• Responding to email notices you receive.
    **************************************************
    In short, DON'T! Email notices are to ONLY alert you of a reply to your private message or your ad on this site. Replying to the email just wastes your time as it goes NOWHERE, and probably pisses off the person you thought you replied to when they think you just ignored them. So instead of complaining to me about your messages not being replied to from this site via email, please READ that email notice that plainly states what you need to do in order to reply to who you are trying to converse with.

  • IMPORTANT! PLEASE READ!! About the Google Adsense ads being displayed

    =====================
    Posted 08/15/2025
    =====================


    Yeah, I know. They are a pain in the butt. But they pay the bills to keep my server running. Just a fact of life, I am afraid.

    Want to get rid of them? Simple. Just become a Contributor level member or above and they will be gone. -> Please click HERE."

    Is that too much for me to ask of you to keep this site running? Well, sorry about that. I too wish I could get everything for free. But alas.....

    =====================
    Addendum: 01/10/2026
    =====================


    Google Adsense ad revenue for December, 2025 was just $30 over the cost of the lease for the server running this site. So, in effect, the money providing the incentive for me to continue running this site is coming SOLELY from the paid memberships and sponsorships here. Which honestly ain't much....

Spotted python 4-month old not eating ......

D

denman

Patrick Bowen
Joined
Mar 30, 2002
Messages
67
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Location
Toms River, New Jersey
I received a 4-month old male Spotted python on November 30th. To date he has only eaten 1 meal for me. I offer him f/t pinkies. I just tried two nights in a row, and he has refused to eat.

Does anyone have any suggestions on how I can get this little guy to eat?
 
First- did the breeder tell you how he was keeping and feeding it?
Without knowing exactly how you’re keeping it, and what your feeding technique is, one can only guess as to what the problem could be, so here are my guesses as to what might work. First, crank up the heat. A warm end of 95f is not too hot. Second, tease the snake with the rodent, using a pair of tongs. Jiggle it in front of him, press it to his nose, and rub it along his neck. Do all of this without handling or disturbing him first.
If you can provide some details as to what you’re currently doing, perhaps that would lead to additional clues.
 
The Breeder was feeding him live pinkies. Breeders are able to do that. Most hobbyists are not. However, he has eaten f/t for me. Once. He is in a glass 10-gallon aquarium. Heat is provided by a UTH and a hood lamp above. Mesh top is half-way covered with Aluminum heat tape to maintain Humidity. Hood lamp is on a dimmer. All are on thermostats.
I've tried the "dangling" the pinkie in front of him - it frightened him. I contacted the Breeder and he suggested to just put the pinkie in his hide and leave it there over night. He did eat. However, he has not eaten since, and that was 2-weeks ago. The lamp is above his one hide (he has 2). I have UTH, Heat Lamp, thermostats, Heat Gun. Warm side, cool side. Humidity is 60%. I have another Email out to the Breeder.
 
I work with the closely related Stimson's pythons. The hatchlings can be difficult to start, because they don't always recognize the rodents as prey. They're looking for lizards. At four months old, your snake knows that mice are food. That's more than half the battle, in my opinion. When I have one that is difficult to start, here's what I do:

- I increase the temperature, and persistently tease-feed, as I described above.
- If that doesn't work, I try live pinkies. It sounds like you'll have to do this with f/t. Rinse the pinky off in warm water, to remove some of the rodent scent. Make sure it is warm, use a heat lamp if needed. Dip the head of the rodent in egg yolk, OR cut the skull open to expose the brains. Sometimes one works better than the other.
- Take a deli cup, and put a piece of paper towel on the bottom. This is to soak up any liquid ooze. Put the pinky and the snake into the deli cup.
- Place them in a warm part of the enclosure, and leave it overnight. Be aware of the temps; do not cook your snake!
- The snake is likely to eat within the hour, although some wait until the following morning. Some require several attempts.

Good luck. Once it starts eating, it is likely to eat heavily and grow quickly. This is not one of those species that you should try to "slow grow".
 
Ok, yes, the breeder informed me that the pinkie needs to be quite warm prior to feeding. And inserting a pin thru the head is also supposed to help. I will attempt your recommendations and try again. This little guy has to eat. I've looked at him just now and No, he is not showing signs of beginning a shed.
 
Back
Top