# BP wont eat,



## bobme (Feb 17, 2003)

Well my BP finally is giving me a hard time.
He ate with in 3 days of buying him, however 3 weeks later and he wont eat. wont touch the mice, or any thing. He still moves around, maybe not as much as he did, all seems healthy but, damn he just wont eat ....


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## JorgeRemigio (Mar 31, 2005)

Don't worry!

Python Regius sometimes in their lifes stay for long periods without eating...sometimes several months, 3 weeks is nothing...relax. If it persists for a long period we will let you know some ways of feeding your BP.

Regards

Jorge


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## bobme (Feb 17, 2003)

I really dont want to force feed him, but I guess if it goes to long, i can :/


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## JorgeRemigio (Mar 31, 2005)

bobme said:


> I really dont want to force feed him, but I guess if it goes to long, i can :/


 WHAT??????

I believe you are more into experiments than into keeping snakes!!! lol
You should read more about Python Regius!! You NEVER force feed a snake just because it has been without eating for a couple of months!!!!
If it does not eat...no problem!!! relax...take your time...try one week later...try with pre-killed mice...try it in several ways...there is a looooooong road before force feeding...and even to force feed a snake you MUST know proper technique!!!! (that probably you can't learn just by reading it on the internet)

Regards and please....relax a bit more with your snake


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## bobme (Feb 17, 2003)

I dont offer him live food, I dont really have room to have a tank of live mice to feed him, and on top of that my gf wouldn't have let me get the snake if he ate live food. He is a CB snake, so i was told they feed him frozen mice at the store. Last time he ate, was on a frozen mice.


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## psychofish (Jun 5, 2004)

It might just be that hes not hungry. Was his last meal a big one?
I wouldent worry about it yet, but if you notice anything different about him
like odd behavior or if hes starting to lose weight you might want to take it in.


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## SERRAPYGO (Feb 4, 2003)

bobme said:


> I dont offer him live food, I dont really have room to have a tank of live mice to feed him, and on top of that my gf wouldn't have let me get the snake if he ate live food. He is a CB snake, so i was told they feed him frozen mice at the store. Last time he ate, was on a frozen mice.


Why would you need to house live mice in your house? A simple run to the pet shop once a week..if not every other week shouldn't be a great hardship. If the girlfriend has issues that you take to heart, and it's getting in the way of the snake's welfare, then maybe you shouldn't own one. 
On the other hand, Ball Pythons are notorious for their eating strikes. Personally, I've never had that problem with them. 
Things really need to go south before ever attempting to force feed. Such as drastic weight loss. And, if that happens, there's prossibly an underlying problem.


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## dark FrOsT (Sep 23, 2006)

ya force feeding is out of the question.

there are lots of other things to try. live mice, you can get frozen mice then put your BP in a small container with the mouse and place it in a dark room. there are hundreds of little trick to try... when you feed dead mice do u just throw it into the tank or do u have homostats and move it around so the snake thinks its alive?

my ball python went 5 weeks with out feeding and the only thing it will eat since then is live food. it use to eat f/t. i found feeding at night works best. and now that im thinking its been 3 weeks since it ate last this coming thrusday. the moral is dont worry. i was told the record of a BP not eating is over a year .. i think


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## smokinbubbles (Mar 25, 2005)

when i purchased my male over a year ago he went over 4 months without eating and my Guyana Red Tail Boa was 6+. i have heard off one snake goin over a year and then one day he just decided to eat again. so unless your snake is looking real sluggish i really wouldn't worry.

J-Rod

edit- i just saw dark frost already said somethin about the ball python that went over a year and yes it is true.


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## bobme (Feb 17, 2003)

wow some of you are real jerks.

Any who, maybe i shouldnt have goten it? what the hell is with you guys, your not reading what i said, and your attacking me for not wanting to feed him live food and you attack people who do feed their snakes for feeding live food.


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## JorgeRemigio (Mar 31, 2005)

bobme said:


> wow some of you are real jerks.
> 
> Any who, maybe i shouldnt have goten it? what the hell is with you guys, your not reading what i said, and your attacking me for not wanting to feed him live food and you attack people who do feed their snakes for feeding live food.


 Relax man...you are not under attack...
Most of us are against live food...but we agree that under extreme circumstances that may be necessary...although I do not believe that this one is such...

Just wait some more weeks (a few) and watch you snake closelly.

Keep us updated

Regards

Jorge


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## smokinbubbles (Mar 25, 2005)

eh i don't think anyone is attacking you, everyone is just giving their 2 cents on ball pythons and their infamous eating strikes. are his eyes starting to get foggy, maybe hes starting to shed?

J-Rod


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## SERRAPYGO (Feb 4, 2003)

bobme said:


> wow some of you are real jerks.
> 
> Any who, maybe i shouldnt have goten it? what the hell is with you guys, your not reading what i said, and your attacking me for not wanting to feed him live food and you attack people who do feed their snakes for feeding live food.


So, who is the "jerk" here? And what did you ask that none of us answered, honestly? And yes, maybe you shouldn't have gotten it under the circumstances that your GF doesn't care for the feeding of live food. 
Some BP accept dead food, and some don't. As goes with most rodent eating snakes. Research before hand should've told you that.


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## bobme (Feb 17, 2003)

if the snake would not eat dead food, witch it has all its life, and has with me all ready, then i would feed it live mice, and she would not mind that. the fact that is does eat killed food, then we know we dont need to do that.


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## SERRAPYGO (Feb 4, 2003)

bobme said:


> if the snake would not eat dead food, witch it has all its life, and has with me all ready, then i would feed it live mice, and she would not mind that. the fact that is does eat killed food, then we know we dont need to do that.


Then this goes back to the 'feeding strikes' Ball Pythons are notorious for. Soak those frozen mice in warm to hot water, dangle it in front of his face, watch for a quick flicking of the tongue...wich indicates an interest, jiggle it a little, and he should snap it up. If not...abort mission and try again later.


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## SERRAPYGO (Feb 4, 2003)

Oh, by the way...maybe you should do this with a pair of tongs. I had a ball miss his target once and he tried to swallow my hand.


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## Mettle (Dec 29, 2003)

This is the time of year ball pythons typically are cooled and burmate (think hybernation) and prep for breeding season. Them not eating isn't the end of the world. Rather than investing too much in feeders you'll throw out just get a scale and keep track of the weight.

As for feeding live. If at ALL POSSIBLE avoid it. It's putting the snake in danger.

A friend of mine had a ball python that went for 9 months without eating. It's alive and well. No issues at all.


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