I'm starting to get worried, I got a pair of beautiful albino burmese pythons at a reptile expo last wk, and the guys that sold them to me said they were fine and to feed them in 3 or 4 days after they get used to their tank - the tank is a 20 gallon tank with an undertank heater and a heat lamp the temp gets to about 85 to 90 degrees...I've tried feeding them (in separate tanks of course) with thawd out frozen fuzzies, and live ones too - tried like every other day, tried in the dark, during the day, leave the mice in there for a hour with them but nether of them have attemptd to strike nor eat it. The male just shedded on Monday so I knew that during their shedding times they won't eat, but he still hasn't eaten. Should I start getting worried? Oh also they're just babies, they're about two feet long, had only a couple sheddings? Please tell me what to do. hopefully they're just not hungry? But I've had boas and corn snakes before and as babies, they're pretty consistent, eats once a wk, so I'm not sure why BOTH python babies aren't eating....please reply back soon!!!
Reptile & Amphibian Forums
Welcome to kingsnake.com's message board system. Here you may share and discuss information with others about your favorite reptile and amphibian related topics such as care and feeding, caging requirements, permits and licenses, and more. Launched in 1997, the kingsnake.com message board system is one of the oldest and largest systems on the internet.
albino burms aren't eating
Replies (2)
You've got TWO 2-foot long burmese pythons in a 20 gallon tank? If so, my first suggestion would be to seperate them and possibly get larger cages. a 2-foot burm would be okay in a 20 gallon as far as room goes, but it's really difficult to fit all the things they need in there and create a temp. gradient with that little space.
Are you using digital thermometers to record the temp or the cheap dials or stick-on thermometers? I ask because the last two mentioned are notorious for not working correctly. If it's not digital, it may not be on the temp you think it is.
Do your snakes have the ability to get away from the heat?
My tank is 78 on the cool side, and I find that to be perfect for my snake. It would probably be very difficult to create a gradient in a 20 gallon for 2 snakes of that size though.
Lastly, try not offering every day. With my snakes I offer once a week and if they don't eat then they go without food until the next week. Works much better than offering every day.
Hope I've helped.
-----
~Sara~
"If you look down on me, I am evil, If you look up to me, I am God, if you look straight at me, I Am you"
-Charles Manson
I would try soaking the food in hot water for 30 minutes. This brings the body-temp on the rats up to around 105 degrees, the normal temp for one that is still alive. If the food isn't warm enough, snakes will not eat it. I also find that a soaking wet rat smells a lot more appetizing than a crusty, dry one!
