Reptile & Amphibian Forums

It's been at least 3.5 months since my BRB's last feeding - that's a conservative estimate, it could be more like 5! He has no signs of respiratory infection, I don't hear any trouble breathing. He doesn't exhibit notable weight loss either. What should I do? Does he need to be force fed? Does he go to the vet? Any advice on this?

many thanks, I don't want to lose him!
-n

1st, if not loosing wieght, DO NOT force feed. IMO

2nd, check husbandry, Temps, I keep about 85 at high end and 75 at cool end. get the humidity up, I have wood cages with little ventilation, large surface area water bowls and damp hide boxes.

3rd, if husbandry not an issue, what are you feeding? adult BRB should be able to handle at least a small to medium rat, I feed fresh Killed F/K to keep the snake safe from the rat. What were you feeding prior to going off of feed? If live prey, could be damage to inside of mouth????? Maybe will only take down live prey? BUT if feeding live, DO NOT leave unattended. You could try F/K and just leave it overnight??
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Thanks,

Dave "Rainbows-R-Us"

0.1 Wife
0.2 kids
4.12 Brazilian Rainbow Boa
1.1 Ball python
0.1 BCI "Elvira" normal from 1989
1.0 BCI albino / het-anery
0.1 BCI Hypo / het-albino
0.1 BCI Anery / het-albino
0.1 BCI Hypo (possible super)

lots.lots.lots feeder mice and rats

WC's can be problematic feeders, at least that's what I hear, all mine are CBB's
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Thanks,

Dave "Rainbows-R-Us"

0.1 Wife
0.2 kids
4.12 Brazilian Rainbow Boa
1.1 Ball python
0.1 BCI "Elvira" normal from 1989
1.0 BCI albino / het-anery
0.1 BCI Hypo / het-albino
0.1 BCI Anery / het-albino
0.1 BCI Hypo (possible super)

lots.lots.lots feeder mice and rats

The snake is not wild caught- I raised him up from 3 weeks. He's almost 4 years old now. He's always been a very voracious eater- usually taking a medium or large rat every 2 weeks. He rarely skips meals, but occasionally goes through phases- typically a phase though is 1 feeding.

I feed him in a feeding container- never cage (don't wanna make him succeptible to mouth rot). he's in a big display vision- has plenty of humidity. Perhaps it has been a bit hot lately, and it's making him not want to eat...

I use paper towel substrate- however I may switch back to cypruss bark, which he likes in the colder months- usually it helps keep temp more stable and humidity higher for longer...

Scud,
....I agree with nearly all the information that Dave has given to you. What I see is that he is talking about specific husbandry issues and that you are not so specific. You do mention that it could be because of the hotter weather. That seems like a reasonable possibility. If you knew what the exact temperature in the cage is now compared to what it had been when the snake was eating you might be better able to decide if that is the problem. You mention that the snake seems to have not lost weight. To me this is a very important question. If the snake has lost less than 20% of it's body weight there may be nothing to worry about. If you knew exactly what the snake weighed when it was eating compared to now you would have a better idea about whether there is or is not a problem. A snake that looks like it is the same may have actually lost quite a bit of weight. Your BRB is now 4 years old. It could be that he is now mature and he quit feeding because he was thinking about mating rather than eating. Many of my breeder male BRBs go off feed for several (sometimes up to five months) months during and after mating season. You do not mention if he has been exposed to female BRBs. You also do not mention exactly what you are trying to get your BRB to eat. Are you offering live, fresh killed, clean frozen and thawed, or frozen so long that it smells like TV dinners more than rodents or what? If one of my male BRBs stays off feed for too long after mating season I will try several things to get him to eat. Often the one thing that works best is to offer an entire litter of live pinky or fuzzy rats. Sometimes BRBs that have been eating frozen thawed rodents will stop eating the frozen thawed but readily take a live medium rat instead. I feed many of my BRBs live prey with good safe results. The big difference I see between people who have good luck keeping the more challenging species of snakes and those who do not is that those who have the best luck pay very close attention to the seemingly small details.
Good luck,
Jeff

>>It's been at least 3.5 months since my BRB's last feeding - that's a conservative estimate, it could be more like 5! He has no signs of respiratory infection, I don't hear any trouble breathing. He doesn't exhibit notable weight loss either. What should I do? Does he need to be force fed? Does he go to the vet? Any advice on this?
>>
>>many thanks, I don't want to lose him!
>>-n