Jungle Python hasnt eaten for 3 and half weeks :(

[zenvuk]

Hi,

I have a jungle python who refuses to eat, in fact he has started to recoil when presented with his dinner. He has never had a problem in the past and im getting quite concerned. Is it time to take him to a vet?

He is approx 3.5 years old, male, warm area stable at 27 degrees C. last sloughed 5 weeks ago.

Really worried about him, any advice would be great.

 

[Becceles]

My 3yr old Stimmie hasn't eaten since March, perfectly normal. It's what they do over winter.

 

[Red-Ink]

Both of my Jungles haven't eaten since March as well... one is a 3.5 year old male as well, probably wont eat for another month either. Some of them will eat over winter some of them won't... either way they will be fine.

 

[kitten_pheonix]

Your issue is quite probably the fact that the hot spot is only 27° it should be around 33° for proper thermoregulation.

 

[Reptiles101]

That's what I was thinking [MENTION=26560]kitten_pheonix[/MENTION]

 

[Riffherper]

My 2 y.o Darwin's have refused to eat since April but yeh that heat does have to come up

 

[jongroom74]

Dont stress my jungle carpet didnt eat for 8weeks all else fails try a quail .... good luck

Sent from my GT-I9305 using Tapatalk

 

[sevrum]

should be able to reach a BODY temperature of about 31 -33 c
basking spot can be up to 38 c or more.....

- - - Updated - - -

all about heat...everyone needs a heat gun to test BODY temps not just hot spot temps....if they can get the heat you will have no problems

 

[Pythoninfinite]

It would be more normal if your mature male Jungle Carpet DIDN'T eat during the cooler months when the days are shorter, and it's also quite normal for male Carpets to eat for only six months of the year. We force them to behave very unnaturally in captivity, so it would probably be best for you not to increase the temps in a misguided belief that to get it feeding at this time of year is beneficial - it's not. In a cage, we remove any possibility of self-management for the snake. If you crank up the temp when it's not hungry due to hormonal activity, you'll just be keeping the metabolism running faster than it should be at this time of year - when not eating, snakes can reduce their metabolic responses by up to 80% to reduce their energy requirements, but they need to have choices about thermoregulation etc. It's quite normal and does them no harm.

The snake will begin feeding again sometime in the next 2-3 months, if not before, but when it's ready. A healthy Carpet of that age can easily go for 12 months without food, and not suffer any ill effects.

Jamie

 

[Alexbee]

27 on the hot end is too cold. bump up to 32-33 and try feeding in a few days..