Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hey all,

I have a trio of red blood pythom hatchlings that I just acquired, and I am having trouble getting them to eat. The fellow that I bought them from is basically not willing to give any kind of advice, so I thought I would post here. Usually these snakes are described as "voracious" eaters, so I am confused by this anorexia. These are captive bred, two females and a male, housed together in a 20 gallon aquarium, with bottom heat and an overhead heat lamp on one side. Humidity ranges from 40 to 90 on a daily basis, which I guess is bad, but temp. is pretty constant around 80F. I have been offering F/T mice of various sizes.

Any advice would be welcome.

D

http://www.proexotics.com/blood_article.html

http://www.newenglandreptile.com/CareBlood.html

http://www.vpi.com/publications/blood_pythons_information_and_care

Read those care sheets throughly. Then set up your enclosures accordingly. Most importantly, separate your snakes. Once they are set up properly, search this forum for feeding tips. This has been discussed many times and there is a TON of helpful information on this forum.

Good luck!

Sounds like you haven't had your bloods for very long, which by itself could be part of the reason they aren't eating. Give them at least a week or so before trying to feed again, and read those care sheets. My blood took about 10 days to eat for the first time. She needed peace and quiet and a good spell of rest. Stress will mess everything up for them--housing them together, in a big tank, and trying to feed too vigorously (no matter how well intentioned) will only freak them out longer.

Think small, dark, alone, warm and quiet for your cages, and I bet they'll come around real quick.

Good luck! Bloods are great captives.

>>Hey all,
>>
>>I have a trio of red blood pythom hatchlings that I just acquired, and I am having trouble getting them to eat. The fellow that I bought them from is basically not willing to give any kind of advice, so I thought I would post here. Usually these snakes are described as "voracious" eaters, so I am confused by this anorexia. These are captive bred, two females and a male, housed together in a 20 gallon aquarium, with bottom heat and an overhead heat lamp on one side. Humidity ranges from 40 to 90 on a daily basis, which I guess is bad, but temp. is pretty constant around 80F. I have been offering F/T mice of various sizes.
>>
>>Any advice would be welcome.
>>
>>D

As much as I hate recommending this, offer live. It has made a huge difference with my picky eater. Where as feeding was initially sporadic (and I had a breeder who was more than willing to put up with my questions) live seems to be the way she wishes to feed. Due to her small size, I am still offering live. I want 3 more solid weekly feedings and then I am going to work with offering frozen again. Live rats are impossible to come by and live mice are just plain expensive!

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Cindy
PHFaust

Email Cindy

Land of the Outcasts!

Working in a pet store where stress is more of a factor I find that I will offer a prekilled or F/T prey along with a smaller (fuzzy or pink that can't do harm) live prey that seems to incite eating. I offer the dead then toss in a live and the snake almost always ends up eating both at the end of half an hour.
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Sonya

I'm not mean. You're just a sissy.
Happy Bunny

Move them into individual shoe box size enclosures with a very tight hide box, and a large enough water dish for them to soak in. Or, If you still want to keep them in something so you can see them(sometimes,lol), use a 10 gallon tank, with the hide and water dish, but crumple up a bunch of newspaper into balls and fill most of the bottom with it outside the hide and around the water dish. worked well for me 12 years ago when I aquired my first bloods. They can move around all they want to find the right temps, but still have the secure feeling they need to thrive. If you use tanks, cover 1/2 of the screen with plexiglass to keep the humidity up also. Good luck.shoot me an e-mail if you have any more ?'s.