BP more frustration than fun

limey · 12-23-12, 12:10 AM

I've had my BP for about 7-8 months, maybe a little more. Things started out okay. She'd take frozen thawed no problem, once every 5 days. She was a reliable feeder. After about 3 months or so, I moved her onto rats. The transition went fine.

Then we went away for a week to Hawaii and came back, she had been fine the whole time. But now will not eat anything frozen thawed at all. For two months she has consistently turned her nose up at rats, has not eaten one.

I tried frozen mice again, downgrading her prey size since she hadn't eaten in about 4weeks at one point. I thought if I tried mice, maybe she'd eat the mouse. She did. I was relieved that she just ate something, no matter that it was a small meal.

Now 90% of the time she won't eat F/T mice either. I gave her her first live mouse today. It frightened the living hell out of her, she was trying to scale the tub and get out.

Eventually after 20 minutes of coaxing she plucked uo the courage to kill the mouse and eat it. She won't take another mouse afterwards, I've tried. I've even tried a F/T afterward - no luck.

One small mouse every week is not enough for an (almost) 3 foot ball python that is starting to look a bit underweight.

Husbandry is fine (see previous posts), No underlying health issues as far as I'm aware. No vet in my region of Alaska that's accessible by road.

Need advice.

This pet is turning out to be more frustrating than fun. And believe me, I want her to be fun. But it's getting to the point that I wish I had chosen a less picky species of snake.

StudentoReptile · 12-23-12, 06:06 AM

My ball python did this several years ago; was eating F/T fine, and then one day, up and decided he didn't want to. He went 8-9 months without eating, then somehow, he ended up eating nothing but hamsters, refusing all else. Years later, I finally got him back on live rats, and then on F/T rats.

My suggestion? Wait it out and whatever you do, do not offer him hamsters!

Lankyrob · 12-23-12, 08:06 AM

This time of year you get lots of snakes going off feed, just offer f/t rats only every 14 days until it starts eating again, as long as the snake doesnt loose condition then you will be fine

**Aaron_S** · 12-23-12, 08:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by limey

I've had my BP for about 7-8 months, maybe a little more. Things started out okay. She'd take frozen thawed no problem, once every 5 days. She was a reliable feeder. After about 3 months or so, I moved her onto rats. The transition went fine.

Then we went away for a week to Hawaii and came back, she had been fine the whole time. But now will not eat anything frozen thawed at all. For two months she has consistently turned her nose up at rats, has not eaten one.

I tried frozen mice again, downgrading her prey size since she hadn't eaten in about 4weeks at one point. I thought if I tried mice, maybe she'd eat the mouse. She did. I was relieved that she just ate something, no matter that it was a small meal.

Now 90% of the time she won't eat F/T mice either. I gave her her first live mouse today. It frightened the living hell out of her, she was trying to scale the tub and get out.

Eventually after 20 minutes of coaxing she plucked uo the courage to kill the mouse and eat it. She won't take another mouse afterwards, I've tried. I've even tried a F/T afterward - no luck.

One small mouse every week is not enough for an (almost) 3 foot ball python that is starting to look a bit underweight.

Husbandry is fine (see previous posts), No underlying health issues as far as I'm aware. No vet in my region of Alaska that's accessible by road.

Need advice.

This pet is turning out to be more frustrating than fun. And believe me, I want her to be fun. But it's getting to the point that I wish I had chosen a less picky species of snake.

It's only frustrating because just like a young child you gave in. 4 weeks without a rat and you got all worried? I had a male here that would go 6 - 8 months a year without eating!

I would have offered live rats instead of f/t mice. That way at least it was on the same prey item. Now you have to go through the process again, and now with a much older snake.

For advice, offer live rats and see if it'll switch from mice to rats. At least it's on a better prey item then you can switch it to f/t.

alessia55 · 12-23-12, 08:52 AM

I agree with Aaron. One of my BPs went almost 6mos without eating (when I was transitioning him from live mice to f/t rats) and he was fine. 4 weeks is nothing to worry about in the BP world. In the few weeks that he wasn't eating, he shouldn't go from healthy to underweight. In the 6mos my BP didn't eat, he barely lost any weight that was noticeable. I would offer a live rat or an f/t rat every other week. Eventually he'll be hungry enough and eat it. Don't give in so quickly next time

Terranaut · 12-23-12, 10:47 AM

I also agree with Aaron. Never revert back to mice. A couple months is nothing. My royal male just hit sexual maturity this year. He ate like a champ and lurked all over his enclosure all night long then no food and hiding in the cool hide 24-7 for about 3 months. Last week he started hunting again and ate like before. Its that time of year. Dont worry about it and consider it a break for your wallet.
Go back to having fun with it

limey · 12-23-12, 12:26 PM

Alright, some sound advice there thanks.

I've got 2 Frozen rats in the freezer. I will try and give her one in about 10-14 days. Hopefully she will take it.

She does seem to be a little trimmer than earlier in the year, longer perhaps, but not as thick girth. I know BP's are supposed to have thick girth that's why I was mainly concerned.

Did I say 4 weeks? She's not touched a rat in about 14 weeks now. Only mice, on occasion. Must prefer the smell of the mice or something. I dunno.

We'll see what we can do about that. I'd like to get her back on larger prey.

Glad to have this resource if I'm not sure of anything - you guys really are lifesavers when I'm living out here because, like I say, not many "snake people" out here in Alaska, at least not anybody with any viable knowledge.

So thanks again.

**lady_bug87** · 12-23-12, 01:46 PM

If you try f/t again heat the head nice and good and try braining it.

**Aaron_S** · 12-23-12, 10:56 PM

You could also scent the rat with the mouse beforehand.

mykee · 12-24-12, 10:10 AM

Hot and wet. REALLY hot. Works every time.

dinosaurdammit · 12-24-12, 10:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mykee

Hot and wet. REALLY hot. Works every time.

With my boas I often place the rat by the heat lamp and wrap it in a little bit of plastic wrap. Once you get it thawed the rat REAKS of rat because as it sweats to thaw the plastic wrap keeps all the juices and smell right there. It doesnt cook the rat at all from my experience, just dont put it too close to the light. Ive never had a boa refuse this method. While I know a boa isnt a BP my female was a bit picky and wouldnt even eat F/T but her hide was damaged from rat bites from her previous owner, and my male went off feed right before breeding season and once I tried this it worked.

TeaNinja · 12-27-12, 02:00 PM

i don't even heat my prey too much anymore. i thaw frozen rats in the warm spot from the heat lamp on top of the dumerils wooden enclosure and then i just toss one in for the big dumerils and do the zombie rat dance for the small dumerils and the ball python and it's dinner time.