Reptile & Amphibian Forums

This is my adult BP's first winter with me, and she's been fasting on and off. She hasn't shed since early fall. She last ate a small rat (much too small) on Christmas Eve. Ever since, I've been offering her a small rat every week. I understand this is probably just part of who she is and that she'll snap out of it soon (hopefully), but I'm going to continue offering food every week. Even when she's not fasting, she's a picky eater and will only eat live, and doesn't even show interest if I offer food to her when she's out of her bin.

How do you guys think I should setup her enclosure (2 hides and a water bowl) when offering her a live rat?

A: take out both hides. My problem is that the rat "steals" her hides. Once she comes out and stalks it, it goes right into the hide she was in, or the hide that is unoccupied, and there isn't enough room in her hide to constrict it. However, when I've previously experimented with taking out both hides, she seemed really stressed and didn't take the food.

B: take out one hide; the hide that she is not in. This way, the rat wouldn't run straight into the unoccupied hide, though it could still get in hers once she comes out.

C: leave both hides in. The rat spends most of the 20 minutes I leave him in hiding.

What do you guys think I should do? It may not matter whichever way I arrange her enclosure for feeding, she will probably still refuse for the next month or so, but when she's ready to eat, I want her to eat right away.
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CrazyForHerps
0.1 Ball Python, Culebra (Cu)
1.0 Bearded Dragon, unnamed (waiting for me in CA!)
1.0 Tabby cat, Iraland (Ira)
Various feeder rats

I would say just keep feeding her the way you did before she started fasting and when she is ready she will snap. Try not to worry too much 4 weeks isn't that long with out food.

matt

Make sure the temp and humidity is perfect. Ball pythons tend to not like to eat when; 1. They are in shed, 2. They have been stresed or handled frequntly, 3. mating season (which is now), 4. Too cold, 5. Too hot, 6. Too dry, and 7. Sick. Temp=80-89, humidity 50-70, a hide box, a water bowl, comfortable bedding. Then don't disturb for 2 weeks, then try a large mouse. Some balls (mine..lol) will stop feeding on rats, but will eat mice, and then back too rats, and again, and again...They are very finicky eaters...pisses me off sometimes..lol. Good luck.
Matt Z.
P.S. I have two males that (at different times) did not eat for 9 months, and then BAM one day they woke up and said, "damn Im hungry"..lol.

I would take zippy's advice except that I would buy a mouse and either rub it on the rat (use tongs or just rub used mouse bedding on the rat) OR give her a live mouse after done with it then imediatley offer a small rat as this sometimes primes them to eat the rat. Hope this helps
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1.0 het pied
1.0 sunrise (unproven ball python morph)
2.0 pastel
1.0 spider Het ghost
1.0 normal (rescue as he WAS VERY HUNGRY)
0.1 poss Het albino
0.1 het pied
0.5 Breeder normals
0.1 black pastel (unproven)
0.1 reduced pattern (unproven)
0.1 mojave (best looking one ever! thanks Jeff Luman)
0.1 pastel Het ghost
1.2 red tail boa
1.0 albino Het snow corn
0.1 albino Het snow corn
0.1 snow corn
2.2 felines aka boa food ;o

Brian H
Brianhettinger@hotmail.com