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Old 11-15-12, 05:07 PM   #1
aaron_cg
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Off food

So I know about BP's being picky eaters, and Im not worried, but Hannibal is off food. She hasn't eaten anything since October 2nd. so about 6 weeks. We tried this lat 2 days and she had no interest in the rat what-so-ever. We feed her live, so buying a new rat every week is expensive if she's not going to eat. How often should we try? She is still doing great, she is active at night, loves being held, and still tries to get into the couch every time she is out lol.
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Old 11-15-12, 05:18 PM   #2
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Re: Off food

is "she" an actual sexed female or are you just calling her "she".

Never heard of a female doing it, but it is perfectly normal for a male to go off food at this time of year, it's the beggining of breeding season for them.
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Old 11-15-12, 05:52 PM   #3
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Re: Off food

Could you post a picture of your enclosure?

Im not trying to give you a bunch of grief, but it seems like your BP has had a pretty stressful last couple of months. This is the ball that was living in the same enclosure with the boa, correct? You have since switched it from mice to rats, and you said that it was striking food but not eating it.

There seems to be enough change going on to definitely stress a ball out enough to keep it from eating. I know you mentioned in previous posts that you feed this snake in a separate enclosure than its home. Honestly, my first suggestion would be to stop handling it altogether. Leave it in its enclosure (I know its hard but it will allow it some respite), make sure your heat and humidity are perfect and wait 10 days before you try feeding it again.
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Old 11-15-12, 06:14 PM   #4
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Re: Off food

You need ZERO handling, just change water and monitor temps/humidity until the snake next eats for you. Only attempt to feed every 14 days and come back if you think the snake is losing weight.
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Old 11-16-12, 05:22 PM   #5
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Re: Off food

Ok, I will get a picture of the set-up when I get home and post it. She has not been sexed, but was sold as a female, and doesn't have the spurs. I know that doesn't mean it is a female, but that is the best guess so far.

She used to live with a Red Tail (smaller than her) but I resolved that issue once I had her in about 12 hours, so she has been by herself for about 2 months or so.

She has eaten the rats before, with no issue. The one time I posted about her striking but not eating she did eat it. She struck and killed it, and re positioned her head to the front of the rat and then ate it.

The last time she was handled was this last Tuesday. I choose to feed outside of the enclosure, and yes I have done my research on this. I just changed her water this morning and she was crawling around in her tank. She did not hiss at me, curl back, etc... in fact she even crawled right over my hand at one point.

She is still behaving as normal, and I am not sure as to if she lost any weight. Doesn't look like it though. She is still drinking, and sometimes bathing in her bowl.

Thanks for all the info, and I will get a pic up ASAP!
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Old 11-16-12, 05:35 PM   #6
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Re: Off food

Females go off food at breeding season ALL the time. They go that way, or they become ravenous eaters. Try every two weeks and don't refreeze a food item a second time; the bacteria that grows is crazy.
Good luck. Don't worry.
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Old 11-16-12, 06:49 PM   #7
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Re: Off food

Thanks, and I feed live rats. I tried a frozen once and she wouldn't eat it, no matter what I did. I even tried the chicken broth trick with no luck.
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Old 11-16-12, 09:44 PM   #8
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Re: Off food

Quote:
Originally Posted by Lankyrob View Post
You need ZERO handling, just change water and monitor temps/humidity until the snake next eats for you. Only attempt to feed every 14 days and come back if you think the snake is losing weight.
If this is snake is handled on a regular basis stopping would be fruitless.
I would not worry. Make sure your husbandry is spot on an offer food on the normal days the sanke would eat. If they refuse. Try again next time. No need to stop handling if the snake is used to it. My male hasn't eaten in a month. No biggy. He'll eat sometime. People stress about a snake off food way more than they should. Its a normal part of the snakes life. So be normal as if they were eating.
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Old 11-17-12, 05:51 AM   #9
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Re: Off food

Quote:
Originally Posted by Terranaut View Post
If this is snake is handled on a regular basis stopping would be fruitless.
I would not worry. Make sure your husbandry is spot on an offer food on the normal days the sanke would eat. If they refuse. Try again next time. No need to stop handling if the snake is used to it. My male hasn't eaten in a month. No biggy. He'll eat sometime. People stress about a snake off food way more than they should. Its a normal part of the snakes life. So be normal as if they were eating.
If the snake isnt eating for a reason relating to stress then continuing to handle will only add to this stress and ensure the no eating continues.
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Old 11-17-12, 08:08 AM   #10
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Re: Off food

I just don't think this is the case here. It sounds seasonal to me given that it is the season for balls to take a break if they do that. The OP seems to know the snake and the inly behavior that has changed is the lack of eating. Doesn't sound like stress related at all.
I bet this guy doesn't eat until January/feb sorta time frame. I would change nothing.
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Old 11-17-12, 08:11 AM   #11
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Re: Off food

Quote:
Originally Posted by Terranaut View Post
I just don't think this is the case here. It sounds seasonal to me given that it is the season for balls to take a break if they do that. The OP seems to know the snake and the inly behavior that has changed is the lack of eating. Doesn't sound like stress related at all.
I bet this guy doesn't eat until January/feb sorta time frame. I would change nothing.
Agreed 100%
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Old 11-17-12, 08:58 AM   #12
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Re: Off food

She doesn't seemed stressed at all. Still her normal friendly self! But I agree, for a new snake owner this is the most stress I have had with her.
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Old 11-17-12, 11:19 AM   #13
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Re: Off food

I completely agree with Rob. Handling an already stressed snake will indeed add stress that is unnecessary. I think far more snakes going off feed is related to stress/controllable factors than simple breeding season, especially with new keepers.

However, without speaking in general terms lets speak to this snake and keeper specifically. Aaron, please understand that I am honestly not trying to be a jerk here. I think you truly are interested in learning more about your snake, which is great. You are making some mistakes that many new keepers make, and learning from each one by the looks of it. However, I think that there is the possibility that there is more at play here than just breeding season. This snake appears to be less than a year old based on previous threads.

http://www.ssnakess.com/forums/gener...-together.html

As shown by that thread also, the brand new keeper has only had this snake three months and there has been a large portion of this snakes life in less than stellar conditions. This is including at least the first part of the time with this new keeper, as shown here:

http://www.ssnakess.com/forums/pytho...old-touch.html
http://www.ssnakess.com/forums/pytho...bout-shed.html

And if we look at her past feeding history, this owner has only had this snake eat 3 times in 3 months, including the change from mice to rats. So it doesnt seem like there is any "normal" at all.

http://www.ssnakess.com/forums/pytho...ot-eating.html
http://www.ssnakess.com/forums/pytho...n-feeding.html

It also seems like this owner, being new to snakes, does not quite understand handling yet, and the stress or behaviour of the snake in question:

http://www.ssnakess.com/forums/pytho...g-tensing.html

So, I wonder what your rationale is behind saying that its just that time of year and there is no cause for concern in this particular case? Because all ball pythons stop eating at this time of year? Totally untrue and especially not applicable in this instance.

Aaron, I think you need to stop handling your snake and give it some time. If Im wrong, no harm in not touching it for a few weeks. If Im right, your snake starts eating again and is happier and healthier. And by not handling, Im including feeding outside your enclosure. You keep mentioning you have done your research on that. Id love to know what research that is as it is generally accepted nowadays that feeding outside the enclosure is both not necessary and often a negative experience for the snake.
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Old 11-17-12, 11:34 AM   #14
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Re: Off food

^^^^^ great post
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Old 11-17-12, 11:50 AM   #15
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Re: Off food

Quote:
Originally Posted by Terranaut View Post
If this is snake is handled on a regular basis stopping would be fruitless.
I would not worry. Make sure your husbandry is spot on an offer food on the normal days the sanke would eat. If they refuse. Try again next time. No need to stop handling if the snake is used to it. My male hasn't eaten in a month. No biggy. He'll eat sometime. People stress about a snake off food way more than they should. Its a normal part of the snakes life. So be normal as if they were eating.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Terranaut View Post
I just don't think this is the case here. It sounds seasonal to me given that it is the season for balls to take a break if they do that. The OP seems to know the snake and the inly behavior that has changed is the lack of eating. Doesn't sound like stress related at all.
I bet this guy doesn't eat until January/feb sorta time frame. I would change nothing.

if i'm reading correctly.....

the op has ONLY had the snake 2 months...

she said she split up the python and a boa that were kept together,and its been living on its own for 2 months

so imo the op has NOT had time,to get to KNOW the snake and its feeding habits

imo handling a snake that has went off it's food is never a good idea

imo the snake needs left in peace and quiet,only going near it to offer food every 7 to 10 days,until its eating regular

to the op
you said you researched the feeding out its tank...

feeding IN the tank helps make the snake more secure,IMO taking it out WON'T help if the snake is already stressed

re handling
TERRANAUT,why keep handling a snake thats off its food ?

i see NO benifit in doing this,but it can cause problems should the snake already be stressed out

it may well be breeding season that has put it of eating,but WE have no way of telling that,by reading a post ?

cheers shaun
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