Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hey Yall,..... Thought I would ask again about dosing on IM or SC injectible B vitamins for BPs.....I have 2 out of over 100BPs that just do not thrive and feed well.....I would like to try this rather than just give up on them.....One is such a beautiful orange ghost and I think the babies would be killer.......To save the typing of those that wish to ridicule my husbandry, I have been keeping and breeding BPs for 20years and currently have over 100 animals with simply 2 pain in the neck BPs that I really like and just do not have the heart to give up on........I checked the Merck Vet manual online and only found treatment for illnesses....... I have heard of a single vit B injection giving a BP a good boost and ceasing anorexia......NOTE: anorexia is not emaciation!! Anorexia is defined by lack of desire to eat. Cachexia is emaciation and atrophication... THERE IS A DIFFERENCE..... I do not have any cachexic animals....AND NO IT IS NOT MY PIED "Oreo" he is just too pretty not to show off at every opportunity.......Thanks and God Bless, Lee Van Hyfte

Do they look emaciated and sick?
I know you most likely know this, but sometimes Ball pythons just don't eat. I had one go ten months without a meal, then one day...bam, took a rat and went back to feeding.

You may also try force feeding them Pedialite.
-----
"What is man without the beasts?
If all the beasts were gone,
men would die from great loneliness of spirit.
For what happens to the beasts,
soon happens to men.
All things are connected."

-Chief Seattle (Duwamish Tribe)

No they are of average health. Not even thin. Just feeding "like a bird". They just do not feed consistently enough to put on significant growth. Both of them would sell in a heart beat at a reptile show. A buyer would not think twice. I WOULD NOT SELL THEM because of this state, would not be right. So outwardly healthy.........They are not fasting like BPs are notorious for. The one male did fast like most of my other males during breeding season. He even resumed his every 3-4 week meal plan this spring. Both of them seem to be a little more on the chronically nervous side. ie: More likely to go into a defensive strike. And do not appreciate being handled (so are left in peaceful seclusion). The one is 18 months old and looks like a 4month old. I am thinking that bumping the metabolic rate with some Bs should increase appetite and growth rate as it does in MOST animal species. The Merck manual even suggests it as a treatment for anorexia (lack of appetite) but does not suggest any dosing regarding reptiles.....Lee

Perhaps you could inject a very low dose into the feeders over a 6 month period?

Have you tried ASF's? I had three snakes that showed no interest in feeding what so ever. One was a hatchling and two were 06's. I just found a supplier of ASF's about three weeks ago and none of the three have refused a meal of ASF's.