Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Ok. My yearling male BP, who has been eating f/t GREAT for months, suddenly stopped eating out of the blue. I'm not so worried about him starving, as he has plenty of weight on him-but he literally shys away from the food like it tried to bite him or something. He'll strike at fingers, but NOT at food.

My EBV female is _still_ refusing food. I've tried live, I've tried f/t, I've tried prekilled, I've tried overnight-in-a-bag (worked once but never again), and I've tried campbells chicken broth. Nothing.

Any ideas? She's getting skinny and its starting to worry me a little.

I'm having the same problem with a batch of baby boas, too-but the temps are all fine and dandy and everything.

-cat
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http://chaoscat.lowerground.net/herps/
My collection and herp photography

http://www.lowergroundreptiles.net
Lower Ground Reptiles

I've tried.....this sounds a bit like Dr Seuss. But have you tried f/t overnight in the cage near their hide? Have you tried prekilled overnight in the cage near their hide? Have you tried the same techniques with either mice or rats and DEFINITELY give her at least a week between each try. I know some of the time mine would eat if I chill and not bug them with a new thing every other day. I go a week and try again.
My younger BP is now not eating too. I don't know what is up but he is getting a week to chill and I am going to the same F/T rat pup that he ate last try.
With colubrids (especially rat snakes) I would try a eyes still closed pup live but with BPs I have seen that scare them too much. I have had the best luck starting any type of noneaters with f/t overnight, in the cage.
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Sonya

>>I've tried.....this sounds a bit like Dr Seuss. But have you tried f/t overnight in the cage near their hide? Have you tried prekilled overnight in the cage near their hide? Have you tried the same techniques with either mice or rats and DEFINITELY give her at least a week between each try. I know some of the time mine would eat if I chill and not bug them with a new thing every other day. I go a week and try again.
>>My younger BP is now not eating too. I don't know what is up but he is getting a week to chill and I am going to the same F/T rat pup that he ate last try.
>>With colubrids (especially rat snakes) I would try a eyes still closed pup live but with BPs I have seen that scare them too much. I have had the best luck starting any type of noneaters with f/t overnight, in the cage.
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>>Sonya

Yep, tried leaving it outside the hide, inside the hide. prekilled, live, and f/t. Nada.

All my other snakes (mostly boas and colubrids) have been eating fine. Just my BPs and my baby boas have been refusing, and I've gone over every book available and found nothing wrong in my husbandry.. so I'm starting to think a vet visit may be in order. EBV guaranteed that my female BP was eating.. but who knows.

-cat
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
http://chaoscat.lowerground.net/herps/
My collection and herp photography

http://www.lowergroundreptiles.net
Lower Ground Reptiles

>>Yep, tried leaving it outside the hide, inside the hide. prekilled, live, and f/t. Nada.
>>
>>All my other snakes (mostly boas and colubrids) have been eating fine. Just my BPs and my baby boas have been refusing, and I've gone over every book available and found nothing wrong in my husbandry.. so I'm starting to think a vet visit may be in order. EBV guaranteed that my female BP was eating.. but who knows.

I would think then that she is not settled in. How long has she been there and totally left alone? Or, I should say, how long did you have her before you tried to feed her? I think if you started inside a months time and she didn't eat then she is just getting pushed further into stress by being offered. I would start at square one and give her a month of nothing but a clean cage and fresh water. Don't even rearrange her cage. Just leave her with her set up and let her chill. After a good month go with the F/T in the cage overnight.
I know even my LTC won't eat within a month of a cage rearrangement. I have to clean her today and I can tell you she will not eat for 3 weeks minimum. And she only will eat F/T gerbils, overnight, in the dark. Sensitive souls.
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Sonya