Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have a normal female that produced for me last year. Gave her a year off, so nothing this year. ANYWAYS, she went back on food just fine, and then in August she decided to stop eating.

A couple weeks ago I switched from unprinted paper like Ralph Davis to cypress mulch like BHB. My normal female started POUNDING food the very next feeding. Just something to possibly add to the trouble shooting list of problem feeders. FYI.

Matt Z.

Do you think that it was the change in substrate or the thorough cleaning?

yes it works...a friend did it with cobras alot years ago...adults...paper...run out of aspen / cypress...they wouldn't eat...run and get aspen...bam! eat...

balls...he did same thing....I've done it a few times....I just hatched 10 in the first clutch , none ate....I threw in aspen...6 ate....

color also....some people swear by white mice only...I say dark is better...brown or blacks....whatever works for you...

color of racks too...white racks....black racks....same friend...balls that don't eat go to the black rack...bam...I got white baby racks....I need a couple black baby raxx,,,LOL....

...try it....paper is not perfect....I also use cork bark,flat rocks, and now moist hide boxes with peat moss in the bottom and sphagnum on top of it....(not for balls )...

..more natural smells......

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......JY

Substrate change works for me... I use shredded aspen normally with no hide.. I get a non feeder I put them on cypress with a hide and viola there slammin food again albeit smaller that what was there norm but I have had success with going up in rat size as well.. there fickle try try and try again!
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Brian Hettinger
480 Pythons
Contact us

I had been wondering if a change-up might get our many reluctant feeders to eat. We just did a major clean out with all fresh bedding, sanitized and rinsed tubs and hides, cleaned (black) rack, scrubbed water bowls. The only things we didn't scrub or replace were the snakes themselves. Feeding day is Sunday, so lets see if we can get a few more of these guys back on feed.
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Lincoln, NE
0.1 Pastel, 1.0 Pastel het Pied, 0.1 Pied, 0.1 Cinn, 1.0 Black Pewter, 1.0 Woma (hidden gene?), 0.1 Yellowbelly
2.0 Normals, 1.0 Thayeri, 0.1 Thayeri X Alterna, 0.1 crazy cat, 1.0 husband

Thorough cleaning? Do you really think that I have not thoroughly cleaned my bins since AUGUST?! I THOROUGHLY cleaned the bins EVERY Monday. I was able to do that because I was using paper. Now that I have cypress all I have to do is spot clean and of course scrub water bowls every Monday.

Don't forget the corresponding change in humidity. Some animals like the more humid environment of cyprus mulch. I use paper or paper towels and when I get someone not intereted in feeding, or bringing them back on feed after the winter I'll give'm a light misting with warm water a day or so before I attempt to feed. Works very well for me and could partially explain the cyprus idea.