When to expect adult snakes to come back on feed?

I have to admit I feel a little silly for asking this, but I have 8 snakes of which 6 are "breeding" size, and all of the "breeding size snakes are off feed. I have breeding size in quotations because although I'm not breeding my snakes at 1200 grams, they are physiologically capable of breeding.

Now, I'm not too worried, because I've done my homework and I know it's the breeding season for these guys, so for them to be off feed is to be expected. I do have some questions about getting them back on feed though:

1. Will the snakes just spontaneously become ravenous and eat everything in sight?
2. Do you have to "warm up" snakes that have been off feed for a couple of months by offering something enticing, like a live rat? If so, will they take frozen/thawed afterwards?
3. When do you expect the snakes to come back on feed? March? April?

Here are the weights of the snakes. I try to keep as thorough records as possible. The adult snakes went off feed in December, but the babies (het pied female and female yellowbelly) have continued to feed with no problem, which is why I suspect this is breeding season related and not a husbandry issue, since they are kept within the same rack, on the same heat tape, in the same room. Keep in mind that some of these weight losses aren't as extreme as they appear in this spreadsheet, since although I try to get empty weights, not all of these are true empty weights.




So, any words of wisdom for me? Thanks ahead of time!

There's not always a rhyme or reason to it. Some will go off seasonally, and restart when something clicks for them. Some need to be jumpstarted with a live prey item, but they may refuse even that until they are ready to feed again. Usually, if they were on f/t before, they'll go back to it once they are eating again - some will start right back on f/t, some require some persistence and screwing around, and some won't restart for anything but live.
Over time, you get used the quirks, and figure out the triggers.
Good luck with them.

What is this "off feed" you talk about? I got lucky this year, everyone is still pounding food. Even the big males.

Weights look great though! That blackback really took off too.

As Harald said, there's really no rhyme or reason, but they (most likely) will start eating when they're ready. One thing that I always do is to offer a smaller prey item than they are used to. The longer they stay off food, the smaller I'll go to get them started back. This is only for the first meal or two, and I quickly build them back up to whatever size they are accustomed to eating. (I don't know that this is necessary, but it's worked for me so I've stuck to it.)

Originally Posted by Matt2979

One thing that I always do is to offer a smaller prey item than they are used to. The longer they stay off food, the smaller I'll go to get them started back.

This ^^^^^^
but who am I kidding, I don't have hunger strikes at my house, the only ones off feed are a few of the breeding snakes.