Special Circumstances

[Ursa Minor]

I always thought the hunger would override anything, but I have a male BP who wont eat between September and March. Every year.

	Ball Python The Ball Python (Python regius), also known as the Royal Python, is a ground dwelling snake native to the savannahs and rain forests in western Africa, predominatly the countries of Ghana, Togo, and Benin.

[BoaVixen]

Thats so weirdd!!! Cool. Well at least I know she isn't the only one. I guess I will leave her be until next week and we will try some of the ideas.

I knew a guy who would have a rat hang out with the hamsters in the petshop he worked at before feeding it to one of his pick BPs... it worked.

	Ball Python The Ball Python (Python regius), also known as the Royal Python, is a ground dwelling snake native to the savannahs and rain forests in western Africa, predominatly the countries of Ghana, Togo, and Benin.

[Adrya]

All my ball pythons have their weird eating habits and generally go off feed during the winter. My male ball python was always a f/t mouse eater and it took him not eating for 2-3 months before he would finally take a f/t rat. He doesn't eat consistently every two weeks like I would like for him to, but he does eventually eat around every 3-4 weeks.

	Frozen/Thawed A rodent or other prey item that is frozen and then thawed to be fed to a reptile or other animal.

[BoaVixen]

So it doesn't hurt her if she doesn't eat? I know she can live... but I want her to be a happy snake...

[mrcota]

If it has to postively eat live, try little baby rabbits; they are as small as rats and I never had a rabbit cause any harm.
Michael

[mpgt]

Just incredible that someone would leave a live rat in with a snake for 3 mos. The very least a person should do is remove the rat once it's refused. I think 3 [i]hours[i] is long enough for the rat to make friends with, or begin planning to kill the snake. Have you tried dipping a warm, dead rat in chicken broth? It might be worth a try.

[DaveA]

My BP prefers to strike out from inside a hide. I put her in her feed box (where she feels secure) and open the lid just enough to wave or poke a rat though the opening. Then , wham. If I don't do this she will refuse her food.

Oh, and it's a little nerve racking the first time you do it because you wont see the stike until she has the rat.

	Ball Python The Ball Python (Python regius), also known as the Royal Python, is a ground dwelling snake native to the savannahs and rain forests in western Africa, predominatly the countries of Ghana, Togo, and Benin.

[BoaVixen]

Yeah, Joe, I agree with you. This guy is not smart enough to be an officer. i was so exasperated that someone would take a snake and then do absolutely NO research as to how to care for it. I am a little bitter about it...

Thats the thing...out other BP will hunt her pray, she is younger and has been lovingly raised since she was very small by us. She comes out of her hiding place, all the way across the cage and kills. Its pretty impressive.

So I will try the chicken broth... But I have to ask: why chicken broth (noob query, sry)?

	Ball Python The Ball Python (Python regius), also known as the Royal Python, is a ground dwelling snake native to the savannahs and rain forests in western Africa, predominatly the countries of Ghana, Togo, and Benin.