Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I've had this beauty for about 6 months now, she is a B/W phase from Rare Earth back when they had diamonds. Previous owner never hibernated her. When I acquired her, I put her into a semi-hibernation till mid-march. She came out fine, showed mild interest in feeding but nothing. She bred (her first year) and dropped her first clutch of nine 3 weeks ago. (9 Eggs are incubating we'll see what happens) I've read all the jive from breeders of diamonds and other morelia and gave her an extra week post lay (3 weeks)until I tried to feed her. Tried yesterday and she still ignores. Now, I've tried live mice, live rats, frozen thawed, frozen thawed w/ chicken broth (my usual secret weapon) to no avail. I've tried feeding her in her own cage as well instead of my usual feeding cage. Prior to this I was told she fed on frozen thawed rats, size unknown with a vengeance.
Yesterday I tried to semi force feed her a rat (against my better judgement so please dont scold me)She didnt even fight me, she is skinny, weak and I'm worried. Of course she backed off the rat once I let up on her but I was trying my last available option. Anyone with ANY IDEAS please!!!!!!
She doesnt have mites nor to the best of my knowledge an RI. I've had various morelia for the last 11 years, diamonds for 5 so Im educated, but I've played my last card with this girl. She is going to the famed Dr. Jim Jarkow here in Tucson tomorrow, but I place more trust in the morelia community than vets nowadays. Anyone.....Anything.......... Thanks in advance, Brad
P.S. She has heat, humidity, a hide, sunlight 78 to 80 degrees constant with a heatmat that cycles at 90 in a 175 gallon reptarium.

In my experience with diamonds, they have preferred a larger temperature gradient, with the extremes expanding just a little. Try going 72-92... perhaps she feels just too hot (with her new metabolism after laying eggs) or too cold. Expanding the outer temps wont do any harm, she will just go to where she feels comfortable. Hope this helps.

Cheers
Aaron

Just out of curiosity, did you clean the snakes enclsure and wash her up after removing the eggs?? Sometimes the scent of the eggs in either her cage or on her body can make her refuse food. I just bred my JCP's for the first time this year and my female wouldn't eat till I cleaned everything thoroughly and that included the snake. You can wash the enclosure with a mild bleach solution(5%). The snake should be washed with a mild detergent.(I use Ivory soap as it claims to be the purest, and has never harmed any of my snakes.
Hope this helps
CJinNH

As a matter of fact, no I havent. I have cleaned the snake, I do everytime food is offered, but the cage is still as is. I'll try that. Though she was exhibiting the same behavior prior to mating and egg laying. Thanks for the idea, it's definately worth a try. Brad

Initially the vet thought she might be eggbound. But she wasnt, he then noticed something irregular with her "follicles" which might or might not be a contributing factor. Last but not least ,he took a sample of feces and found that she has internal parasites!!! Bingo!!! Anyways, she is medicated, taking it easy and I'll try again to feed her on Sunday. Hopefully, the story ends here. Thanks guys for your advice. Brad