Carpet python help?

kfcluverzunite · 05-05-16, 01:02 PM

its been about a month and a half of my 2015 male coastal refusing food, where as before he had a very enthusiastic feeding response and would eat every time he was offered food. the temps range from 85-90f and humidity from 50-60%. He seems very interested in his food still but will not take it. do you guys think its due to the time of year or something else? Thanks

**Andy_G** · 05-05-16, 01:17 PM

What kind of enclosure is your snake in? Is it located in a high traffic area of the house? What does it usually eat? How often are you offering? Have there been any changes to your husbandry? Any other changes of behaviour?

kfcluverzunite · 05-05-16, 01:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andy_G

What kind of enclosure is your snake in? Is it located in a high traffic area of the house? What does it usually eat? How often are you offering? Have there been any changes to your husbandry? Any other changes of behaviour?

Hes in a back room away from most traffic, he eats f/t medium-large rats, i offer him food every 7-10 days depending on the size of his last meal, no husbandry change i am still using newspaper, and he seems to be roaming late at night quite often

**Andy_G** · 05-05-16, 01:28 PM

That's a big meal for a 2015 to be taking already. Most individuals around a year in age will be eating weanlings or small adults. Are you sure on the age? I would also stretch offerings/feeding schedule to every 10-14 days if its on mediums or larges. You will get a less sporadic feeding response with that schedule. IF he is actually a 2014 animal, he could definitely be looking for a mate...but other than that I am not sure what to suggest because everything else sounds great.

kfcluverzunite · 05-05-16, 01:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andy_G

That's a big meal for a 2015 to be taking already. Most individuals around a year in age will be eating weanlings or small adults. Are you sure on the age? I would also stretch offerings/feeding schedule to every 10-14 days if its on mediums or larges. You will get a less sporadic feeding response with that schedule. IF he is actually a 2014 animal, he could definitely be looking for a mate...but other than that I am not sure what to suggest because everything else sounds great.

i got him as a hatchling last august and ever since hes been growing substantially. hes now around 4.5ft at around 10 months. he is still growing actually but hes not eating so hes losing some girth which is why im concerned about him.

**EL Ziggy** · 05-05-16, 01:40 PM

I don't think it's his hormones just yet and your husbandry sounds like it's dialed in. My 2015 male jungle is about 450g and only takes small rats. I don't think he can handle a medium just yet. My 2014 coastal eats medium rats at 900g. My only suggestion is to space out his feedings a little bit more. Try feeding him every 10-14 days until he's back on schedule. You could also try stimulating his appetite with a different prey item or a live feeder. Best wishes and keep us posted.

kfcluverzunite · 05-05-16, 01:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EL Ziggy

I don't think it's his hormones just yet and your husbandry sounds like it's dialed in. My 2015 male jungle is about 450g and only takes small rats. I don't think he can handle a medium just yet. My 2014 coastal eats medium rats at 900g. My only suggestion is to space out his feedings a little bit more. Try feeding him every 10-14 days until he's back on schedule. You could also try stimulating his appetite with a different prey item or a live feeder. Best wishes and keep us posted.

if i tried to stimulate his appetite what would you recommend?

MDT · 05-05-16, 02:08 PM

My carpets will occasionally go through unexplained fasts (unexplained to me, husbandry not changed, no obvious stressors, etc) periodically...and not coinciding w breeding either (late winter/early fall fasts). I just keep offering food and after awhile, they start back up again. I monitor their weights to make sure, but seemingly no ill effects.

**Andy_G** · 05-05-16, 02:21 PM

Since he is actually that young, it won't have to do with breeding. I would definitely reduce the frequency that you're offering so that you're pitching out less rodents. Although changing prey item can certainly stimulate appetite, sometimes it can cause them to only want the alternative prey item so it has the potential to be a pain. It is therefore not something I would suggest doing at this point if I were you. Like MDT said, this happens without reason (to us) sometimes, so as long as everything else is ruled out and weight loss isn't drastic then it's all good. Being that big at a year you probably had him on a somewhat heavy feeding schedule so it would be quite normal for him to look "thinned out" a little bit because you wouldn't be used to seeing him completely empty.

**EL Ziggy** · 05-05-16, 02:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kfcluverzunite

if i tried to stimulate his appetite what would you recommend?

My carpets eat mostly rats, but I'll also give them mice, asfs, and chicks.

kfcluverzunite · 05-17-16, 02:11 PM

okay guys, i tried feeding again recently and hes still refusing, although he seemed very interested but he just wont take it. I read from multiple places that sometimes soaking the prey in chicken broth may cause them to eat again, what are you guys thoughts on this?

Albert Clark · 05-17-16, 02:45 PM

Personally, I would continue to wait him out with the spaced out feeding schedule. These guys (pythons) very rarely starve themselves. They are known to be able to go long periods of time without food. I know you know that, I just thought to throw that around. Lol. Listen, just stay on top of your husbandry and keep those feeding attempts at a minimum. Try tossing a little 100% cypress mulch into the enclosure.

**Andy_G** · 05-17-16, 02:53 PM

Chicken broth can definitely trigger a feeding response but I am going to be quite blunt here, he has been overfed in your care. There's no other possible way that he has gotten to his current size so quickly even if he came from a bloodline of VERY big coastals. I am certainly not saying you've done it on purpose but it's been done regardless. Please consider that his body may very well need a break and that he will start feeding on his own again soon when he is ready. Adjust your feeding schedule once he is back on food because he really doesn't need as much as you've been giving him and he will live a much longer, healthier life if you do so.

SWDK · 05-17-16, 04:30 PM

Are you making sure the prey item is warm. Pythons have heat sensing pits and sometime will not take food unless it's sufficiently warm enough. This is especially true with ball pythons and when I kept carpets some would not strike at cool prey

kfcluverzunite · 05-23-16, 01:22 PM

i just wanted everyone to know that he took food again today

thanks everyone for your help!