Reptile & Amphibian Forums

A little history on this snake. I got her(?) at Daytona last year as an adult. Well, nearly adult size, shes around 350g. Gorgeous granite girl I couldnt pass by! Anyway, I have had her since last August, and at the time I was living in Central FL. I didnt keep heat on for any of my snakes because of the warm temps (house temps varied from 80-85* and dropped at night a couple degrees). Well, she refused to eat for me. I tried f/t and live, with no interest. In October, I moved to IL. A huge difference in temps, thats for sure! So I wasnt concerned that she still wouldnt eat, since it was a stressful time for her. Her weight remained constant. I messed around with temps for a while and set her cool side to around 70-75* and warm side 85-90*. I added a heat lamp to get to the 90s as my house is kept at about 62-65*. She still will not eat for me. Here it is, 5 months after I got her and she has never eaten for me. She hasnt lost a lot of weight (25g) so I am not too concerned but I want to know whats going on. If I am doing something wrong?

Meanwhile, I decided to cool her and wake her up in a month and maybe that will jump start her eating habits. I couldnt find any specific info on cooling, but I have her in a room with my corns, ambient temp ranges from 53-57*.

What could cause her not wanting to eat, and should I be concerned?

Also, at Daytona they popped her and was sexed as female. I am now wondering if she is actually a he (I would imagine it difficult to pop an adult). I should get out my probe kit, but I dont know if probing pythons is anything like probing cornsnakes.

Thanks for any replies!
Angela

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6.5 Cornsnakes
2.2 Baird's Ratsnakes
0.1 Granite Spotted Python
1.0 Western Hognose

Strange! First off, get her on some heat! I would never "cool" a python! Cycle yes, but not cool! It's not a colubrid! Secondly, for a spotted python not to eat... NOT GOOD! They're usually wrecking machines! Something is going on! What prey items have you offered?

I removed her from the room, I had read on one online forum that you could cool them. Thanks for that advice! I am not a python person, she is my first. Go figure the first one I get will not eat for me! Especially since they are known to have great feeding responses.

My house temps do not get over 70, and even when I had her at 90, she would not eat. She actually stayed away from the warm side. I have not noticed any respiratory problems or signs of mites, etc. She is healthy and somewhat active.

I have offered her hoppers, small adult mice, adult mice, and live mice. And f/t rat pups.
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6.5 Cornsnakes
2.2 Baird's Ratsnakes
0.1 Granite Spotted Python
1.0 Western Hognose

I would think a couple different things. One for not eating that long I would imagine it is a male. Either way I don't think in a 70 degree house you can get adequate warmth ambient. I would see if you can get a small room warmer. I have Childrens and the worst I get is my older (12yr old) male slows down eating in the winter, missing a meal here or there. He is in a room that is 75 most of the time and on heat tape. Another month and the season will kick in and I usually would say your snake should eat. But I would want to get ambient temps up first. And if it were me, unless you are entirely sure of your assessment of 'her' health, get a vet check.
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Sonya

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You get the picture.

I was also thinking the same thing regarding the sex. But even so, 5 months does seem like a long time. Whats strange is that she was in nice warm temps while I was in FL. I got her in August, left in October so several months without eating. Here in IL obviously the temps are a lot cooler. I ended up moving her into my colubrid rack today where the hot side is 84-86, ambient is still only around 70 (and I am using a space heater to get it up to that temp). I have in the past had her in there for months and she wouldnt eat. So I moved her into a 20L critter cage, with a heat lamp. Temps were around 90 on the hot side and 75 cool side but she still would not eat. She seems healthy, no external parasites, but I suppose she could have internal parasites. I got her from a reputable breeder in Daytona that assured me she was a healthy, established adult. She weighed 388g when I got her and now shes down to around 360. I keep hearing that these pythons dont usually have such large feeding strikes, so now I am starting to get worried.

Maybe a vet visit is in order? Also, in a month I will be moving to Texas (N. of Austin) for about 6 months so the temps will probably be more favorable there.

Thanks so much for your response!
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6.5 Cornsnakes
2.2 Baird's Ratsnakes
0.1 Granite Spotted Python
1.0 Western Hognose

Hello, I see your message is from 2011 but have a question… did you end up moving to Austin?! My name is Heather and I am here in Austin and I have a male snake and he goes on Feeding strikes too! I call them strikes as well Anyway, I got mine from a breeder and that's the thing… they got used to that lifestyle so now they might wanna get laid every now and then. He does this every winter… so why I am contacting you is to see if you're here in Austin and if you still have your snake (or know anyone with a female) that I can let my male snake mate with.

Thanks for any time and help you can give!

Hi Heather! I am no longer in Texas at all, but now I'm located in Southern California so I can't really help you for the breeding thing, sorry! I still do have my female, and she does still go through periods where she won't eat. She just finished a 5 month fast. She seems to do this on alternate years and I think its just ovulation. But she never really loses any weight and does well afterwards. So possibly your male is doing the same and going through the breeding season feeding strike. Just keep trying and monitor his weight closely! -Angela
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3.3 Cornsnakes
1.1 Baird's Ratsnakes
0.1 Granite Spotted Python
1.0 Western Hognose