Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Well, my yearling ball python has been off feed since the end of January and now, it seems my less than one year-old blood (about 24 in. long) is now (potentially) on a hunger strike, too. She hasn't fed for two weeks and normally feeds every 5 to 7 days.

She just shed and had a major poo, so her stomach is definitely empty. Typically she feeds readily after a shed. Not this time. No signs or RI or other issues. She drinks readily, and other than adding a new hide to her enclosure, there have been no other changes to her enclosure.

How common is it for bloods to go off feed during the winter? How young can they be to start doing this?

Thanks for any and all input.

It's not REAL common, but I have had a few go off feed their first winter. I think it's more voluntary in the younger bloods and ST's . Nothing to be too worried about, just keep a close watch on the snake for other outlying problems

J
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"It's my snake, I trained it, so I'm going to eat it!" - Mad Max, The Road Warrior

Thanks for your thoughts on this.

Any tips for how to get her back on feed again? She was eating F/T weanling rats. Just keep trying F/T every week or so?

You can try scenting with chicken broth, cutting their heads open and other scenting techniques. Live or PK might entice her back to eat. Sometimes they will just start refusing FT and you might have to switch her back over.
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"It's my snake, I trained it, so I'm going to eat it!" - Mad Max, The Road Warrior