BP Won't eat

Wolfus_305 · 02-01-09, 01:07 PM

Hi there,
I've had this BP since September. That is the last time he ate. He is about 6 years old and 4 feet long. He is still pretty chubby and doesn't appear to be losing weight. He is fairly active at night and quite often I see him drinking his water. His humidity levels are even and within the range that people on this site suggested for his breed. His temps on both hot and cool sides are within the proper ranges. He has hides on both sides of his habitat and a branch shaped like a triangle to climb on.
He is supposed to eat f/t large rats. I've tried that once a month since I purchased him and he still won't eat. I was just wondering if anybody has any tips for me. Anything from how to thaw the rat to how to feed my BP.
Thanks so much!
Kenny

Kmef07 · 02-01-09, 01:23 PM

I thaw my rats by getting the hottest water i can out of the sink and filling a cup up with that water then i cover the top of the cup with a paper towel and let sit for about 45 mins the water is still really warm when i pour it out.

a couple tricks i've heard is to put the mouse in a brown paper bag inside the snakes cage and let it sit over night and sometimes the snake will just crawl in and eat it. it is supposed to simulate a burrow. your snake depending on how big might need some other type of bag. lol

if all else fails try feeding live. but bps are really picky eaters my breeder once told me of one of his that didn't eat for about 1.5 years. it lost some weight but overall it was healthy he still has it about 3 years later and it is really healthy and has never had a problem feeding again.

others will have a lot more tips im sure this forum is great for info on bps.

dexter 1988 · 02-01-09, 01:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wolfus_305

Hi there,
I've had this BP since September. That is the last time he ate. He is about 6 years old and 4 feet long. He is still pretty chubby and doesn't appear to be losing weight. He is fairly active at night and quite often I see him drinking his water. His humidity levels are even and within the range that people on this site suggested for his breed. His temps on both hot and cool sides are within the proper ranges. He has hides on both sides of his habitat and a branch shaped like a triangle to climb on.
He is supposed to eat f/t large rats. I've tried that once a month since I purchased him and he still won't eat. I was just wondering if anybody has any tips for me. Anything from how to thaw the rat to how to feed my BP.
Thanks so much!
Kenny

try alive one or put your bp and a f/t rat in a brownpaper bag this is info i got off google i have never try it my self.

Wolfus_305 · 02-01-09, 03:14 PM

Thanks so much!
I'll try that and let you know what happens!
Kenny

herpocrite27 · 02-02-09, 10:36 PM

Hey Wolfus, my BP went off feed during the start of this winter, I was so frustrated. I was feeding her medium rats once a week, but then on day, she refused to eat them. I tryed for a month to get her to eat them, but nothing worked. I then tried feeding her 2 large mice and she took them without hesitation. If the rats dont work you might want to try it. Good luck

Wolfus_305 · 02-03-09, 06:35 AM

When I got him he was eating f/t large rats. He would go up to it, look interested and then it would still be there in the morning and he would be curled up in one of his hides. He has shed once since I got him but that was a while ago and it went smoothly. I tried medium rats (i was shocked at the size difference). Do you think I should try small rats/large mice?
Kenny

**Aaron_S** · 02-03-09, 09:07 AM

Don't go to a smaller size. Kepp with the large rats and you have to make sure that the rat is very warm when you goto offer it. You also can't just toss it in the cage and hope he eats it. You should dangle it, make it kinda look like it's still alive. Use tongs.

Wolfus_305 · 02-03-09, 06:31 PM

I put the rat in a ziploc bag (I don't like the feeling of wet rat fur). Then I put that in a bowl and soak it in warm-hot water until it's warm on the outside. Then I pour out the water and put in warmer-hotter water and wait until the rat is mushy-ish (the inside is no longer frozen). I don't thaw the rat in the same room as my BP, should I try that or will it not really make a difference? When the rat seems thawed and warm all the way through I place it in my BP's habitat and wiggle it around using tongs. The front of my BP's habitat is all glass so I do my best to stand to the side so that he can't see me. I feed him around 11PM and I make sure that the house is quiet and nobody is walking around in the room with my BP's habitat. I leave his red heat light on and I turn out the rest of the lights that shine into/are in the room with his habitat. After an hour, sometimes an hour and a half I will stop wriggling the rat and place it on a piece of driftwood that his previous owner used for feeding him. I will usually go back a while later and if it's still there I will move it around for another little while but eventually I've got to go to sleep. I will try feeding him again this Friday night (I can't be up too late during the week because of school). Thank you for all your advice. Wish me luck!
Kenny

citysnakes · 02-03-09, 07:05 PM

do you know the weight of the large size rats that you are trying to feed him?

Wolfus_305 · 02-03-09, 07:34 PM

Mkay, I did some searching and pulled out my scale.
The rats are around 216g each. They are 9" long (excluding tail) and 6" around the middle (when frozen). My BP is 4 feet long and just judging by eyesight (since I didn't want to stress him out by taking him out of his habitat to measure him) he is about 7-10" around the middle. Let me know if there's any more info you need.
Kenny

Chu'Wuti · 02-03-09, 07:45 PM

Quote:

he is about 7-10" around the middle

Kenny, is that a circumference or a diameter? What is his diameter--the approximate distance across his middle? What's the rat's diameter?

Can you weigh the BP?

Try thawing the rat out right over/near/in the enclosure. Then heat the head of the rat very thoroughly to create a strong heat signature immediately before you try offering the rat.

Wolfus_305 · 02-03-09, 08:09 PM

the 7-10" was an approx. circumference.
he is 8" circumference. 1/5" diameter (approx)
and he weighs 600g give or take 50 due to hiw constant squirming.
The rats are approx. 1" diameter (when frozen, so they are kind of lop sided) and 5"-6" circumference

citysnakes · 02-04-09, 12:13 AM

if you were to use Mykee's rule when feeding your bp then a 216g rat is definitely too big for your adult male that weighs 600g and a rat in between the 60g-90g range may be a more suitable meal. some ball pythons may feel intimidated by a prey item that is too large and will refuse it. its an idea but aside from double checking all your husbandry and making corrections, offering a smaller sized rat may help get your bp to eat.

jimbousmc · 02-04-09, 04:55 AM

if the snake was taken from the wild often during the winter months it will not feed, and i dont suggest trying a different animal then you are feeding your snake as snakes tend get a taste for a different animal and may never go for your rats again. also if you put some tuna oil on the rat it sometimes helps them to eat. but if not dont worry your snake will be fine and eating again once it warms up. i would suggest asking your friend whom you recieved the snake if it was captive bred or taken from the wild. as it isnt a common trait for captive bred not to eat for to long of periods but they will still go shorter periods. i have even heard of people giving them some kind of supplement to make them wanna eat though i have never tried this but it might be worth looking into

Wolfus_305 · 02-04-09, 07:37 AM

I will try the smaller rats I have. I can weigh them when i get home from school today.
Checked all his humidity, heat, uv, water etc. and they seem to be fine. My bp was captive bred. I will try feeding again this Friday using all the tips I have gotten. Thank you so much. I will let you know what happens!