Diamond Python not feeding

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Davidw

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Any ideas of why my Diamond Python is not eating, ive always had trouble feeding him, but this time he hasnt eatin in 5 months, he has never taken rats, only mice & small rabbits, the temp in his cage is right, ive tried Mutton bird oil, herp steroids placing him with a female for a month and yet still not feeding, next step is the vets. He is about 9 yrs old and is half the size of any other diamond his age.
 
Hi David,

Do you have any pics of the diamond in question? Is he in good condition (other than being half the size of other diamonds his age) or is he looking poor?

Five months seems like a long time to go without food but snakes can go for long periods without eating, so, if he looks in good condition I wouldn't take him to the vet just yet. My diamond was a year old and stopped eating for the same amount of time and it didn't adversely affect him at all.

It's interesting that he hasn't eaten over the summer months though. How long have you had him and where do you keep him? Is it in a high traffic area, with people walking past a lot, etc? When you say the temps in his viv are right, what are the temps you're keeping him at?
 
Hi tempest,

I do have some pics of him around the time he stopped feeding, and he looks in good shape, but recently the vertibrae is starting to show along his back.
Ive had him since he was 3 months old and his about 9 yrs old now. He's always been a very fussy snake when it comes to feeding, and for most of his life 3 - 4 months has not been out of the ordinary, he will smell, bury his head right into it - just wont eat it.
I keep him in the garage - which is all insulated and keeps the cold out. His enclosure is clean, and neat, heated at 26 degrees. Definately not a high traffic area - i get him out a bit to handle him along with my daughters. I have 2 other snakes that feed at a drop of a hat & have never knocked back a feed.

Ive just joined so will have to work out how to download the photos.
 
Ive just joined so will have to work out how to download the photos.
when you are making a thread or replying you will see a paperclip called attachments(above where you write),click on that and upload from your computer
 
As azn4114 said, when when posting click on "Go Advanced" rather than "Post Quick Reply" and you will be able to add an attachment to your post :)

If Melbourne is anything like Adelaide, it's started to cool down a fair bit, especially at night, so you might find that the temps getting cooler may also not be much help as we head into winter. Personally, I would have a basking spot of around 28 - 30 degrees for at least 3 or 4 hours a day. They are cooler climate pythons but I keep mine at around 28 - 30 during daylight hours and then lower for nights (room temp) and I find that Zeph likes to bask under the heat lamp most of the time but will go down lower (he has a vertical viv) when he wants to.

I'd maybe also try not handling him for a while and then offer him a feed as handling him might be a cause of stress.

A snake will eat when it's hungry and that is why I don't think not eating for 5 months is much to be concerned about. If you have a recent pic showing how he's looking now (as you said with the spine beginning to show) it might also help.

What was his last feed, by the way? Mice or rabbit? What size?

Fussy eaters are stressful! More so when you have other snakes who are gutses!! I think a lot of the time we put a lot of our fears/emotions into worrying about snakes not eating for extended periods and we make it much worse in our minds. I have a fussy woma of all things and I know it always makes me anxious when he refuses a feed, even though I know rationally it really isn't an issue.
 
my 6 and a half year old diamond was a little fussy when i got when she was 6 months old and then became a great feeder on rats ,quail and rabbits .but the last 3 years she stops eating at the start of may and then stars eating again the start of november .but the first time she did it i was a bit concerned after a few months and took her to the vet and all was perfect .then she started to eat in november right through till may. she is in a 6 ft h x 4 ft w x 2 ft d and i never change her heat and she must know when the weather changes herself .but my wifes diamond eats right through winter but its about 2 and a half years old and she may change aswell .if you have any more probs send me a private message with where abouts in melb you live and if your close to me i can come and see her and have a chat .
 
Ihad a diamond that i got of a mate because he was over ita it hadnt eaten for 8 months its now a strong feeder on quail firs started him with fresh kill month old chickens then moved him onto quail by putting chicken feathers in the quails mouth.just try a few different things.
 
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