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ball python not eating or pooping

R

reddragon087

New member
So for the past few months my boyfriend has had numerous problems with his ball python who he acquired
from a friend who was moving and could not take them with him. The first problem was shedding and I
figured that problem out. The past three months though he has been giving us a problem eating...he just
refuses to do it. He has gone over a month now without eating or going poop, we've tried feeding him and
he refuses to do so every time. We've even tried giving him something as small as a hopper to see if he would
go for it but still he refused. My boyfriend tried putting him in a warm bath (and this is after he shed so he
would not lose the natural oils to prevent shedding) to see if it would encourage him to poop and nothing. We've
tried putting a heating pad on the underside of the tank (he has a uth on the underside of tank on one side) but
we thought maybe it was not putting out enough heat for him to digest but again it was a fail. He is still active,
moves around and we keep him hydrated but I'm just worried that because he has not used the bathroom or
ate that something is seriously wrong.
 
Has he eaten for you before?
It has been a long time since I have had a ball, but not eating for long periods of time is just something some of them do!!
If he is not losing weight, he is probably fine.
If he were mine, I wouldn't mess with him or stress him too much, I would just offer him food once a week and leave it at that.
If he is your only snake, it might be a good excuse to get another, so that no food goes to waste. (and who REALLY needs an excuse for that?)
 
He has eaten for us before, but about three months ago is when he started refusing to eat, not sure why. We have other snakes that we have been giving his food to so its not going to waste, I'm just a bit worried that he's becoming a non-feeder.
 
reddragon087 said:
He has eaten for us before, but about three months ago is when he started refusing to eat, not sure why. We have other snakes that we have been giving his food to so its not going to waste, I'm just a bit worried that he's becoming a non-feeder.
Click to expand...

Now keep in mind, I am not an expert here, but balls are famous for doing this. And since he has eaten for you before, he knows what food is and what it's for so that's good. Back when I had them I had a male go 8 months once without eating. Lost no weight at all and resumed eating like nothing had happened....I just thawed one mouse less every week and tried him first, and if he ate I would just thaw another for whomever would have lost out!
 
I will try that and keep track of his weight, all of our snakes get weighed each month to keep progress. I just hope he does not keep this up...he's such an awesome little snake and I would hate to see him go down hill because he refuses to eat.
 
reddragon087 said:
I will try that and keep track of his weight, all of our snakes get weighed each month to keep progress. I just hope he does not keep this up...he's such an awesome little snake and I would hate to see him go down hill because he refuses to eat.
Click to expand...

I don't think he will...just try to stay calm, I am sure he will be just fine!
 
reddragon087 said:
I will try that and keep track of his weight, all of our snakes get weighed each month to keep progress. I just hope he does not keep this up...he's such an awesome little snake and I would hate to see him go down hill because he refuses to eat.
Click to expand...

I think he wil be fine :)
 
I agree, you'll be just fine. If he's not eating he won't be pooping! And they hold it in quite a long time. Mine has not eaten since October either, I think he may be in too large of a cage though, so he'll be getting down graded soon to see if it is a stress related thing. However, males are typically picky eaters and my friend who is a breeder has one that goes off feed for 8 months, without losing weight. Weight loss would be when you have to worry.
 
They go through these periods especially during these months. Our vet did suggest if they do start losing weight to take a pinkie mouse or rat (depending on their size) and put in egg yoke and force feed. She said it goes down easier. I haven't tried it but its a suggestion.
Good Luck!
 
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