Help! My python wont eat!

[Bec137]

So my murray darling python got a bad burn before Christmas, and hasnt eaten since. I have been to 2 different vets and he has had a few different antibiotics and a liquid feed now, but he still doesnt want to eat. I have tried him maybe 10 times since my first vet visit, but nothing. He just gets ****ty and strikes at me when I wave food in his face which he has NEVER done before.

I have soaked him twice (2hrs and 4hrs) like one vet said, so all the scabby horrible bit that he couldnt shed past has now gone and I can clearly see the scar tissue which is completely sealed now. All the last shed is off except about the top 6 inches on his head and the last 4 on his tail.

He has lost about 1/4 of his total body weight now and I'm getting really stressed. My partner isnt overly into snakes and is starting to get fed up with the constant vet bills so I'm waiting for him to tell me to just get him put down, which I REALLY dont want to do. His last vet visit was on Monday, and I have another for this coming monday. The vet told me to feed him over the weekend, so I will give it another try tomorrow. Are there any tips anyone can give to coax him into eating?

Please help??

 

[CrystalMoon]

I am not the best person to give advice purely because there are far more experienced on here..... perhaps you could offer some more info like how old he is and what his enclosure temps are etc I ask this simply because I know that even hatchies can go for months without a feed. with all his injuries and so on he probably wouldnt be the most relaxed or in the best of moods. Have you tried braining the rat/mouse and just leaving it in his enclosure? I am going to have a look on the site and see what I can find to help more. I really only answered to offer you some comfort and to bump this back up
Crystal

 

[Bec137]

What does braining mean? Ive left a rat in there overnight and he doesnt even sniff at it. He is about 6 years old, was about 2kg and now is only 1.4kg. His temp is set at 28* in the middle of it, so its probably about 30-32 where he sits under the lamp (caged), the vet said that was the best temp to have it at. I know they can go for ages without food, but he has lost heaps of weight and has so much empty skin (if that makes sense) now
PS my sister lives in Hervey Bay, small world lol.

 

[Gruni]

Maybe think about force/assist feeding him. My friends had two snakes get RI's last winter and they wouldn't eat. One is finally eating but very lazy about it and needs the mouse presented head first and ensured that he is on it or he'll just drop it and not bother and the other still requires you to push the food in and will try to retch it back out until you get it in her actual stomach. George is expecting to need to do that until after the winter at this stage.

 

[Killer_rabbit]

braining is where you split the head of the rat or mouse so the brain is showing or the juices are coming out. Have you wormed your snake maybe have worms. my first snake i got worrms and i was very inexperiencened didnt even know about worming them and it went of food and lost alot of weight.

 

[CrystalMoon]

Hey Bec, I just pm'd you about some-one who might be able to help

 

[leamos]

I think he must have some sort of internal parasite if he's lost that much weight, snakes can go 12 mths without food and lose very little weight

 

[Lizzy90]

Iv heard from some people that wetting the rodents with water helps make them a little more appetising for them to eat if they are fussy eaters. Not sure if it actually helps as I have only heard of this and not tried it, but hey, if it helps at all its worth a shot.

Maybe try that if he refuses a feed again.

 

[mike_k]

http://www.aussiepythons.com/forum/herp-help-38/help-snake-isnt-eating-162439/

This is a sticky on exactly that. Im not majorly experienced but could be a stressed python =S have you tried just completely leaving it alone for a little while, like week or two? Personal had a problem feeder once before and scented the rat with chicken pieces, which worked for me. There are so many tricks to try.

 

[CrystalMoon]

http://www.aussiepythons.com/forum/herp-help-38/help-snake-isnt-eating-162439/

This is a sticky on exactly that. Im not majorly experienced but could be a stressed python =S have you tried just completely leaving it alone for a little while, like week or two? Personal had a problem feeder once before and scented the rat with chicken pieces, which worked for me. There are so many tricks to try.

I am a noddy sometimes lol why didnt I think of this thread before talk about the blind leading the blind lol

 

[mike_k]

I am a noddy sometimes lol why didnt I think of this thread before talk about the blind leading the blind lol

I was surprised i was the first to post it to be honest =P i done a mass search of the forum when i had problems and really this is just a compilation of all of it.

 

[Jake007]

Hey my 7 year old coastal went for 9-10 months with no food still took him out to go sit on the grass and everything and now he is feeding like a champ again and hasn't stoped lol
( have you tryed different food )

 

[longqi]

you have a PM that may be worth reading hope it helps