Retic (Esmeralda) not Feeding - Page 2

**millertime89** · 06-02-13, 10:17 PM

Sounds like you did it right so probably a female, but I had a male BP that just couldn't be popped, don't suppose you can get a probe and check that way can you?

guyabano · 06-04-13, 04:55 AM

Hmm, how does one go about making a probe? Kits are very hard to find here where I live. If I ordered one, I'd probably get reamed on taxes. Still doesn't quite answer why she isn't eating though.

waf · 06-04-13, 08:58 AM

As I told you before... it could be a disease, take it to the vet ASAP.

guyabano · 06-04-13, 06:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by waf

As I told you before... it could be a disease, take it to the vet ASAP.

I did see a vet for a consultation. Apparently, she's in perfect health. Still active and responsive. Colors still bright as ever, staying hydrated. She doesn't act defensive towards the rat apart from when it goes up to her and touches her in the first few seconds. She flinches and the rat goes away. She then stalks it for a minute or two, getting close enough to strike and then backs away and goes to her corner.

I haven't regularly handled her since she started skipping meals. I was thinking that without handling, she might never calm down. Should I just leave her be until she starts feeding again or can I handle her?

pardon the iphone pic, this is what she looks like right now.

waf · 06-04-13, 09:38 PM

well... at least you are confident that she is healty, that´s good! In my opinion, you should continue handling, as normally, if all parameters are ok, the vet says she`s ok, and you look her in good condition, your girl is OK! you only have to wait a little more.. I have a boa (female) who stop feeding one day, and didn`t get a meal, for 4 months.. she drove me crazy, and one day... just started again.

guyabano · 06-06-13, 06:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by waf

well... at least you are confident that she is healty, that´s good! In my opinion, you should continue handling, as normally, if all parameters are ok, the vet says she`s ok, and you look her in good condition, your girl is OK! you only have to wait a little more.. I have a boa (female) who stop feeding one day, and didn`t get a meal, for 4 months.. she drove me crazy, and one day... just started again.

Thanks man, that's really reassuring.

I'll keep you all posted on what else I find out. I was talking to a friend in the industry and I might be able to get access to a probe kit.

**millertime89** · 06-06-13, 04:17 PM

I don't know how to go about making one, I would be unsure. I wouldn't worry about it too much honestly if the vet says she's in good health. She might just not want to eat, it happens sometimes.

guyabano · 06-07-13, 05:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by millertime89

I don't know how to go about making one, I would be unsure. I wouldn't worry about it too much honestly if the vet says she's in good health. She might just not want to eat, it happens sometimes.

Can't get enough reassurance at this point. I just haven't had a retic go off feed before.

Anyway, here's a pic from yesterday when I got her out of the enclosure. For some reason, she thinks she could pass for a ball python.

If you notice, she's also grown quite a bit from when I took my avatar picture. Didn't really notice myself till I had the picture taken.

Ivanator · 06-11-13, 01:53 AM

She's a gorgeous snake! When do you normally try to feed her (day or night)? You shoykd try feeding her at night since shes wc and they are naturally nocturnal. See if that helps. Also, I would stop handling her until she starts feeding again. Just my 2 cents.

guyabano · 06-11-13, 05:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ivanator

She's a gorgeous snake! When do you normally try to feed her (day or night)? You shoykd try feeding her at night since shes wc and they are naturally nocturnal. See if that helps. Also, I would stop handling her until she starts feeding again. Just my 2 cents.

Thanks! I've always fed at night. I'll keep trying every other week to see if she takes.

About the handling, I feel like I'm walking a fine line here because since she is wild caught, she's got a bit of a temper. I stopped handling for about a month when I realized that she wasn't feeding and she started striking again. Prior to that, I got her to where the most she would do was flinch at a touch and go into the 'S' form but not strike. Ideas?

Ivanator · 06-14-13, 10:56 PM

I've never had experience with a wc retic before, but me, personally, would just try to get her to start eating again first. You might have to reteach her to trust you again once she's eating, but having a healthy, feeding snake is more important than having a tame one.

waf · 06-15-13, 06:47 PM

A WC will be more difficult to deal with, so, patience will be a main factor in this situation. as Ivanator says, get her to start eating again first, then, start handling her in a daily basis, starting 10 minutes, then 20 then 30.... but with a lot of patience....

guyabano · 07-02-13, 09:24 AM

Hey guys, quick update on Esmeralda. She shed a second time without any meals in between last Friday. Tried giving her an appropriately sized male rat from my colony. She struck at it twice but didn't take.

She isn't showing any signs of losing condition at all, I haven't handled her since ^ that picture up there. Still active at night and in the morning doing the retic dance. Got a "kiss" from her a week and a half ago when I was spot cleaning her enclosure.

I know I shouldn't be worrying too much, but I'm sure you guys can relate when I say that I enjoy seeing my pets well fed. I often find myself pleading to a reptile to just eat something.

I heard someone mention offering up smaller prey items to get brooding ball pythons back onto food. I'm considering buying her a mouse just to see if it will whet her appetite. Would it be safe for her to feed on something that is no bigger than her own head?

Thanks for the replies guys, I appreciate all of them.

**millertime89** · 07-02-13, 03:56 PM

Yes its safe and worth a shot. If she's still shedding and drinking and urinating I would say you're still in the clear. Do you feed live or do you kill the rat prior to offering? If you kill the prey item try offering live, that got two of mine that went off feed to start eating again and after a few live feeds they went back to frozen/thawed or pre-killed.

guyabano · 07-02-13, 07:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by millertime89

Yes its safe and worth a shot. If she's still shedding and drinking and urinating I would say you're still in the clear. Do you feed live or do you kill the rat prior to offering? If you kill the prey item try offering live, that got two of mine that went off feed to start eating again and after a few live feeds they went back to frozen/thawed or pre-killed.

She likes 'em live. I was in the process of getting her to try a prekilled, but then she just stopped altogether. I never got past a live one held with tongs.

I'll try a mouse this weekend and see if she takes it. Thanks for the info!