My Royal Python is 2.5 yrs old, approx 3ft long and quite chunky, I have had him/her for 1 year now and has never missed a feed until a few months ago.
He/She has started to eat not very regular, one week he will take a large rat weaner, then sometimes he wil not eat for 2-3 weeks and so on.
My temperatures are: 85f hot / 80f cool, his is still very active at night.
Vivarium size : 18"W, 18"D, 18"T
2006-12-26 22:36:45 · 8 answers · asked by snakeman 1 in Pets ➔ Reptiles
I can think of a few reasons that might be causing this.
1) Snakes need less food as they mature. They are growing more slowly. Therefore their food is needed only for maintenance, not for adding new growth. At 3 feet long, your python's growth should be slowing because he is nearing his adult size.
2) At 2.5 years old, your ball python is sexually mature. Sexually mature ball pythons go through a cycle in which they eat less or not at all for a few weeks. They should have slightly cooler temperatures at this time. I'd drop the cool end of his tank somewhat.
3. You mention that your snake is quite chunky. This may be triggering this lack of appetite as well--snakes have only been bred in captivity for a few generations and their instincts to maintain a normal weight are not corrupted yet.
4. Snakes feeding response is mitigated by lighting. You don't see this as much in baby snakes, who will generally eat whenever food is presented. In older snakes as the day length decreases this triggers their instinct that they are entering a season when they wouldn't normally have huge food supplies. This is an entirely normal response, and works hand in hand with decreasing food consumption prior to breeding. I bred ball pythons and my pythons became sexually active after a month to six weeks of self imposed fasting which occurred around January-February.
It sounds to me as if you have a normal ball python which is showing the usual behaviors associated with sexual maturity and nearing the end stage of his growth.
2006-12-27 00:39:00 · answer #1 · answered by Redneck Crow 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
hi there
u said he about 2.5 yrs old it could be that s/he is in the breeding season our is right now it their shut down time with the change of cold weather and less natural light... it triggers them into it.... try to offer smaller pray... a large mouse ... Provide a range of temperatures between 75-90 deg. F, using an under-tank heating pad, reptile heat tape or preferably, heating lamps. A daytime basking spot of 85-90 deg. F should occupy just one area, so the snake can move to a cooler place if it wishes.
2006-12-26 23:51:05 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
ive always feed my snakes ( ball pythons, albino burmese pytons, reticulated pythons red tailed boa, rosy boa) about once every couple months!!! sometimes they dont need food when you offer it, but if the snake is used to you offereing food at certain times, continue to do that... but sometimes snakes just dont eat for a few months... if you feel something is really wrong, take snake to the vet...you can tell a few things, look at the eyes, other than molting, are eyes clear? is snake drooling? does snake move funny when handled? are there little black specks in the water dish? and has the snake regularly shedded ENTIRE skin, not left patches of skin? if none of the above, your probably ok
2006-12-26 22:47:53 · answer #3 · answered by s p 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Hi! He shouldn't be chunky...snakes by nature are long and sleek.
Has he/she been exposed to another snake? Snakes usually fast between meals....4-5 days. Is he/she coiling into a ball? This could indicate stress.
Its best to take the snake to the vet. Hopefully you have one that will look at snakes!!
2006-12-26 23:19:24 · answer #4 · answered by Wendy 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
some snakes prolly can desire stay than shocked or perhaps lifeless rats, so this is particularly as much as u if u wanna feed stay or shocked or f/t rats. in certainty, snakes constantly consume stay rats in wild existence, ceremony? (*who could kill the rats for them besides ;p) So via nature, snakes know what to do with stay prey ^^ despite the fact that, some snake vendors are afraid that the rats ought to injure or perhaps kill the snake, so they stun the rats it quite is positive the two. I feed my snakes with stay prey and there is no subject so a techniques, yet u gotta watch it continuously (by no skill go away stay prey all nite with the snake). If the snake doesnt take the stay prey in 15 minutes, then take the rat out, the snake isnt gonna feed for ya at the instant ^^ So as quickly as lower back, this is particularly as much as u if u wanna feed him/her stay. U're gonna see extra "action" if u feed it stay (u're no longer gonna see this if u feed him/her frozen/thawed rats). Your selection ^^ wish i will help ^^
2016-11-23 19:18:07 · answer #5 · answered by carmean 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
take to vet check sex of the snake ..if female may have eggs ...there dont have to have a male to have eggs ...it may be gravelted ...if eyes are milky color its shading sometimes it takes longer and its harder for them ... make sure theres something in there that rough to rub on to shed skin better on its own
2006-12-27 15:39:43 · answer #6 · answered by chiochio06 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
has your python been on holidays ? --- theres a bloke way out west who lost a chihuahua the other day --- have a better look at his tummy !! good luck .
2006-12-26 22:57:39 · answer #7 · answered by bill g 7 · 0⤊ 3⤋
check and see if you're missing some relatives , he could be sneaking some snacks from the family tree ,
2006-12-26 22:40:26 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 3⤋