RCReptiles.com

[ryancbj22]

Okay so i've had Gary now for awhile I bought him from Ron about 5 to 6 weeks ago. I have yet to get him to eat i've tried everything from frozen to pre-killed to live numerous times. I wait a week each time. The first few weeks he didn't want to eat at all he wasn't even interested. The last couple of weeks I have touched him no handling at all. I even put a towel over his cage at night so he doesn't see me walking around, and so it stays dark. When I tried putting a live rat pup in a couple of weeks ago I waited until about 11pm. I made sure he was awake he just barely had his head out of his hide so I threw the rat in he immediately came out and acted like i've never seen him he was flicking his tongue and the first third of his body was in the s-shape and kind of bouncing I surley thought this was it he was going to eat. NOTHING I left the rat in there supervised for about an hour and nothing happened. I did the same things over and over for about the last 2 or 3 weeks and I get the same reactions i've gone as long as 2or3 hours and he just doesn't follow through with it. He obviously is hungry and wants to eat he just for some reason won't. This always ends up being stressfull for him because after awhile the rat runs into the hide with him again this is supervised the rat doesn't bite or claw at him but I have to intervene and remove the hide and take the rat out and it's obviously stressful. My tank is prestine the temps are 91.2 on the dot on the hot side and 78or80 on the cool side my humidity is a little low at 45 but lately he doesn't even leave his hide at all I can tell because i'll stir up the aspen and if he does come it's always mashed down and every morning the bedding is the same so I know he's not coming out of his hide. I'm getting worried because I know they'll eat when there ready and you can tell he wants to but something just isn't right and he doesn't do it. Does anyone have any suggestions at all. I've tried the pre-killed but that was after trying the live way I took the rat out killed it and put it back in and dangled it hit him in the nose with it and nothing couldn't be less interested in it. The only thing left to try is pre-killing it first wait until he's awake and then put it in but I just don't know what to do anymore it's getting stressfull for both of us. It sucks too because my corn will eat no matter what at anytime anyplace nothing will keep her from eating it's almost sickening how much she'll eat lol... Any advice would be greatly appreciated i'm running out of options quick. I know they'll eat when they want but you can tell he want's too and just something turns him away from it everytime i try I think he's going to and then he backs out of it so he's appetites there just something turns it off

[ryancbj22]

I know you'll want some pics


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[Buck_99]

Ryan, refresh my memory, how big is he (weight)? How old is he?

He might just be being a ball python.

My "best" feeder, a pastel male named Ward, also from Ron, used to be my clean-up man. When nobody else would eat, no problem, Ward would take care of business for me. No wasted prey. Average time to take down prey from the moment I opened his tub: under 5 seconds. He would practically leap up out of the tub to come get it. He's a 2006, so a year-and-a-half old now, about 1200 grams, and very strong. Why do I mention him? Because he hasn't eaten in two months. Am I worried? No. He'll eat again, and everything else seems good with him. It's winter, and lots of ball pythons go off feed in winter despite our best efforts to convince them it's not winter.

I don't know how old or big Gary is (great name, btw), but if he's not a baby and he's not losing weight, I wouldn't get too worried just yet. I understand your concern that he hasn't yet eaten in your care, but it might have nothing at all to do with you.

Tried mice yet?

[RonCrawford]

Like Buck mentioned, it's well known that ball pythons fast or go off feed for an undertermined period of time. Every ball python book makes mention of this as well, especially during the winter breeding season, which we're still in right now.

The behavior you describe is commonplace with ball pythons. Some will follow the prey around and show interest but will not strike it. Yes, it may appear that they're hungry but if they were hungry you'd know it (along with the food item), grab, constrict and swallow.

He's a very aggressive feeder (males generally don't get to 1,800+ grams if they're not strong feeders overall) but he's still on his winter fast. I would guess that 90% of my adults are fasting now along with a few sub-adults. It's just what they do. Why? No one knows but it's the nature of the ball python.

Continue to offer him food either weekly or bi-weekly until he starts feeding. The bright side of them going on fast is that we save money on rodents during this time.

[ryancbj22]

Thanks for the insight Buck I feel a little better about it now! He is 4yrs old (march 2004) and about 1800grams. That was my next step after I kill the rat I have and try to feed pre-kill tonight I am going to buy a full grown mouse and try that. I'll just keep trying every week until he takes one I guess. I was doing real well wtih not worrying about it until his approach changed and he became interested but still wouldn't take it I guess thats what triggered my worrying lol. Thanks again Buck....

[ryancbj22]

That is very true Ron thanks for your insight as well. I guess it just worried me because i've never seen them act that intereseted in the prey and then not take it. It made me think something else was going on I guess. Thanks again guys I do feel better......

[RonCrawford]

I know what you mean.

I have some adults that race towards the rodent and then do absolutely nothing. Some will follow it around, pull their head back to the classic 'S' position and do nothing at all. Others will just retreat when the rodent is placed in their cage or hide their heads between their coils. Some will strike the food item if it gets to close but won't grab/constrict it.

Ball pythons, you gotta love em!

[deborahbroadus]

Yeah, my baby Mo'Money used to inhale f/t lg rats with no problem..now he's not eating. My baby is refusing food..it's unheard of!

As long as Mo was eating, all was right with the world. I guess it's human nature to equate feeding with health.

[viciousbleu]

[ryancbj22]

It's just frustrating when you have one snake that would literally eat a mouse everyday if you gave it to her and another one that wouldn't eat if it was on a gold plate and being hand fed lol... Now that would be something to see (Watch your fingers)

[Buck_99]

[ryancbj22]

LOL At least he's not that hungry..... I will say that for him he may not eat and he drives me up the wall with that but at least he's as tame as they come.... It could be worse he could eat and never let me handle him I guess. Like Ron said "You gotta love em"

[arlynos]

Hey yea you got to love them, havent tried to feed mine yet, hopefully she will go after them with a hunger that will scare and yet make me laugh, I will video tape it if I can. Hope yours feeds soon.

[jb.t3ch]

i glanced over the post, sorry was in a rush, and i saw where you are trying to feed rats.. have you tried mice? ron correct me if im wrong but you feed them mice as hatchlings?

i noticed my spider would only eat mice and wouldnt have anything to do with a rat. he's been eating rats for a while now but they have to be scented like a mouse. if i bring a rat home thats not scented like a mouse he wont touch it.

just my 2 cents. give it a try or if you did try this im not sure then. good luck!

[RonCrawford]