Reptile & Amphibian Forums

My 14' Tiger male just won't eat. I've tried everything from live to frozen thawed (rats, chickens, guinea pigs, small regular pigs) everything that I can think of. He is still active, he tried to breed my famle (may have or may not have I never did see them locked up) and looks great. He has not lost more than a pound or two either. I took him to the vet and the vet said he may have the "starts" of a URI so we did the whole treatment plan of shots every 2-3 days for a few weeks which did no good at all. His temps. are good (day hot side 91-93 deg. f and cool side 87-88 normally - night hot side 89 cool side 85-87). Had large hides in, and then out. Humidity lower from 65 and higher up to 95% but nothing seems to work. Been like this for about 8 months so I've tried everything that I can think of to this point. I've read and actually had the post of perhaps using a "B12" type shot but couldn't find it. Does anyone have any suggestions? Does anyone have a recommended dosage for that "B12 Steroid"? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Oh, let me give you some details about his home also. He lives in a 8'long x 4' wide x 18" tall enclosure (see pic) with temps controlled by Ranco's. Plenty of water in a tub that holds 5 gallons full. Daytime lighting (cycled 10-12 hours day vs. night). The vet even said he looks like he is in great health. Don't know what else to do but try the "steroid" boost approach.

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2.1 RTB (Zander, Ridick, Liliana)
1.1 Burms (Vladamir, Natalia)
0.1 Lavender Albino Retic (Katerina)
1.1 100% Het Tigers (Nicholi & Charlamaine)
2.3 Silver fox rabbits
many, many, many, many rats
"So, just how big a boy are ya???!!"

Just wondering after viewing your post and pic, if he had his own seperate cage. If not his being with a female can create a lack of appetite despite never having seen him breed.
Also, give him a broader heat gradient. Let the snake have a place to get down in to 78/80 range whenever it wants. I realize this has probably been its setup for some time, but metabolism can alter with age. Heat, or inability to retreat from heat, can create a feeding hiatus as well.
I recommend a Basking spot of 90/92, High end ambient of 86/88 and Low end ambient of 77/78. These temps have overall worked best, for retics, in my experience. This allows the animal to thermal-regulate for the temperatures most suited to its physiological needs.
Hope this helps.
-N-

>>My 14' Tiger male just won't eat. I've tried everything from live to frozen thawed (rats, chickens, guinea pigs, small regular pigs) everything that I can think of. He is still active, he tried to breed my famle (may have or may not have I never did see them locked up) and looks great. He has not lost more than a pound or two either. I took him to the vet and the vet said he may have the "starts" of a URI so we did the whole treatment plan of shots every 2-3 days for a few weeks which did no good at all. His temps. are good (day hot side 91-93 deg. f and cool side 87-88 normally - night hot side 89 cool side 85-87). Had large hides in, and then out. Humidity lower from 65 and higher up to 95% but nothing seems to work. Been like this for about 8 months so I've tried everything that I can think of to this point. I've read and actually had the post of perhaps using a "B12" type shot but couldn't find it. Does anyone have any suggestions? Does anyone have a recommended dosage for that "B12 Steroid"? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Oh, let me give you some details about his home also. He lives in a 8'long x 4' wide x 18" tall enclosure (see pic) with temps controlled by Ranco's. Plenty of water in a tub that holds 5 gallons full. Daytime lighting (cycled 10-12 hours day vs. night). The vet even said he looks like he is in great health. Don't know what else to do but try the "steroid" boost approach.
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>>2.1 RTB (Zander, Ridick, Liliana)
>>1.1 Burms (Vladamir, Natalia)
>>0.1 Lavender Albino Retic (Katerina)
>>1.1 100% Het Tigers (Nicholi & Charlamaine)
>>2.3 Silver fox rabbits
>>many, many, many, many rats
>>"So, just how big a boy are ya???!!"

His temperatures were as you described a few months back which is what prompted the vet to start a URI treatment plan. The vet has warned me against dropping temps lower than 84 Deg. F. I can try it again I suppose and separate them. Thanks for the advice.
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2.1 RTB (Zander, Ridick, Liliana)
1.1 Burms (Vladamir, Natalia)
0.1 Lavender Albino Retic (Katerina)
1.1 100% Het Tigers (Nicholi & Charlamaine)
2.3 Silver fox rabbits
many, many, many, many rats
"So, just how big a boy are ya???!!"

it is very wise to never keep two snakes together except for breeding. If one snake has a health problem the other will get it very easy, it's surprising the female didn't get the URI as well but some aren't able to spread from animal to animal. Having the female in with him makes him always want to breed regardless if she is willing to let him. Housing retics together also leads to other problems as well. I've seen retics that were properly sexed and the male after several months just went on a rampage and mauled the female badly causing several foot long lacerations. I've always said, if you don't have a seperate cage or room for a seperate cage for each animal then you have too many animals.
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Josh & Krysty Hutto
J&K Reptiles

Various Ball Pythons:::

1.0 striped vanilla
1.0 spider
1.2 Citrus Ghost and hets
1.2 Albino and hets
2.3 het Pied
0.6 50% poss het pied
1.1 Pastel (male has additional gene going on with him)
a bunch of normal female breeders
a bunch of normal female holdbacks and several rescued normal males

0.1 columbian boa, she's a feeding monster, controls my
over production of rats, lol
0.1 brazilian rainbow boa, another rat eating monster
1.1 corns

a BAD dog is MADE not bred, support the American Pit Bull Terrier as the greatest breed of dogs on Earth!!!!!

It's my experience that retics like cooler temps than many other pythons. I have a super female almost always stays in the cooler end of the cage, where the temps dip to 68 degrees in the winter. Only when she has just eaten will she move to the warmer end of the cage. After a couple days, she goes back to the low 70s, high 60s. Each snake is different. I'd definitely offer more of a gradient, especially with retics.

In the years that I bred retics I found that during the monthe from October to Febuary most Retics (all of mine anyway) went of feed. This is the time for breeding but if you wish to try to feed the snake durring this time try a goose. Something about the oils in the feathers. Each time I would import a wild retic and it would not feed on the normal prey items ( mice, rats, rabbits so on) this always works.

Good luck!!!!!