Stubborn Spotted Python Still Not Eating

[AndrewM1217]

I believe I have posted on this matter once before, but I've tried a few new tactics still to no avail.

My spotted python is a 2yo Male, and has always been eager to eat. His last meal was October 26th and I've offered food once a week, with today's offer being two weeks from the previous one to give him more time. Temperatures are 78 on the cool side, 85 on the warm side, and the hot spot fluctuates between 92 and 96 degrees (Depending on if the CHE has been shut off by the thermostat after reaching proper temps or if it is in the process of heating up). Humidity is at a constant 40%, and I bump it up a little bit during shed cycles.

His previous 3 or 4 successful meals were F/T weaned rats, as a large mouse is a little small for him and leaves pretty much no bulge. Since he developed his stubborn meal refusal, I have tried the following techniques:
-Feeding in the dark
-Leaving the prey item over night
-Tried switching back to large mice
-Tried both a live large mouse and a live weaned rat, under careful supervision
-Just tried "braining" a large mouse, no success. I plan to try "braining" a weaned rat in two weeks

What is my next step from here? As I've mentioned here and in previous posts, this is his first hunger strike but this is also his first winter as as sexually mature male. I know this is typical of ball pythons but wasn't sure about other species. He is not visibly losing any weight, I hope to get a digital scale soon to monitor his weight more precisely.

Maybe try African soft furs? Any suggestions are weclome and appreciated

[Andy_G]

I would wait it out. As you said, it's winter, he's a mature male and he will eat when he pleases. African soft fur rats may not offer much enticement to a snake found in australia but if you wanted to try it, I suppose you could.

[EL Ziggy]

I agree with Andy, I'd just wait him out. Keep offering food every 14 days and he'll eat eventually. I've had BPs and king snakes fast for 5-7 months and then just click back on when they're ready. As long as my husbandry is dialed in, they're not losing a lot of weight,or showing any signs of illness I've learned to trust that they know when they need to eat and to just let nature take it's course. I'm also a firm believer that the hunger always wins in the end .

[Bluck]

Hi guys,

I had the same problem with my spotted a couple of years ago.

He went months without touching any rodents, in the end he switched to quails and is still on them to this day, every now and then I try a mouse or rat - but he won't have it. Will try again soon but I think he is just picky.

Like the other guys said though - in the end they always eat.

Cheers,

Bryan

[AndrewM1217]

Bluck,

I'll give this a shot. Its cool to hear from somebody having the same issues with the same species. Not cool that you're having issues of course! Just that your advice comes from direct experience. I'll try a quail at some point either later this week or next week.

Also, I just had a new idea:
So the cage he is housed in is outfitted with a fluorescent light that I generally leave off unless I need it to see something during spot cleaning etc. When I am not home, I keep my window blinds closed and the room stays fairly dark. Not pitch black by any means, but pretty dimly lit. Does anyone think if I left his fluorescent light on for lets say 8-10hrs a day and then turned it off at night that it would give him a more definied day/night cycle and somehow help with his eating? The only flaw I can see with that is that when I'm home its generally at night and I'll be in the same room as him with the normal room lights on.