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snake will not eat her food

Posted By:

exoticcritterss

In Relation To:

Female 100% het Clown

hello everyone, i have a young snake ( 'o8 100% het clown female) and she will not eat her food, she will kill it but will just leave it, i have never had one do this, it is weird because she will kill it, leave it there i can pick it up and give it back to her and she will "kill" it again but stil just leave it.

if anyone can help please let me know

Brandon


Points:	250
Topics:	Feeding
Tags:	Feeding, Refusal
Species:	Pythons > Pythons > Python regius
Administrative:	Show/Hide

Member Comment

7/2/2009 3:19:15 PM

tyharp21

well what are you feeding her? theres alot of things you can try. from changing the color of the feeder like instead of white you do a brown. vice-versa. go from mice to rats sometimes they wont eat mice, i've known some snakes to have done that before.

Assisted Answer

7/2/2009 3:24:18 PM

vonnick52

I've had snakes "kill" stuff and then get freaked out by movement and not eat it because of that. Try moving very slowly away from the cage, or consider covering it with a towel or sheet. Did you try to leave the prey item with the snake for awhile after it "killed" it?

Accepted Answer

7/2/2009 4:12:42 PM

Ucowboy

Food type and size could be part of the problem. You could also feed inside a closed dark box (rubbermade container with a lid works for me). Do a visual inspection of the animals mouth and nostrils to make sure nothing is going on weird there like a cold , RI or something in the mouth to cause pain. Typically if my ball pythons kill they will eat the prey. If nothing appears weird inside the mouth/nose area try opening her mouth and putting the head of the prey item in and getting her teeth to latch on. Sometimes this will cause an automatic swallowing response. I would use that as a last resort though. If you do notice a mucous or discharge from the nostrils or somethin unusual in the mouth don't hesitate to take it to a vet for a check up.

Author Comment

7/2/2009 4:22:30 PM

exoticcritterss

well these are all great ansers, but there does not seem to be anything wrong with her, i have have her white, brown, black spotted ect. mice, i have tries rat pups, rat pinkies, hopper mice, FT or all of them. i have tried leaving her alone with the food, i have put her in a box with the lid open and closed, i have tried letting her take the mouse and then me wiggle it a little to make her hold on to it harder. lol nothing seems to work, i really dont want to force feed her if i dont have to but it may come to that :-(

Assisted Answer

7/2/2009 4:23:35 PM

Izzy

I have a couple of BP's that are super shy eaters. as soon as they strike and coil, it's quick quick slide the tub back in and leave them alone for a couple hours. If your girl is healthy (checking to make sure there's no injury to the mouth, or illness) and in a tub, best to leave her alone and see if that helps. If she's in a display tank, try covering the tank so she feels more secure. Sometimes changing the hides in her tank/tub will help also. BP's LOVE tiny tiny hides they almost can't fit in. As Vonnick said, make sure you're leaving the killed prey item in there with the BP for a long time, and try not to (I know it's hard) to pester her while she's eating.

Member Comment

7/2/2009 5:05:22 PM

Sparkle

Double check temps too, I had a carpet python do that a couple times until I realized I'd bumped the temp sensor and it wasn't warm enough for him to digest. Once I got it up to a good temp then he ate again.

Author Comment

7/2/2009 6:36:22 PM

exoticcritterss

lol well i have, all 12 of my ball pythons are in the same rack, and the other 11 are pounding there food, ummm i am just beside myself on this one :-(

Member Comment

7/2/2009 8:42:21 PM

TigerLilly

How long have you had her?
How long has it been since she's eaten?
How much does she weigh?
Are you monitoring her weight?
Have you tried ASFs?
If it hasn't been too long & she's not losing weight, you've got time on your side. Just make sure that the temps are right where SHE is. Is it possible that it's cooler/hotter than the other bins?
Does she have a hide? If so, does she use it?
Sorry I'm more full of questions than answers...

Member Comment

7/3/2009 1:18:43 PM

GarbrechtRE

Stagefright, one of my ball pythons has it, he won't eat unless I leave the room before he kills it.

Assisted Answer

7/3/2009 2:12:32 PM

Nicky2303

My spider bp is a weird eater, It takes me a half an hour just to get him to eat, it wont go for the rat if its just laying on the ground, i have to jiggle it, then if it misses i have to wait a bit before offering it again, and i have to rub it on my bp nose or he wont go for it at all, then if he doesnt grab it with its mouth and just coils around it he wont eat it, lol he has to strike grab it with its mouth and coil, and he misses alot to, he is a very slow snake, maybe you just have a very picky eater, lol

Assisted Answer

7/3/2009 10:19:43 PM

bwaffa

I'm with Nick and Robb -- she's spooked. Once she's killed her prey, leave her in her feed bin with a towel over it and leave it OVERNIGHT. Resist the temptation to peek. I'll be shocked if the prey's not gone in the morning. My girlfriend (FowlerHerps) has a few rainbow boas who pull this stunt at every feeding.

Member Comment

1/17/2011 6:13:12 AM

abi21491

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