Still not fed

[Robpiersen]

I have had my now 6 month old stimson just over 2 months now she has not fed with me yet I have been in contact with breeder who is working suggestions with me but as of yet nothing won't even take strike position she flickers tongue seems enthusiastic but won't strike. Does any one have any suggestions mind I've already done normal checks temp, tank, etc i do not handle have tried braining pinkie. I've left her for 2 weeks alone at a time still nothing. Please help I'm running out of ideas

 

[Ramsayi]

I know you wrote that everything is fine but what are the min/max temps very early in the morning?

 

[Robpiersen]

Being winter it drops but I'm talking 1-1.5 from normal temp I've started keeping a towel over click clack to maintain that heat

 

[Robpiersen]

Temps are 31 won't drop under 30 if warm day maybe 32 if that

 

[Ramy]

Some young pythons get nervous in a new enclosure, especially if it's much larger than they were in originally, or if they can't hide somewhere (My young pythons seem to love hiding under the newspaper). I don't know how you're housing her, but you might consider moving her into a smaller container until she settles down? Preferably in a room that doesn't get too much traffic.

 

[Ramsayi]

Temps are 31 won't drop under 30 if warm day maybe 32 if that

What are the temps dropping to in the cold of a morning though?

I'm guessing you are using a heat mat,if so how many watts?

Since you are needing to use a towel to maintain heat I still think your problem is temp related.

 

[Robpiersen]

She's been in a 7 lt sistema tub for about 2 months now I originally put towel on for privacy I've noticed the towel has helped remove a bigger variation of temp change. Is there anyway I can solve temp problem right now it's a 15 watt heat matt set at 31 inside of her bigger enclosure to be. I also had a thought, the care sheet I read said not to add light until settled and eating, assuming about 2 weeks she would start eating I've read it's not essential but UVB light can help increase appetite and natural feeding response is this true?

 

[Insanity]

UVB will do nothing. Turn your temps up to 33-34.

 

[andynic07]

Is there a temperature gradient with your click clack since it is inside another enclosure, a cool end is as important as a hot end.

 

[Robpiersen]

Their is a gradient cold end usually around 27 ill try a higher temp

 

[Ramy]

I tend to try to have a gradient between 22-31. I know it's hard in a small enclosure, but it means they can choose where they sit.

 

[nintendont]

I have a pair of stimmies the same age and the female is still feeding like a champ but the male has refused his last 2 feeds. My temps are perfect day and night...Im not worried because it is her that needs to grow faster anyways so I plan to keep offering every few days until I get a result...or try something different in a few more weeks. Just a tip though: I have read that some people leave rodents overnight...not a wise idea. I will never be doing that again. The mouse blew up like roadkill and was the worst smell I have ever experienced!!! I was gagging trying to get the disgusting thing out...actually I'm gagging now thinking about it...maybe that happened only because I put it on the heated end...but I figured a snake wont go for a cold mouse so yeh....you live and you learn.

 

[hnn17]

do you have those thermometers that store minimum and maximum readings ?

 

[Robpiersen]

I have a normal thermometer. I didn't know they had ones that record highs and lows I could certainly get one. She has improved since I first got her used to smell feed then take off now she just watches but never strikes. She hasn't even had a snap at me or shown any form of aggression but was snatching food straight from the breeder just wish I could figure out what I'm doing wrong

 

[J-A-X]

Where are you measuring the temperature ? If its set away from the mat you'll get a false reading. Put it where the snake will lay, it will give an accurate reading then.
I used a thermometer from bunnings it was labelled as an inside / outside one, so it had two displays on it. One for the probe and one for the main unit. Nice length of cable to the probe so I put the probe where the snake would lay and the main unit outside of the tub. I could check the temps without disturbing the occupant. It also recorded min/max temps so I could see how much it dropped overnight.
It could well be that the temps need bumping up just a little, and maybe the prey isn't warm enough ?

 

[Robpiersen]

I put the temps up now running at 34. I made another feed attempt with braining the pinkie and she reacted different to every other time, she sat in strike position smelling up and down food turning her head back and forward with her tongue flickering and following food with her head but still no strike. I'm thinking maybe the food is not hot enough (any temp suggestions) or the last feed with breeder was a fuzzy so I should try one. I've read after they're off pinkies they don't like going back

 

[Becca-Marie]

If the breeder was feeding fuzzies, go back to fuzzies. Good luck

Sent from my LG-P690f using Tapatalk 2

 

[OldestMagician]

Do you move it around at all? I use a little stick to move mine around and they go for them straight away. As for temp, I put mine in a watertight tupperware and submerge it in water from the tap as hot as it'll go. Warms them up nice and quick.

 

[wokka]

Ideally the snakes temperature should be 30C. You can measure that using an infrared thermometer.
The hot end temperature should be 32C AT THE COLDEST TIME OF THE DAY say 7am. Dont worry about temperature gradients!
The food item should be say 40C. It should feel warm to your touch.
Feed at dusk with privacy, feed with the minimum of light . If the snake doesn't take it leave the food item overnight.
Ideally the snake will be in its hide and the food item with the nose in the enterance.
Good Luck!

 

[nintendont]

The food item should be say 40C. It should feel warm to your touch.

If the snake doesn't take it leave the food item overnight.

In regards to the difficulty feeding: how do you defrost your rodents? Firstly, get the right size rodent and then maybe try feeding wet (but patted dry). I had a problem feeder stimmie and once I bumped his temp up a little and defrosted in a bucket of water instead of inside a clip-seal bag in the water, he smashed the mouse.