Yes, it is normal for a new snake to be stressed and not eat. This can be due to the change in environment or unfamiliarity with the food. Show
It is important to provide your new pet with a safe and comfortable environment free of predators and other disturbances. Provide plenty of hiding places within the enclosure and make sure the temperature and humidity are within the optimal range for your species. Offering multiple food items and continuing to offer them over time is also important as snakes may need to get used to a particular food item before they decide to eat it. Some additional tips you can use include maintaining consistent feeding times, increasing the humidity during feeding, adding tasty or smelly items (such as tuna or fish) to the food, and offering live prey. Be patient and eventually your snake should start to eat. Of course, this doesn’t mean you should just sit back and let your pet starve. It just means that you have time on your side to figure things out. Keep reading to find out exactly why ball pythons go through fasting periods, and how you can fix the issue(s). In This Article How Long Can a Ball Python Go Without Eating?As we mentioned previously, you have a decent amount of time to figure things out.
Of course, this is assuming there is not something else going on with your snake’s health and its husbandry needs are being met. Lack of appetite is one of the BIGGEST red flags when it comes to illness and disease in snakes, so it is essential to rule them out first. However, sometimes even healthy, well-cared-for snakes will go off feed. But as long as you provide the right conditions and have followed this troubleshooting guide, you can rest assured that your snake will stay healthy until he decides to start eating again. ⭐️ Fun Fact: The longest any snake is believed to have gone without eating is 21 months, and it was – you guessed it – a ball python. Hopefully, this will give you some peace of mind if your ball python has gone weeks or even months without eating. 7 Reasons Why Your Ball Python Not EatingNow that you have a keen idea of just how long your ball python can sustain itself without eating, let’s dive headfirst into the seven potential reasons why ball pythons won’t eat. Bear in mind these reasons are simply the most common culprits behind a ball python not eating, so there’s no guarantee they’re why yours is abstaining from food. After all, every snake is different. However, they should, at the very minimum, give you a fabulous place to start! Reason #1: Parasites and DiseaseSickly snakes that are suffering from parasites, such as the ball python above with snake mites, are much less likely to demonstrate a healthy appetite than those that are healthy.Illness is the most pressing reason why your ball python not eating.
If the only symptom your snake is displaying is a lack of appetite and they appear otherwise happy, this issue will require a little more deliberation. Stress often causes snakes to stop eating, and a trip to the veterinarian can cause even more stress and exasperate the situation. It’s usually better to wait it out unless OR until there are other accompanying symptoms, or it has been several months, and you’ve tried everything else. Some owners may spot damaged teeth in their ball python’s mouth and worry that they are the reason for the loss of appetite, but this is unlikely. Snakes occasionally damage their teeth from accidentally striking hard tank decorations and glass, or simply when eating their food. Whatever the cause, all ball pythons’ teeth regularly fall out and then get replaced with healthy new ones anyway. So the only time a broken tooth can become a major problem is if it causes an oral abscess or infection. In such instances, please consult with a veterinarian immediately. Reason #2: They’re Feeling StressedStress is probably the MOST common reason your ball python not eating. Fortunately, it can also be the easiest reason to remedy. This scenario is especially common if you just got your snake, took your snake on a trip, or changed your snake’s enclosure. Try implementing the following changes over the next few weeks:
Reason #3: TemperatureAnother common mistake, especially with beginner snake owners, is not offering sufficient heat – day AND night! The basking area should reach 88-92°F, and the cold end of the enclosure should never get any lower than 75°F.
All ectothermic (cold-blooded) animals, including ball pythons, need adequately high temperatures to digest. If it is too cold, their body and metabolism will begin to slow down. NO snake will eat if it’s unable to digest its food. This is a survival instinct because any food that isn’t digested runs the risk of rotting inside the snake and making it sick. Reason #4: It’s a Specific SeasonDon’t let the lack of eyelids fool you… your snake definitely sleeps! This becomes even more prevalent as the Winter months approach and they go into brumation, during which they will most likely have little to no appetite.Many ball pythons have a sort of internal clock that tells them to stop eating when Winter is approaching. In the wild, and with many captive keepers, they will go through a period called brumation, which is similar to hibernation. They will become inactive and stop eating for a few months. After brumation, most snakes will take at least a few meals, but some may begin fasting again as the breeding season commences. Females that are ovulating and males that are eager to find ovulating females just aren’t interested in eating. Many healthy captive pythons only eat for a few months out of the year due to these seasonal changes. Reason #5: They’re Picky About Their Food and Feeding TechniquesWith all of the above issues taken care of, still, some ball pythons can be incredibly finicky in how AND what they eat. This is especially true for wild-caught ball pythons. Luckily, there are SO many captive-bred ball pythons available, this issue is becoming slightly less common reason why ball python not eating. However, it can still happen with the odd wild-caught or captive-bred python. When you first purchase your pet, be sure to ask the person that you are buying it from: I. How often is it eating?If you are purchasing an older animal that the current owner is only feeding every three weeks, it should be no surprise when the snake doesn’t accept your weekly offering of food. II. Is it eating live, fresh pre-killed, or frozen?This is a big one. Some ball pythons are actually afraid of live prey, or they don’t know how to dispatch it efficiently, get injured in the process, and then develop a fear. In fact, some animals don’t even view an already dead animal as food without having to hunt it down. Other animals develop pickiness about the smell of frozen prey, but will readily eat a fresh-smelling pre-killed rat. III. How and where are you feeding it?This is another biggie in terms of what the ball python is used to and what it prefers. There’s such a wide variety of possibilities here that it can be impossible to predict without having it spelled out for you by someone who has been taking care of your animal.
Just like you and I have our preferences, so can each ball python, so it’s imperative to get this information from the previous caretaker. IV. What prey are you using?Ball pythons typically prefer rats over mice. Some ball pythons will even hold out unless they’re offered an African Soft-Furred Rat, a specialty feeder that is one of this snake’s natural prey items in the wild. Particularly picky pythons may even turn up their nose if you offer the same type and size of feeder but from a different rattery or supplier. Reason #6: Their Enclosure is MessyCleanliness is one rarely considered factor. Ball pythons in the wild are ambush predators – they wait in burrows for their prey to come to them. And rodents, their main prey item? Well, they have a VERY advanced senses of smell.
Some ball python keepers have had success resolving their picky eaters’ habits by thoroughly cleaning the cage after every shed and defecation. They completely change the substrate and even scrub down the enclosure to remove any trace of the snake’s odor. The theory is that they will eat more readily when they can’t smell themselves. This might be worth a try if you’re struggling with your own habitually picky eater. Reason #7: They’re About to ShedIs your ball python exhibiting ashy colored scales, lethargy, and hazy blue-capped eyes in addition to their lack of appetite? If so, fear not… they’re most likely just preparing to shed! In fact, one of the MOST common culprits behind a ball python not eating is an impending shed.This factor is out of your control, but most ball pythons will NOT eat when they are getting ready to shed. You can usually tell when this is about to happen by an ashy, dulled out coloration on their scales, and hazy gray-blue eye caps. In this situation, all you need to do is offer the proper humidity level and possibly soak your snake so that they can shed comfortably. And once they’ve finished shedding? Simply offer food a day or two later. Other Tips Techniques for a Ball Python Not EatingLooking for a little extra help in terms of how to get a ball python to eat? No worries, I’ve got you covered! Here are some other tried and true tricks that might peak your python’s appetite: Prey temperatureBall pythons detect their prey with their heat-sensing pits, so go beyond simply thawing that frozen rat and let it sit in a waterproof bag in hot water. The rodent needs to be much warmer than room temperature to be detected by your snake. Prey type and scentingAs we discussed before, different snakes have different preferences. You can try these variations, but only try ONE different or new thing at a time. If you try more than once without giving your ball python a little chance to recover from any possible mealtime stress, it will be much less likely to eat. Start with any of these suggestions to give your ball python a variety if new prey and scents to spark their appetite:
Feeding techniqueAgain, only try one new method at a time. If your ball python doesn’t eat, wait seven to fourteen days, then try something else. To add a little a variety into your feeding technique, try one these techniques:
Wrapping Up Ball Pythons That Won’t EatIf you’ve followed the above guidelines, you’ve made sure the lighting, heat, and humidity parameters are followed to a T, and your ball python STILL not eating, please don’t stress! Again, I want to reiterate that it is PERFECTLY NORMAL and that most ball pythons start eating on their own again without any intervention. The most important thing is to not cause additional stress to your snake by trying to force or over-coax them to eat. Have hope that they will resume eating when they’re ready, watch out for other warning signs of parasite or disease, and don’t stop trying. Is it normal for ball pythons to go on hunger strikes?Often, hunger strikes occur during the winter months and are entirely normal. Don't be alarmed if your ball python starts refusing to eat during the winter. Surprisingly, during these “hunger strikes” or times of food shortage, ball pythons usually maintain their weight and even continue to grow.
Do ball pythons know when to stop eating?Many ball pythons have a sort of internal clock that tells them to stop eating when Winter is approaching. In the wild, and with many captive keepers, they will go through a period called brumation, which is similar to hibernation. They will become inactive and stop eating for a few months.
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