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03-02-2005, 02:49 PM
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Here we go...
Well, in the back of my mind i kinda new this day would come... My BP is just under 2 years old, and his eating habits are catching up with him. on Saturday, i tried thawing rats and giving him a small f/t rat. After juggling the rat for almost an hour, nothing. He just ignores it. I left the f/t rats in the enclosure's overnight and of course my RTB just swallowed it dead, and still nothing for my BP. So i threw that rat away. Monday, i went to the pet store, and i bought a live medium rat (yes please forgive me, lectures on live rats dont help me at this point)...and so he didnt eat that either. i left the rat in there over night and yesterday it was still there, but in the corner opposite of the snake. When i try feeding my BP, he acts like the rat is an obstruction, its weird. At first he will pursue it, but then its like he hits a brick wall...he just non-chalantly turns away from the rats. Now im forced to wait till this weekend. 2 weeks ago he ate a f/t small rat, but i think last saturday the f/t rat was not warm to the touch. My own fault. But i kept warming it with his heat bulb...150 watts lol.
well my BP is about 4 feet long now, and he's loosing weight. My RTB is just about passing him in length and size, not to mention has a 6 foot wooden custom built cage at the ready as a new enclosure.
So my question is, What are my other options of getting my BP to feed regularly? The temps are fine, humidity is fine...Hes VERY active, he comes out every night ALL night, and he'll just explore around a rat. ITs frustrating.
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03-02-2005, 03:37 PM
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You say it won't help so I'm trying not to say it ( which is forcing me to have a rather nasty argument in my head  ) This winter my bci has eaten like crazy, so have the other snakes, the BP on the other hand has eaten about once a month (and he's an eating machine during warm weather) his cage temps are good and I'm just guessing that yours are also. My advice is just relax, don't do something because of how you're feeling and not how you think your snake is feeling. You live in Chicago, it won't be winter forever. Listen to folks like Julius, your ball isn't gonna starve to death but simply put leaving a rat in with him overnight might kill him. I feel your pain and anxiety but just relax and wait and keep offering him f/t. |
03-02-2005, 07:15 PM
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I am not going to say anything about the fact that you fed live, but under absolutely NO circumstaces should the live mouse have been left in there over night.
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03-02-2005, 07:24 PM
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Sorry forgot to answer the problem......How long has he been fasting? A BP fasting is nothing out of the ordinary, especially for males. Keep trying every couple weeks, and one day, all of the sudden, he will be hungry again. Though they usually do not lose much if any weight when they fast. How much weight has he lost? Is his weight loss easily noticable? |
03-02-2005, 07:42 PM
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This thread needs an enema. I am having a really hard time believing that anyone who has been around reptile forums for over a week would still leave a live rat overnight with a ball python. Don't wan't lectured? Don't do stupid crap like that again.
You say your temps are ok. Everyone always says that but few are actually correct. What are they? Please don't guess and please don't trust stick on petstore crappy thermometers. They are about as accurate once a little humidity gets to them as the Warren Commission's findings on the Kennedy assasination.
You say your snake has lost weight. Exactly how much weight has it lost. How often do you actually weigh your ball python. Unless it has fasted for over 7-8 months, I highly doubt it has lost an ounce. If it has, then it may have worms.
If your ball python was feeding on f/t, and then stopped, the issue is NOT f/t or live but just appetite in general. Answer all the questions everyone is asking and maybe we can get to the root of your problem...if there even is a problem. It doesn't sound like your ball python has been off feed near long enough to be concerned.
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03-03-2005, 07:38 PM
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I can sympathize, I have two bps that are making me crazy to the point I have thought about giving them away...I hate always worrying, I hate wasting so many rats..Between the two theyve only eaten 7 rats total in the last 6mnths...Ive thrown away 2 times that many...I hate picking out dead stiff rats the next morning its just gross.....I also have a hognose that is a very picky eater Ive finally given in and feed him anoles(at least he eats them)..All my others are great, corns,kings,and a boa that will eat any time, any thing...
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03-03-2005, 08:04 PM
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Monday, i went to the pet store, and i bought a live medium rat (yes please forgive me, lectures on live rats dont help me at this point)...and so he didnt eat that either. i left the rat in there over night and yesterday it was still there, but in the corner opposite of the snake
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You're lucky you didn't end up with a dead snake.
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03-03-2005, 08:57 PM
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i have a female ball python who's been fasting since november and she's lost some body mass but none to where im really going to start freaking out..i am concerned but since your bp has only been fasting for how long?? unless you snake has not eatten for more than 6-7 months there should be no cause for concern..
just let him be and he'll come out of it...unless he's in breeding mode... =) |
03-16-2005, 02:59 PM
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Originally Posted by JuliusSqueezer
This thread needs an enema. I am having a really hard time believing that anyone who has been around reptile forums for over a week would still leave a live rat overnight with a ball python. Don't wan't lectured? Don't do stupid crap like that again.
You say your temps are ok. Everyone always says that but few are actually correct. What are they? Please don't guess and please don't trust stick on petstore crappy thermometers. They are about as accurate once a little humidity gets to them as the Warren Commission's findings on the Kennedy assasination.
You say your snake has lost weight. Exactly how much weight has it lost. How often do you actually weigh your ball python. Unless it has fasted for over 7-8 months, I highly doubt it has lost an ounce. If it has, then it may have worms.
If your ball python was feeding on f/t, and then stopped, the issue is NOT f/t or live but just appetite in general. Answer all the questions everyone is asking and maybe we can get to the root of your problem...if there even is a problem. It doesn't sound like your ball python has been off feed near long enough to be concerned.
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from what i've seen my BP has lost alot of weight, and im sure it would be considered a little thin for its age/length...
I'm sorry i do not have a scale next to me, i can only search so many stores.
I think you need to realize that not all BP owner's know the exact specs of their snakes, and that it's healthy to worry. Plus, im not afraid of one little live rat. It was left overnight, which probably was a mistake, but hey, snakes defend themselves dont they? Last time i checked they do...And there is plenty of room in a 40 gallon for a snake to be seperated from the rat. Its not like i went there, threw it in, and left, i actually monitored to make sure everything was ok.
LoL. Stick on pet store thermometers? Ask before you accuse buddy. I use digital. And i dont guess temperatures... #$%^&#$%^&#$%^&#$%^& anyone who guesses temperatures while taking care of their snake doesnt deserve to take care of it...
Calm down JS 
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03-16-2005, 03:08 PM
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Originally Posted by ChicagoCubs22
LoL. Stick on pet store thermometers? Ask before you accuse buddy. I use digital. And i dont guess temperatures... #$%^&#$%^&#$%^&#$%^& anyone who guesses temperatures while taking care of their snake doesnt deserve to take care of it...
Calm down JS |
Don't get too defensive. One could easily argue that anyone who leaves a live rat with their snake overnight unsupervised deserves even less to "care" for a snake than one who guesses on temps.
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03-16-2005, 03:22 PM
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Originally Posted by ChicagoCubs22
Plus, im not afraid of one little live rat. It was left overnight, which probably was a mistake, but hey, snakes defend themselves dont they?
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If the snake's not interested in the rat he won't go after it...even after the rat starts chewing on the snake the snake will just try and hide.
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Originally Posted by ChicagoCubs22
the last time i checked they do...
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where exactly did you check? im sure it wasn't HERE
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