iHerp Answers: 9 mo Blood python wont eat

iHerp Answers!

Problem?

Search Create an Account, It's Free!

Home > iHerp Answers > 9 mo Blood python wont eat

9 mo Blood python wont eat

Posted By:

caitlync

In Relation To:

Zaphod

I have a nine maybve ten month old blood python that I can't get to eat. I have had problems getting him to eat ever since I got him but recently he hasn't eaten at all. I have tried f/t small and large mice and live mice to no avail. I have tried feeding during the day, evening and night. I have tried aggitating him with it and just leaving it in there with him. It has been almost four weeks and he is loosing a lot of weight. He seems perfectly healthy (e.g. No breathing problems, skin problems, no weird swelling) and is perfectly alert and active when handled. He is in a tub that measure 30' x 16'. It has plenty of breathing holes. I have a 20 gal heat mat under it. The basking temps are in the high 80's (air temp) and 90's (directly on the mat).The cool end is at the lowest 77 at night and 82 durring the day. I did have him on coconut substrate but decided to clean and disinfect the tub earlier this week to see if that was the problem. Now he is on news paper. I have two water bowls for him because he likes to soak. One small one on the cool end for drinking and a larger one he can soak in partially on the heat mat to keep the water warm and the humidity up. The humidity is usually between low 70's and high 50's. He has never had any problems shedding or any other problems that I know of.


Points:	150
Topics:	General Health , Feeding
Tags:	Bloodpythons, Feedingproblems
Species:	Pythons > Pythons > Python brongersmai
Administrative:	Show/Hide

Member Comment

6/12/2010 5:51:44 PM

aalomon

Just wondering, what do you mean by a lot of weight? Has he been losing weight in just these last 4 weeks or since you got him? Also, how often are you offering food?

Member Comment

6/12/2010 6:54:27 PM

Crazy4Herps

From my experience, I find that, while older bloods/shorties love a large space, hatchlings like it snug. Stick him in a 15 quart tub with opaque sides and fill it all the way up with crumpled newspaper so that wherever he goes he is perfectly hidden. It may seem cramped, but it will probably work. Move him in once temps have stabilized (if possible, cool down the warm end just a touch; I don't like keeping mine above 88*), and give him a week, no handling, no feeding. Then offer him a live mouse. Short tails are generally highly aggressive feeders, but hatchlings are definitely picky about too large cages with not enough cover.

Good luck!

Member Comment

6/12/2010 7:21:14 PM

Sonja K. Reptiles

With problem feeders I have had a lot of success putting the F/T prey in a small container - not too much room left on the bottom of the container besides the snake - put a cover on and leave overnight. If that doesn't work after a couple attempts, I would try putting a deeper aspen substrate in its cage and lots of cage/cover. The other thought is to try a rat pup. Sometimes they just up and decide they aren't wanting mice anymore. : ) Best of luck!

Accepted Answer

6/13/2010 2:35:02 AM

Miss Andrea

I had a blood that seemed to do the same thing, but when I looked closer, she wasn't loosing weight, she was growing. Keep in mind 4 weeks isn't that long to go with out food. Also, keep in mind that bloods have REALLY slow metabolisms and don't eat as much as boas, balls, corns, or other snakes that usually eat weekly. The blood that I had would eat two weeks in a row and the go 4 without, then one meal and 3 without. I also worried about her not pooping, but again with the metabolism, they work slowly (except when they strike!). I would have my blood go 4-5 feedings before she would poop. But when it came, it was HUGE! Have patience, he'll eat when he's hungry.

Member Comment

6/14/2010 1:05:12 AM

CrystalRock

i agree with all of the above. you should put it in a small tub, you can put paper towels, a hide spot, and one water dish and wait a week then put a frozen rat pup in front of the hide and leave it there overnight. or if you can find rabbit pinkies those are really really good for them. another trick is to brain them, it can set off a feeding frenzy, it'll go crazy about it(by braining you have to cut the top of the head off to show the brain, or cut strait down the top of its head and spread it open. its a little messy but if you wear gloves its not bad, and not for anyone with a weak stomach) you can try those. the bloods have an amazingly slow metabolisms, ive had friends that had their bloods poop every like 3-4 months. but ya, try that and see where it goes and see how it works. hope this helps

Member Comment

6/14/2010 11:26:47 AM

Mintsiez

i find its best just to keep feeding the same way all the time and they will eat once there ready other than that you said he likes to soak alot witch could possible mites witch would cause him not to eat

Member Comment

6/14/2010 1:54:58 PM

krackerdactyl

Mine were the same. They're kept in coconut substrate. It took awhile for them to start eating. But they did start it on rat pups. In their cage. They don't like eating anywhere else. I've had them for about a year now. They eat small rats. Weekly. Usually with no problem. My female is definately growing faster than the male, but they're definately doing fine. It takes while for them to deficate. A lot of the time, its when they shed.

Member Comment

6/14/2010 2:05:15 PM

JohnJohn

I don't have time to read whatever everyone else wrote....but I wanted to give a quick reply.

I had a baby blood that absolutely would not eat. I tried everything. I spoke with an expert and got some good advice.

Bloods are very sensitive and like to feel very secure. I was keeping mine in a larger sterlite tub. I switched her to a smaller tub and started feeding her separately in a smaller tub. I fed her in a tub that was only 40 square inches of space. It seemed small but she would NOT eat in anything larger. I put about an inch deep of moist sphagnum moss. When I gave her this feeding tub, she finally would eat. At first she would only eat live mice....small live mice. And she still didn't put on much weight, but at least she was feeding. Then one day, I tried an FT rat pup. She started gobbling them up like crazy. Now she's eating two FT rat pups a week and growing like a beast.

Bloods can be a pain in the ass about this. Feel free to email me if you want to ask me about mine.

Member Comment

6/14/2010 8:06:55 PM

douglas

It doesn't relate to bloods in peticular but I did find it has a good few tricks. http://snakebytes.tv/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=62&Itemid=14

Member Comment

6/15/2010 12:02:01 AM

Crazy4Herps

I've actually had a similar experience with the mice/rats thing. Mine started out eating mice, but ever since I gave him his first rat, he won't take f/t mice. It seems that the species has a preference for rats.

Member Comment

6/19/2010 8:14:42 AM

HeadHunter

Alot of good advise. I agree with everything, I would also emphasize that the temps should be cooler. We have hatched out several blood python clutches and we keep them at 82 to 84 degrees no warmer. my guess is your snake is soaking so much because it is alittle too warm and it is also using the water dish as a hide. I would lower temps abit and put in a nice hide. Give it a week and drop a f/t mouse at the entrance of the hide at night and see if it is there in the morning. Usually if a blood doesnt feel secure "tease feeding" it will only stress it out. Once the snake is feeding regularily it should feel confident enough to take a meal from tongs.

Sometimes our bloods will stay in their eggs for days after pipping and I really think it is because they feel safe when crammed into a tight space, a good snug hide that they can feel the sides of while coiled is kind of like going home to the egg for them and will lead to a stress free snake.

Author Comment

6/26/2010 8:55:51 PM

caitlync

He just went into shed a week ago. He doesn't have any mites or any other illness that I have been able to tell. Does anyone think the shed could have had something to do with it. she shed a week after i got him in february and hasn't shed again untill now.

Member Comment

6/26/2010 9:55:17 PM

Mintsiez

yea most snakes dont like eating when there in shed so that might have a bit to do with it also

Author Comment

6/28/2010 7:31:18 PM

caitlync

UPDATE: I tried again with live after he shed and he had no interest in it at all. I am going to try again tonight with f/t and keep him in a small tub within his tub to maintain temp and see if that works. If it doesn't I am going to try to force feed (by suggestion of one of my friends with more herp experience than me. I got a hopper to try this with. Any more suggestion/tips??

Member Comment

6/28/2010 8:20:10 PM

Crazy4Herps

Don't force feed yet. At this point he is not in danger if he doesn't eat. Force feeding is VERY stressful on a snake, often times making it even harder to convince them to eat on their own. Force feeding should only be a last resort, when the animal is in danger of starving if it goes without food. A month or two without food does not put a blood python, even a young one, at any major risk.

Shedding may have been part of the issue. My short tail is normally a very aggressive feeder, but is VERY picky about eating in shed. Sometimes he will stop eating weeks before he even turns opaque.

If you're going to move him into a small tub, don't feed until he's had at least 5 days in the tub. Chances that he will eat are very low if he's been moved to a new enclosure, even one within his current enclosure.

Good luck!

Member Comment

7/10/2010 1:37:45 PM

Pirate Pythons

Try a f/t rat pup, give him a smaller enclosure, and please lower the temps. I dont even have any supplemental heating on my 09 Blood. I keep my snake room between 80 and 84. My bloods tanks is between 80-82 on cool side and 84-85 on warm side. I use newspaper as substrate with a layer of crumpled paper on top. He likes to hide under the paper. And a water dish larger enough for him to soak in if he wants. He is now eating f/t small rats every 10 days and is in perfect health.

Author Comment

7/11/2010 3:01:10 PM

caitlync

He finally ate!!!! Yay!!!!!!

You are not logged in. If you would like to participate (it's free!), you must log in, or Become a Member!