Rehomed Jungle Python Feeding Conditions

[floweringqueen]

I've had my 3yr old Jungle for 4wks now, my first, so it's a steep learning curve. Her viv is a large aquarium with a temp gradient of 34 - 22.
She didn't feed until just yesterday, it had been 5wks. I am using a feed plastic box but she just wasn't interested in dead rat. She's been fed frozen rats all her life according to the previous owner & was on weekly feeds.

So I resorted to feeding in her tank this time, leaving it for a few hours & she finally took it. But this is not very exciting & could be messy.

I have thousands of Q's, but the main ones are around the psychology/ best conditions for feeding a headstrong biatch.

1. Why might she refuse to eat when the "food" is all warm and blowdried and moving yet she eats after it's cooled, really boringly still & when noone is watching?
2. Are there certain conditions that should be in place for picky feeders eg. temps, time of day, after/before exercise...?
3. I imagine she is more likely to feed when in her comfortable known, warm environment, how does one get around this with using a feed box, especially in NSW in winter...?
4. Should I try feed again in a week or leave her longer?

thanks in advance team

 

[PythonLegs]

Plenty of snakes won't eat during winter, no matter how artifically hot it is.. they know how long it's been since the last one. If you try feeding her again at all, I'd suggest waiting longer than two weeks. Personally I'd be waiting until late spring,5 weeks isn't a long time for a python.

If she hasnt been hand fed or handled much, it's pretty common not to want to eat while someone is around. Jungles in the wild occasionally take roadkill/ carrion, I've had one eat a smashed pigeon out of my bullbar. While we were stopped, obviously..

 

[Wokka]

My guess is that the trauma of changing her environment immediately prior to feeding her has put her off feeding. You have taken her from her "home " and put her in a uninviting strange tub for feeding. I am not sure why, or why feeding in her tank is less exciting or messy.

 

[pinefamily]

Several of our pythons won't eat if we're around. One we covered up when he was a juvenile, otherwise he wouldn't eat.

 

[GBWhite]

Hi,

It's not uncommon for a snake to display such behaviour when it's moved to a new environment and sounds to me that it just needs time to adjust.

On top of this just remember it's winter and as such snakes are quite aware of this due the the natural decrease in the photoperiod (daylight hours) and as such are generally not interested in feeding. It will become more interested once it has fully adjusted to its new environment and feels safe, as the days get longer and the weather warms up.

There is no need to remove it from its enclosure to feed and as Wokka mentioned if anything it is likely to put it off feeding.

Snakes are pretty simple creatures that are only interested in survival. This includes feeding, drinking, seeking a safe, secure refuge and mating. They do not possess the ability to show empathy, they are not interested in bonding or pleasing their keeper and in captivity prefer to live a peaceful, undisturbed life.

Can I suggest you get your hands on a good care book and read as much as you can about keeping snakes in captivity.

Cheers,

George.

 

[floweringqueen]

Wokka Thanks for responding!
I was simply following the procedure of the previous owner, who had her from a young age, so I figured it worked. It seems bizarre to me too, especially the sudden change in temp. I have noticed alot of people do it though, apparently to not increase cage defensiveness. Is this not a concern feeding in the tank?

the fact of a defrosted dead rat sitting for hours.. more messy than it not being there ;-)

- - - Updated - - -

Thanks for responding George. Yeah my research to date has been youtube & herp sites.

- - - Updated - - -

That's cool, thanks for responding! So it was travelling with you & you stopped to feed her the fresh meat immediately after impact?
As far as i know she has been hand fed and handled alot by the previous keeper.

I'm observing her behaviour daily... but I just wish she could tell me when she's really really hungry so I don't waste the rats ;-)

 

[onelife]

Feeding in cage will not make them defensive - some are naturally defensive in enclosure when putting hands in but 2 out of 3 of mine have always been fed in enclosure and have never even striked when moving things around enclosure or taking them out even when I first got them.

 

[pythoninfinite]

You don't need to dry the rats before you offer them - I take them straight from the bucket of hot tap water and offer to the snake, but I don't use a granular substrate. The snake will indicate it is hungry by adopting a striking pose at night and flicking its tongue and coming forward towards the front of the enclosure if it is expecting to be fed. I don't bother offering food during the day - finicky feeders are always more enthusiastic at night. If the snake is completely in repose and not interested in what's going on outside the enclosure, I don't bother thawing food for it until it is more alert.

The snake is not headstrong at all, and using the term "biatch" as a descriptor seems to me to be very disrespectful...

Jamie

 

[floweringqueen]

Thanks Jamie..
all snakes are headstrong and that's why we love them
I mean biatch in the kindest most loving way ;-)

 

[Snapped]

Good advice already, and there are some very easy to read articles on Snakes written by Simon Stone "Doc Rock", give them a read, and then re-read, very basic info on what snakes need.

The first 3 articles are the most important and will give you pretty much the basics to keep your snake healthy and well, plus you'll see (read) what snakes need, from their perspective, not ours.

http://www.southernxreptiles.com/RA%20ARTICLE%20PAGE.htm