Interesting phone call

jr47

Arachnobaron
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Aug 4, 2005
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Got a phone call yesterday. Picked up the phone and the first thing I heard was I need help. I sold this BP 5 years ago and they said it would'nt eat and they were afraid he would die. She said he has'nt eaten for over a year. So I asked her to send some pics if she could. 20 minutes later they were here.
Looked at the pics and told her the snake looked fine. It was kind of neat to see how he's grown. Makes me miss my snakes more. So anyway, I am going to check him out for her next weekend and sex him. To make sure he.s a he. I'm guessing female from the pics.
Small pic is him/her when I sold it.
 
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Mushroom Spore

Arachnoemperor
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Oct 14, 2005
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Yeah, looks nice and round to me, too. Going for a year is still pretty crazy, I'd probably check for any indications of maybe a touch of RI or something. Even if this was a male snake gone off feed due to mating season and hormones...my boy's record is only eight months, and THAT had some "I don't want rats anymore, gimme mice again" pickiness mixed in that I eventually discovered. {D

The only other cause I can think of, besides the snake just not feeling like eating, is the usual "is the tank temp a couple degrees off/is the prey the wrong type or color or offered in a way the snake no longer likes/is something stressing the snake" type questions.

Updates if you figure it out! :)
 

ballpython2

Arachnoprince
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Feb 28, 2007
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Yeah, looks nice and round to me, too. Going for a year is still pretty crazy, I'd probably check for any indications of maybe a touch of RI or something. Even if this was a male snake gone off feed due to mating season and hormones...my boy's record is only eight months, and THAT had some "I don't want rats anymore, gimme mice again" pickiness mixed in that I eventually discovered. {D

The only other cause I can think of, besides the snake just not feeling like eating, is the usual "is the tank temp a couple degrees off/is the prey the wrong type or color or offered in a way the snake no longer likes/is something stressing the snake" type questions.

Updates if you figure it out! :)

more than likely if a snake is fasting its cause the husbandry issues are wrong. that snake would eat more often if you house it in a rubbermaid container big enough for his size. the container will hold in humidity/ heat better (make sure one side has a heat mat under it. all you need is a tub, put some holes in it, two hides, and a water dish. and i promise you your snake will eat every week. it sounds like its not eatin probably because you have it in a tank. tanks dont hold anything too well but the snake inside of them.
 

jr47

Arachnobaron
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Aug 4, 2005
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more than likely if a snake is fasting its cause the husbandry issues are wrong. that snake would eat more often if you house it in a rubbermaid container big enough for his size. the container will hold in humidity/ heat better (make sure one side has a heat mat under it. all you need is a tub, put some holes in it, two hides, and a water dish. and i promise you your snake will eat every week. it sounds like its not eatin probably because you have it in a tank. tanks dont hold anything too well but the snake inside of them.
I had this one's mother for eight years. She was my best breeder. She also use to go off feed for month's. I really doubt it's a husbandry issue. And glass tanks are fine for snakes. I kept all mine in them for 10 years and they done fine. She also is keeping proper temp's and sent pics of her set up. it looks great.
I think more than anything she is upset over nothing cause so far the snake looks pretty healthy to me. But will know more after this weekend.
 

Beardo

Arachnoprince
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Jan 13, 2004
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I'm wondering how you assume the snake's sex based on a picture? lol
 

jr47

Arachnobaron
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Just a guess, I am not sure. Got a call today and he/she took a small rat. She was feeding live rats so I suggested prekilled. She said it was a little iffy but took it.
There was a breeder I was reading about in reptile magazine that could sex boa's by looking at them. They said he was right about 80% of the time. Not saying I have that ability. He had been breeding his whole life. He claimed he could tell by their movements and attitude. After 40 years i''m sure you could get pretty good at it.
 
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