and a red night time light. He has a large water dish on the cool side and plenty of branches.

He's coming up Id say at about two years old now. I know ball pythons will sometimes decide to not eat, does this hold true for carpets as well? Is it possible that he wants to breed or something?

Up until now he was taking a f/t rat or two every 6 days. I have recently tried live, which he did show interest but still didn't take. My next step is going to be a fecal just to ensure everything is ok but if anyone has experienced anything similar, it'd be great to hear.

Thanks!

Nick

[Will0W783]

If you're sure he's a male, he's sexually mature at 18 months. In my experience, adult male carpet pythons can be very difficult feeders when they get "in the mood." I have a large (6 foot) male "mutt" carpet that goes off feed for 6-8 months out of the year, every single year. I've owned him for 3 years now, and at first I was very scared and took him to my vet. He is very healthy, and maintains a good weight, he'll just sporadically fast. I do not intend to breed him as I have no ideas about his genetic lineage (he was one of my first snakes and will always be a pet to me). However, it's a very routine thing for him. I have another male carpet who eats no matter what, even when he's in shed, so it really depends on the snake. Most of my males will go off feed in the winter or early spring, so I would not be concerned as long as your snake is at a good weight. A month is really nothing to them. After 6 months, then you can start to be concerned, or if the snake begins losing noticeable amounts of weight quickly. Otherwise, just continue to offer him food on his normal schedule, and he'll eat again when he decides he's ready.

[shaunyboy]

i have bother with my male carpets from november through to the end of march begining of april

i cut their feeds right down in the winter anyway so its works out fine

the diamonds i only feed 6 months of the year and they thrive that way.

i learned a diamond keepers saying when doing my research

" a fat diamond is a dead diamond "

imo its better to keep morelia lean and firm than have them fat and the quickest way to kill a diamond is overfeed it

i apply this way of thinking to all my carpets to keep them fit and healthy

so i would not worry too much about your male going off his food imo its a good sign that he's fit and healthy and trying to do what mother nature programed him to do

a sick snake imo would not fast and go looking for a mate

cheers shaun