Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hey guys this is my first time posting on the blood forum. i bought a female blood from LLL reptile and she is great!! There is only one problem she didn't eat by herself for 6 months. I tried all of the tricks: live, f/t, mice, rats, and even native ohio mice. She just wouldn't eat. so i did my research and i thought i had what it takes to force feed her. i was kinda nervous to do it but i did it and she ate. She has never been aggressive she is as docile as a ball python, and as active as one too. So just two days ago she at 2 stunned jumbo albino mice! I was shocked! I was proud of myself to keep her alive because i"m only 14 and i"ve proved i can do just as much as the average keeper. So my question is what would lead to this kind of fasting for a neonate?
She is in a ten gallon with jungle bedding and she has two hide boxes.
Help is appreciated,
JC

Stress, illness, temps too high or too low could cause anorexia. Glass aquariums are not ideal for blood pythons because they are clear on all sides and they hold heat and humidity poorly.

May I ask how you were trying to feed her before you started force-feeding? I'm asking because if there's a problem you can fix to get her to eat, you should fix it. I've never had to force-feed, but most of the literature I've read says force-feeding is extremely stressful and can lead to infections of the mouth and esophagus.

I Tried to feed her about 5 times....i am thinking about puting her in a tub.

JC,

I wouldn't worry too much now, granted that she has eaten without assistance. However, why weren't you asking these questions before when she wasn't??? Sometimes pythons (as I'm sure it goes with any other type of snake put/born/bred in captivity) experience high levels of stress (especially if this snake was shipped to you) and won't eat on their own.
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Adam

"I wish I were wise! I wish I were wise from the heart of me, like my serpent!"

I have kept bloods for many years now and have never had a problem getting them to feed. I have had this problem with other snakes and it has many causes. My first assumption would be that your temp is too low or high. Get your temp in the 80 degree range and it should start feeding. Also if you are handling your snake too much it won't feed. What is your humidity? give your snake a hide box with damp spagnum moss and a dry hide box see which your snake uses the most. I hope this helps