Big deal?

I know that ball pythons go off feed this type of year. Last year I only had one and he ate like a pig straight through winter although I was prepared to have him go off. Now I have 7 and not a single one will eat. I'm not worried about 3 out of the 7 because they are larger (over 500 grams) and can go without a meal...but I have some hatchlings at a wopping 90 grams that refuse to eat. They lose a few grams every few weeks and it's beginning to get to me. Any advice?

They are kept in a rack with a Helix thermostat and the temperature is set at 88-89. They are on newspaper substrate and are kept in a dark room all the time.

My parents are taking care of them since November 11, and I know they are offered food once a week. I am going to be home again on Christmas and will spend some time with them then (which turns into a 2-3 hour ordeal with sitting for 30 minutes or so with each picky eater trying to entice it to go for the meal). Around January 6th I will be moving and taking back my animals. I'm hoping that when they are in my care they will be fine. I have a few hypothesis as to why they may have gone off feed:

1.) The lack of light and being in darkness has put them into a "it's not eating season" kind of mood although the temperatures are constant.

2.) My parents don't have the patience to try and enticing the little ones, so after 5 minutes the animal is just placed in the cage and it's hoped the snake will eat it then (frozen/thawed...heated up in warm water or else a live pinky rat (pinkies can't do damage if left unattended right?)

3.) I fed frozen mouse hoppers, and now I'm trying frozen pinky rats. Maybe they already have a preference for mice over rats?

Any advice?

3 or 4 of them have shed since being with them, so I take that as a good sign...however one has died which I also take as a very very bad sign.

Originally Posted by droogievesch

I know that ball pythons go off feed this type of year. Last year I only had one and he ate like a pig straight through winter although I was prepared to have him go off. Now I have 7 and not a single one will eat. I'm not worried about 3 out of the 7 because they are larger (over 500 grams) and can go without a meal...but I have some hatchlings at a wopping 90 grams that refuse to eat. They lose a few grams every few weeks and it's beginning to get to me. Any advice?

They are kept in a rack with a Helix thermostat and the temperature is set at 88-89. They are on newspaper substrate and are kept in a dark room all the time.

My parents are taking care of them since November 11, and I know they are offered food once a week. I am going to be home again on Christmas and will spend some time with them then (which turns into a 2-3 hour ordeal with sitting for 30 minutes or so with each picky eater trying to entice it to go for the meal). Around January 6th I will be moving and taking back my animals. I'm hoping that when they are in my care they will be fine. I have a few hypothesis as to why they may have gone off feed:

1.) The lack of light and being in darkness has put them into a "it's not eating season" kind of mood although the temperatures are constant.

2.) My parents don't have the patience to try and enticing the little ones, so after 5 minutes the animal is just placed in the cage and it's hoped the snake will eat it then (frozen/thawed...heated up in warm water or else a live pinky rat (pinkies can't do damage if left unattended right?)

3.) I fed frozen mouse hoppers, and now I'm trying frozen pinky rats. Maybe they already have a preference for mice over rats?

Any advice?

3 or 4 of them have shed since being with them, so I take that as a good sign...however one has died which I also take as a very very bad sign.

Hmmm.

Is 88 the "hot spot", or the ambient temp?

The constant darkness could very well have them confused, as does the switch from mice to rats. Usually, if a snake who normally eats doesn't eat within the first few minutes, all of the "enticing" in the world isn't going to get them to eat, it just stresses them out more, from my experience anyway.

I would try putting a lamp on a timer in there, to give them some measure of "daylight" hours, and changing back to the hopper mice, if that's what they were eating well on....how long has it been since the little guys have eaten?

the littlest ones ate last time I was home which was two weeks ago. I'm not worried about the yearlings because they are around 1,000 grams and aren't going to starve themselves if they don't eat for a few days. There is one who is about 200 grams that hasn't eaten in 3-4 weeks. I will try the lamp timer to see how it works. I contacted one of the breeders where I got the majority of the snakes, and he said that the move may have upset them and then they are trying to adapt to the new husbandry and food.

I am having the same problem right now as well with my two bp's. One is 2500g+ so I am not worried about her, but my male is only 484g down from 500g a month ago since he went off feed. The little buggers just scare us and are laughing at us saying,...we just don't want to eat and we'll when we're ready. If one has died already from starvation, then I would have one of their stool samples tested for internal parasites. It' s a 20 minute test on the sample at the vets office.....very easily ruled out. Offering a pinky won't hurt because no they cannot hurt them if left alone in the cage. That's a good idea, but can be expensive keeping them alive.....

Originally Posted by 6y0ballpython

I am having the same problem right now as well with my two bp's. One is 2500g+ so I am not worried about her, but my male is only 484g down from 500g a month ago since he went off feed. The little buggers just scare us and are laughing at us saying,...we just don't want to eat and we'll when we're ready. If one has died already from starvation, then I would have one of their stool samples tested for internal parasites. It' s a 20 minute test on the sample at the vets office.....very easily ruled out. Offering a pinky won't hurt because no they cannot hurt them if left alone in the cage. That's a good idea, but can be expensive keeping them alive.....

I don't know if he died from parasites since he just plain old refused food. Usually with parasites they'll eat but not get the nutrients.

The good news! I was still worried about this at 3 AM so I called my mom and asked her to go check on them and make sure they all had an adequate water supply. She called me back later this afternoon and gave me the rundown on the snakes: All of the little ones ate!! The larger ones didn't eat, but they're piggies, so a psuedo diet won't hurt them. I am now 90% sure they can last until Sunday when I see them, and then they can even make it to January 6th.

I'm considering breeding my own mice (2 female mice to one male mouse) just so I know I'll have food. I think that 2 breeding females should be able to feed 7 snakes, just because they seem to breed ALL the time...

While some BP's go off food completely a lot of BP's will just become less regular eaters. My best eater this summer has decided to only eat every other week or so since the cold weather has started.

Like others have said, with the smaller ones I would retry the mice that they were eating. It's best to try switching animals only when they are eating very well.

Also is it possible that your parents are not warming the food items enough? Almost all of my BP's are really good eaters. But if the food item isn't warm enough they will just look at it like they want to strike, but never do.

Good luck with them, I hope it works out for the best.

I was thinking it may be error on my parent's part, so I had them buy live and all the little ones ate

They have to make it until Sunday, and then make it another week past then and then -I- can take care of the little buggers. *dances*

I am so happy I decided to move, even though it is probably the worst decision I've made all year.

I'd try bumping up your hot spot temps to 93-95. I have 4 Females in a rack ranging from 1100g to 2600g, temps are 94.5 on warm side and 84 on cool side controlled by a Herpstat 2. They are all eating adult mice every week, without fail. My Lemon Pastel male, 500g, ate 2 days after being here with me, no problem. I also have 4 2006 females who are all eating every week, and one female is almost 500g(she's a late '06 too! LoL).

Try fixing those temps, give them a 14/10 light cycle, maybe get a room humidifier(if you don't have one, I apologize if you do), leave them completely alone for a week except for changing water, and then try live small adult mice for everyone. Switching around the prey items is just going to get them more confused and more apt to refuse.

Good luck with 'em!