Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have a 3 yr old male jungle carpet python that I bought in Jan. He shed at the end of Jan and has eaten 1-2 mice every 7-10 days until the last month. I cannot get him to eat anymore. I have tried live and dead, in his cage and out, in dark and light, to no avail. He seems healthy otherwise. I am a school teacher and he is one of our pets. He is handled almost daily to some extent, is very active and friendly. His eyes are not cloudy and he seems healthy otherwise. I am quite careful with his habitat. He has reptibark, water, heat lamp, heat pad (under tank)and I keep the humidity up by spraying the bark, etc. He has not been soaking a lot in his water as he did before he shed. Any help you can give would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Dont panic. It is most likely time for him to breed. My ball decided this winter to go off of food for 4 months and then one day began eating again. Azazel is 3 1/2 yrs old and it is about the age to begin breeding. Sounds the same for your JCP. he will bein eating agin soon i suspect. REmember that healthy snakes can go over a year without eating, and still be fine. I paniced too, and i am sure that i will panic again when one of my other boys go off food. But sex is what is on their minds when they do this, not food. Once he realises that he isnt gettin any, he will start up agin. Just watch him for signs of illness, if he isnt showin any, hes probably just horny.

Thanks for the info. Any idea how long I should wait? I hate to keep uselessly killing mice for him. I only buy them when it's time for him to eat. They're too smelly to breed. My rats and hamsters are too cute to feed. ;o)

I would wait until he looks like he is hunting for food. They tend to wander when they get hungry. That is what my ball was doing when he finally took food. As for the mice, i just freeze mine if they dont eat them. (that gives me an excuse to have several snakes....some eat prekilled, some eat f/t and some eat live...heh heh heh) maybe if yours will eat them frozen you can just freeze the prekills that he doesnt initally eat when they are still kicking. otherwise maybe you can get one that takes frozen!