She fed regularly on a FT rat every week. Does it have something to do with the change in season? It has begun to be quite warm here. It's been approximately 3 weeks.
2007-06-02 19:30:25 · 10 answers · asked by commdeus 1 in Pets ➔ Reptiles
She can go for months without eating. Ball Pythons can do that. If she hasn't eaten in a month, though, considering she's new in your home, consult with your vet. She's OK. Give her kisses for me.
http://www.anapsid.org/ball.html
2007-06-02 19:45:47 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
There are a lot of reasons snakes go off food....shedding can be one reason, but if it has been 3 weeks, I would doubt that's the cause this time. They most commonly go off food in the winter, which is actually when their breeding season begins...but obviously this isn't the case with her either, lol. I would guess some kind of stress triggered it.
Has anything changed in her environment since the last time she did feed for you, or have you tried offering her a different prey item? Subtle changes that we may not even realize until we stop and think about it can make a big difference.
One thing that comes to mind, since you mentioned that it is getting quite warm there, is enclosure temps. If she is too warm, she will not eat. Her temps need to remain at 90-92 on the "hot spot", and low 80's on the cool side. Do you have her heater on a thermostat? If not, the warming in "room temp" may be making her enclosure way too warm for her comfort. Make sure both warm and cool side temps are correct, with accurate thermometers placed on the ground where the snake is laying, not stuck to the side of the tank. Make sure she has a hide on both the warm and cool sides as well.
Reduce any handling or anything else that may cause her any stress at all to a minimum until she has begun feeding again.
Once more question......she wasn't exposed to a Ball Python of the opposite sex before you got her, was she?
2007-06-02 22:48:06 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
My son was like this he would always stare at me eating and cry, I finally gave him solids at 4 and a half months, he had good head control so I sat him in his snug chair and fed him two spoonfuls of baby porridge.. He didnt push the spoon out so I knew he was ready and proceeded to give him the food and he eat all of it (I waited a full 24 hours before trying him again) and he gradually had more and more He was also breastfed and I know he was ready for solids when I gave him some.. He is now 6 months and eats porridge of a morning mashed with puréed banana, has puréed fruit of a dinner and some puréed veg of a night and he is a very content and happy baby and spot on in his weight! Mums know best, as long as baby has good head control and can eat off a spoon not in the bottle like rusk (don't do that!) it's fine! Good luck x
2016-05-19 23:13:51 · answer #3 · answered by benita 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Hi.
I don't know much about snakes but a friend of mine has 3 and from what i can gather what goes in must come out, since you have had this python has it been to the toilet. It could be constipated. I know that sound funny but it can happen.
2007-06-02 20:27:45 · answer #4 · answered by hayden_blake 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
My ball python has been through several periods of not eating. I'll give you the solutions to all of the problems I've encountered from least worrying to most.
Shedding:
She/he could be coming up on a shed. Snakes are like women in that they have periods, only instead of menstration, they shed their skin. The whole process bloats them as they produce a milky liquid between the developing skin and the old skin. They feel uncomfortable and they look horrible. If your snakes eyes look milky and its colors aren't as vibrant this could be what's happening. Give it plenty of warm water to soak in and a rough stone for it to rub on and try not to touch it.
Hibernation:
Ball pythons are den snakes and can hibernate durring winter months. Mine has been known to refuse food for up to six months. If there are no secondary symptoms and the snake's back bone hasn't begun to protrude (the sign of an underweight snake) don't worry.
Trauma:
If the last rat bit your snake he/she could be afraid of the new ones. Ball pythons are a timid breed. Their name comes from their defense mechanism. They ball up and hide their head. If they had a battle cry it would be, "Not in the face!"
My snake is being coaxed back into eating right now. She got bit on the nose by a Attila the Rat and began spewing blood all over her cage. I had to "put the rat down" and picked up my snake and washed her wounds with water treated with Reptisafe and cradled her until she stopped shaking. I had my husband and his friend clean her cage and change out the litter while I did this to get rid of the blood and smell of the rat. Afterwards I put my arm in the cage and let her crawl off of her own accord. She didn't completely let go for over an hour as she slithered around her cage giving threatining vibrations of her belly.
I've had to go back to mice to get her to eat again. Offer yours a mouse and don't offer it until night (their usual hunting time) to see if your snake is merely emotionally traumatized.
Illness:
If your snake makes wheezing noises, leaves part of it's jaw unhinged and produces a lot of mucus it could have a respiratory infection. I didn't know that snakes had mucus nor could sneeze until my face was covered in ball python snot. Find a good vet that specializes in reptiles and snakes (I had to drive out to Kansas). You may have to get the snake shots, force feed and/or tube it before the whole ordeal is over.
Other illnesses that I have not experienced is scale rot (fungus like mold growing on scales), and mites (swarm of gnat sized bugs on and over your snake). These also should get the intervention of a trained vet.
2007-06-03 07:07:16 · answer #5 · answered by Alita 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
He might be getting ready to shed his skin. Just keep an eye on him, and keep offering food. Good luck....
2007-06-02 19:36:53 · answer #6 · answered by SureKat 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
it could be shedding, or fasting. ball pythons can fast for over a year. it is very common for bp's to fast, so don't panic.
2007-06-05 13:13:19 · answer #7 · answered by goldenpanther3421 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
He might be full. I understand they feed infrequently. Contact a pet store that handles reptiles.
2007-06-02 19:40:49 · answer #8 · answered by badbill1941 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
has it defecated? stop handling it and look at its eyes. kinda cloudy? probably gonna molt. make sure it has clean water. GL
2007-06-02 19:42:02 · answer #9 · answered by scottinfalls 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
ARE YOU ALLOWED SUCH PETS ? A NEW ONE FOR ME !
2007-06-02 19:39:36 · answer #10 · answered by 10-T3 7 · 0⤊ 3⤋