Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Here's a pretty stupid story to keep you bored folks a bit entertained:

So...I'm currently advertising two Ball Pythons for sale...and I've had a ton of calls. Now...since I have this major ethics problem, I've informed all the callers that these two can sometimes be problem feeders (f/t). Each female has gone off feed three times so far -- twice for almost 2 weeks, once for 1 week. Many folks have decided they didn't want to take a chance on my girls being problem feeders, so they passed.

I fed all my Ball Pythons last night. I dropped in frozen-thawed rats, and waited until this morning to count any remaining rats. Simple method. Anyway...while recording last night's feeds in the individual records, I decided to closely inspect the records of these two females. This is where I hate myself.

The first time each went on a two week hunger strike, they were both SHEDDING. No wonder they weren't hungry. And this shouldn't count as "problem feeder". I then looked at the time when they were on hunger strike for a little over a week. I noticed they both ate again on October 31st. Strange that they both started eating again at the same time...right? Yeah...until I remembered that I had run out of rats and was waiting until the Greenville Expo to pick some up...on October 31st! LOL

The last time they went off feed was about two weeks ago, and one just ate last night. I'll have to check the other for signs of pre-shed.

So...all in all...I've been telling people these girls were problem feeders when they aren't, and have lost quite a few potential sales...because I'm a big fat stupid-head! =)

Thought I'd share my misfortune with you all. Hope it brightened your day. =)

Chris (AKA "Big Fat Stupid-Head"
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"I don't know about you...but I find comfort in that." -- Cowboy

My animals had not eated since the 9th up until last night. I was on vacation last week and was having someone keep and eye on my room and turn on and off the lists. They were not willing to clean cages or change water. This means the best way to have sterile cages over this time was to have empty snake stomachs so I put them off feed. For this reason and in case there was a power problem I was not there to correct (which did happen and I luckily I was calling for updates) I did not want cold animals with food in them. So does this mean all my animals are problem feeders? You might be a stupid head lol. After every attempt to feed I put the time, date, what was offered, situation offered (in or out of water for anacondas, teased, lighting, etc.). If an animals refuses I mark that they did and if they refuse in shed I mark R for refused and after that I put (in shed) if it is in "blue" stage or past. I like to keep very detailed records of the feeding habbits that way even if they do refuse i can go back and look at common and recent situations in which they took food and attempt to repeat (and it usually works). What were the animals again?

They were my two Het Pied girls.

Yeah, I understand the keeping of strict records. (sudden Deja Vu moment) I try to keep pretty good records -- feeding, sheds, stools, etc -- I just remebered that they went off feed a few times, and I relayed this info to everyone who called/emailed by labeling my females "problem feeders". I was thinking of emailing them all back to let them know that these animals are not problem feeders after all...they are just owned by someone with a problem memory. But then I decided against emailing anyone. Too much hassle, and I'm not THAT desperate to sell. LOL =)

Chris =)
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"I don't know about you...but I find comfort in that." -- Cowboy

IMO even if they weren't in shed I wouldn't consider your situation problem feeders!! Doesn't seem like a long enough period inbetween feeds to be a problem!

Jason

"IMO even if they weren't in shed I wouldn't consider your situation problem feeders!! Doesn't seem like a long enough period inbetween feeds to be a problem!"

I know...but I'm a big fat stupid-head. =)

Besides, I'm not really sure I told everyone they were "problem feeders". I think it was more like "sporatic feeders" or "weird occassional eaters". Oh, well. Who cares how I label them? I figure the fact that they were 500/600 grams at only 6 months old means they ate enough.

Thanks,
BFSH Chris =)
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"I don't know about you...but I find comfort in that." -- Cowboy

So, how would you "label" one of my females???

In the last 4 yrs...she's gained a total of @ 700 grs because she eats maybe 10X a YEAR....from end of Aug/early Sept thru end of Mar/early Apr...she won't even flick twice at a mouse...the "good eating" months....I feel great if she eats 3X in a month....and here's the kicker.......she will ONLY eat mice and ONLY one at a time. She's pushing the 1000 gr mark now...(WOO-HOO) and could easily handle a small/medium rat or 2-3 ex-breeder mice...but no....she gets full on a hopper/young mouse...won't eat ANYTHING larger nor ANYMORE than one.

You think you have a problem feeder..............Murph laughing hysterically

Murph...I may have one that seems to be following in yours' slithersteps as she's only ate hopper mice and rat pups in the past week, and all after a 5 week hunger strike.

Of course, my friends have the ultimate in a wierd eater...a anaconda hybrid of some sort that not only will only eat rabbit pinks, but must have them on a paper plate or he won't eat! This is a 6 ft snake, should be eating much larger prey, but wants five baby rabbits on a freakin paper plate...styrofoam, plastic, or ceramic just will not do. Go figure. It took them almost a year to figure that one out.

nice way to plug your ad on the forum!
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I'm about as shapeless as the man in the moon!

Yeah, but I wasn't trying to plug it. In fact, I went out of my way to NOT mention what kind of snakes they were. I figured that it didn't matter, plus I didn't want the post to be a shameless plug.

But...if you're gonna plug...might as well be shameless... =)

Chris =)
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"I don't know about you...but I find comfort in that." -- Cowboy