I have had my ball python "merlyn" for almost a year now and she never really had a problem eating. About a month ago I moved her from a ten gallon to a twenty tall, ever since this move she has not eaten. I am curious to know if anyone else has had a similar experience. She seems alot happier in her new enclosure, but she has not eatin in four weeks. Any advice or help would be greatlly appreciated.
Why will my ball python not eat?
- Thread starter siucfi
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ball pythons are notorious for going off feed. They can go a year or more without eating, if they are healthy. I wouldnt worry too much. But if you do, perhaps getting a fecal done. And how are your temps?
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How old is your ball python? If's over a year old, your ball python may be looking for some lovin' and is refusing to eat.
Do you have the 20 gal tall on it's side? Bp's are semi arboreal, but they really need more length than height.
and what's your humidity and temps like? what are you using to measure your temps? Basically, what's your setup look like?
Do you have the 20 gal tall on it's side? Bp's are semi arboreal, but they really need more length than height.
and what's your humidity and temps like? what are you using to measure your temps? Basically, what's your setup look like?
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Does your snake have good hiding spots? Moving to a bigger tank can make a snake feel less secure.
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I have a long term captive adult BP. it has just started its winter fast, it will not eat from the first rains in the fall until when the temps start warming up in the spring (this is even though it is a room with drapes that stay closed all the time and all the lights are on timers). I feed it heavily when it will eat to put enough body weight on it to get through its self imposed fast. make sure it has plenty of fresh water at all times and as long as it does not look too thin it should be fine. BTW, I have my BP in a 4' tall by 2' square enclosure with a sandblasted grape wood trunk that reaches to the top of the enclosure where the basking light is and I will often see the BP climbing all over the grapevine to get to the basking light.
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siucfi said:
what temps are you keeping your BP at?
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You might warm her up a bit, give a basking spot of about 90-95*, althought she probably still won't eat until the spring. We had one in the Zoo that didn't eat for months, its pretty typical. As long as the animal is healthy and keeps a good weight, its nothing to worry about.
B~
B~
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Definately turn up the temps. I keep the cool side of my bp's cage at 80 to 84 degrees F with the hot side at 90 to 95.
Try not to sacrifice your humdity though.
Try not to sacrifice your humdity though.
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respiratory infections
Any time any herp gets a respiratory infection u need to make the entire tank a hot spot of 90-95degrees, few of the bacteria that cause it can survive in such temps, also believe me tetracycline works miracles, soak em in water with that powder in it and ut it in hteir water dish. Also a lot of the time thsoe infections never go away completely so U need and I an't stress enough that u need to keep those temps from dropping below what your animal can handle because if you do you are seriously asking for trouble.
Any time any herp gets a respiratory infection u need to make the entire tank a hot spot of 90-95degrees, few of the bacteria that cause it can survive in such temps, also believe me tetracycline works miracles, soak em in water with that powder in it and ut it in hteir water dish. Also a lot of the time thsoe infections never go away completely so U need and I an't stress enough that u need to keep those temps from dropping below what your animal can handle because if you do you are seriously asking for trouble.