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HELP!! My snake isn't eating

4K views 84 replies 24 participants last post by  goodwin1234 
#1 ·
Hey everyone
Basically 2 weeks ago I bought two beautiful Burmese pythons. They are both four months old.
My female is called scarlet and my male is called Ivan
Basically I bought a 4ft viv for them to share. Scarlet is 4 foot and Ivan is 2-3foot. I had the set up ready and they settled in straight away. The heat lamp just stopped working one night (it wasn't the bulb) so I went out and bought a new one. The bulb was 100W. As soon as I switched it on the glass viv door just cracked and then smashed!! So what I had to do was put then in a small tank until the new viv arrives. The viv should be here anyway now. He does have a heat lamp and heat mat and a little place to hide.
Scarlet is a star!! She's been eating and pooing normally.
Ivan shed his two weeks ago and I've been trying to feed him... I've tried everything and I mean EVERYTHING!! Live feeding, assist/force feeding, I've kept warmed up food in the tank over night.... I ended up taking him to the vet. Scarlet is half a kilogram but little Ivan is 200g! All they said was they'd get a zoologist to call me. I've had no calls and I'm really worried about him
 
#2 ·
Has it been since his shed he stopped eating? Or before that? Because two weeks is a short amount of time to have tried everything. Trying too much will stress him and make him less likely to eat. Ideally leaving a week between attempts so as not to stress him might have better results.

I haven't got much on how to get him eating, but make sure his temps etc are correct as this can cause problems.
 
#3 ·
Hey :) I actually got him on the day he was shedding. I got him on a Sunday and tried to feed him on Tuesday but he didn't take it. I left him until Friday and he still refused. I spoke to the breeder and he said that he was always a fussy eater. Try leaving the food in overnight... Which I did.... Nothing! So by Monday I got worried and tryed live feeding but he totally ignored the food. I took him to the vet the next day. He's 200g! So for the past few days I've been trying to assist feed him (for a little thing he's really powerful and always gets away) he just doesn't seem interested in food. I'm going to leave it till next week. I think it's the environment change that's stressing him out. Well his tank is 40C atm. That's with a 100w lamp and a heat mat :(
 
#4 ·
I think you have one very stressed out and upset snake there!!

Firstly 40c is way too hot

I personally would do the following:

1) separate them

2) provide each of them with an enclosure of around 3x2x2 ft with plenty of cover and hides

3) provide each of them with overhead heating in the form of a 75-100 watt ceramic bulb

4) this bulb must be thermostated and you should have hot end temps measuring around 30-32 and cool end around 25 ish

5) nice big waterbowl in each

6) then leave the male alone for 2 weeks. Don't take him out to handle. Don't try to feed him...unless he needs his water topping up or he's pooed in it just don't go near him

7) after the two weeks offer him a dry wiener or small rat with the head heated from boiled water

8) if he doesn't take it just leave it in overnight .....don't dangle it in his face for ages trying to get him to take it

Chances are he will probably eat it straight away or overnight

If not, try again with a chick a week later

If he's noticeably loosing more and more weight then the vet should do blood tests in my opinion. But if he stays stable then it's just patience

I'm sorry to say it but the way you've been dealing with him is most likely the reason he's not eating

I also suggest you take the time to read through this

http://www.reptileforums.co.uk/forums/snakes/909055-new-snake-not-feeding-very.html

Good luck
 
#6 ·
40c is far too hot. I'm not exactly sure but it should e around the lower end of the mid 30's. Try to keep handling and general stressors as low as possible for a week or two. Then when it comes to feeding leave it for him without any fuss. As long as he's not losing weight he'll be fine

Oops. Beat me to it
 
#7 ·
What caffers said.

Plus - Of course the male weighs less than the female. According to your measurements he's half the length?

It also worries me that you couldn't control a 2ft Burm. And that they are both going into a 4ft viv? I think you underestimate how quick they grow.... whats the dimensions of their final viv going to be?

But anyway.
 
#11 ·
Again, exactly what caffers has said. Just to add, do not attempt to assist/force feed again, it is VERY stressful and absolutely unnecessary after only 2 weeks of not feeding. Force feeding is pretty easy to mess up and you could end up causing an injury.
 
#13 ·
It's all been said. I think you have been given less than satisfactory information as to their care. All those feeding methods in close proximity, plus the extreme heat- I would be flabbergasted if he WAS eating.
I fear you are going to be feeling an expense sorting this all out. I would recommend doing a search for Burmese python caresheets and reading as many as you can.
The snakes are more likely to do better separated, a nervous, poor feeder doesn't need the added stresses of cohabiting with a larger snake.
Assist feeding is pretty stressful for snakes and should really only be done as last resort.
 
#17 ·
Hi everyone. Thank u so much for the advice!! It's been really helpful. Just so u know the rest of my snakes have great enclosures with the right heat but I've only been doing what the breeder has told me to do. He's actually giving me advice and telling me to turn the heat up and make it Warner for them and he's pretty worried about Ivan.
Sorry I've never had a snake that hasn't eaten for this amount of time. It's been 3weeks since his last feed and his backbone is showing and he's underweight.
The breeder has told me to assist feed since he's kind of panicked. But yeah I'll leave him. I'm pretty sure he's had enough and he's really stressed. I do understand how fast they grow. In 8months - 1year they could be 8ft+ and I have people willing to help me.
I had a 4ft viv for them because the 6ft one was on it's way and it was a suitable size since they're still babies...
I have a thermostat recording the temperature.32.5C on the warm side and 26C on the cool side. Actually they were separated before I posted this,
The final enclose is roughly 15ft long and 10ft wide in my shed. It belonged to my boa restricted who died age 14 after having two batches of eggs (so yes I can handle big snakes) and I am prepared for how quickly they grow. I've just been doing what the breeder has been telling me to do cos he says that's the way he takes care of all his burms :-/ I thought it was all a bit dodgy. But as I said he hasn't eaten in 3weeks and was panicking. I know snakes can go months without food but when I run my fingers down his belly it's all hollow :(!
Anyway thanks sooo much for the advice
 
#30 ·
He's got a huge dish of water. I've called the breeder and he's coming to take a look tomorrow :)
i would make sure if he is close that he does as by the sound of what you said you may not have 2 weeks the further you let it go the harder it will be to get it back round as a breeder you have a responsibility to you customers and that you are selling animals that are healthy and eating fine when they leave or atleast 99% of people on here do
 
#41 ·
Well let me tell u something, the breeder is a jerk. He lives in Kebt and I live in London. After selling my baby boa's I was there straight away if anyone had a problem. He says he'll come tomorrow but he's still insisting that the temp should be 40C. I've left it at 32C. Ivan is very active and lively. As I said he's really powerful for a baby :) I just think I'm going to have to find a vet that specialises in snakes and take him there do he can get some food in him. Really appreciate the advice from everyone thank u xx
 
#44 ·
Yeah as I said I've taken care of big snakes before. I'm not saying I don't have control over him lol. All I'm saying is hrs a strong one and I know he's a fighter. I know how to take care and handle big snakes all I'm trying to explain is how active he is, he's powerful for a snake his size and his weight. I'm not saying I can't control him :p
 
#46 ·
Ok, if the breeder is still insisting on keeping the temps at 40*c, then i would not listen to what they are saying or take further advise from them as they clearly are talking utter crap.

You either need to return the snake or do what caffers said on the first page. It looks as though the snake is not eating because it is being kept in incorrect conditions and has been overly stressed by your attempts at feeding. If you keep the snake too hot, you may cause the snake to have neurological issues and/or death. A vet nor a zoologist will not be able to get the snake eating if it is being kept in incorrect conditions.

What research did you do before getting the snakes other than the incorrect info the breeder has told you? Caresheets aren't always accurate, but if you look at several then you will get the idea that the temps you are beng told are too hot.

3 weeks is not a long time for a snake to go without food, however if your snake is in a bad way, then you need to get it sorted.

Please listen to the advise on this thread there has been very good advise.
 
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