Reptile & Amphibian Forums

hey yall...
i know ball pythons slow down, or go off feeding during the winter months...but my adult male ball python hasnt eaten in almost 2 months- and its summer!
i had put him in with the adult female a few times late spring/early summer, and he shed and fed after i removed him...
so unless hes eaten and i didnt write it down...its been 2 months.
i usually feed frozen/thawed, and he takes them well. but lately he takes interest, gets a 'sniff' and then backs off...ive tried leaving it in and all that stuff.
next thing is to feed live. ive been thinking he will be hungry and eat anyways....maybe hes holding out for a live one?
anybody got any other suggestions?

thanks you guys...and no, i dont know what he weighed before or what he weighs now...i can tell he has dropped some weight because of the way he looks...but he doesnt look unhealthily thin...

anyways..like i said, thanks...
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~Snake Charmer~
0.1 russian tortoise (natasha)
3.1 dogs (church, bandit, willy and tonka)
1.2 cats (taz, squeaky, cami)
0.1 king snake (q aka curly q or queenie)
2.2 'normal' ball pythons (zenith, butters, zahara, and shadow)
1.0 pink pastel colombian red tail boa (not yet named)

2 months is nothing -- they can go a year and more without eating. If you've recently had him in with a female he could still be in breeding mode so he might not eat. You can try washing him in case he still has scent from the female on him -- otherwise just wait him out -- he'll eat when he is ready. Sometimes, even with good F/T eaters, it helps to feed them a live feeder to jump start them out of a fast.

Good luck!
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Tosha
JET Pythons
Toshas Blog

Herp Medicine does not equal a bottle of Baytril - Dr. Scott Stahl

I had the same problem with my Cinni male. He isnt an adult though. But I was use to him eating on a weekly basis and then one day he just stopped eating. He always looked interested in the mouse just never struck it. for 2 months I tried and nothing worked.
But then I decided to try and feed him at night and bam it worked. I should of figured that was the case since he is always alot shyer then my female who has the appetite of a Hoover vacuum cleaner.

i almost always feed at night...anywhere between 8pm and midnight...sometimes a little later, depending on my work schedule....
i think its more true to their nature---so i try to stick to that...
its not natural for them to live in a little tank and have a human play with them...so i try to give them what i can. lol

thanks for your reply though
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~Snake Charmer~
0.1 russian tortoise (natasha)
3.1 dogs (church, bandit, willy and tonka)
1.2 cats (taz, squeaky, cami)
0.1 king snake (q aka curly q or queenie)
2.2 'normal' ball pythons (zenith, butters, zahara, and shadow)
1.0 pink pastel colombian red tail boa (not yet named)

well, i was going to give him a slightly warmed bath tonight..hoping that maybe he needed a bath, or some warm water to get his digestive system warmed up...
and i see thats hes going into a shed cycle. he looked dark to me the other day, but i couldnt tell if it was shed cycle or not..
so...
guess ill just sit tight, and let him do his shedding..and then feed him.
i have yet to have one refuse food after shedding.
i usually just keep up the humidity, and do not mess with them.
little/no stress, high humidity...they shed pretty ok...
and then take food like champs
-----
~Snake Charmer~
0.1 russian tortoise (natasha)
3.1 dogs (church, bandit, willy and tonka)
1.2 cats (taz, squeaky, cami)
0.1 king snake (q aka curly q or queenie)
2.2 'normal' ball pythons (zenith, butters, zahara, and shadow)
1.0 pink pastel colombian red tail boa (not yet named)