Feeding Troubles-New Python-Ezio

[ReptiBeck]

So my new python Ezio wont eat and isn't really interested in food at all. Calm to handle even though he's only been there for a week.
He doesn't even smell it, just goes away and when you put it near him when he goes away or tap him with it to get attention he changes direction and speeds off.
Have left a rat in with him overnight twice now and nothing.

Wasted two rats now, third one probably going to waste...a breeder suggested to me to empty his enclosure except for a hide and water and use paper towel so ive done that and he's a bit stressed from that but still nothing even though its his own enclosure (tried to use a seperate one as my bedding was non digestable)...

Don't think its hot enough and so i'm getting a new 100w bulb and a thermometer tomorrow...

Two friends of mine, one an experienced breeder, have said he's underweight too...
Should i just give him more time? Any suggestions?

 

[kitten_pheonix]

So my new python Ezio wont eat and isn't really interested in food at all. Calm to handle even though he's only been there for a week.
He doesn't even smell it, just goes away and when you put it near him when he goes away or tap him with it to get attention he changes direction and speeds off.
Have left a rat in with him overnight twice now and nothing.

Wasted two rats now, third one probably going to waste...a breeder suggested to me to empty his enclosure except for a hide and water and use paper towel so ive done that and he's a bit stressed from that but still nothing even though its his own enclosure (tried to use a seperate one as my bedding was non digestable)...

Don't think its hot enough and so i'm getting a new 100w bulb and a thermometer tomorrow...

Two friends of mine, one an experienced breeder, have said he's underweight too...
Should i just give him more time? Any suggestions?

You should probably stop handling him until he has settled into his new enclosure, What temperature is the enclosure getting to? how big is he compared to his enclosure? When was he last fed by the breeder as you mentioned you only had him a week.
Some pythons take over a week to settle in and take food, you shouldn't keep throwing one in until he's had a few days of piece and quiet. Was he on Rats or Mice with the breeder as it can be hard to swap them over. Do you have any under tank heat for him or only the light?

 

[ReptiBeck]

You should probably stop handling him until he has settled into his new enclosure, What temperature is the enclosure getting to? how big is he compared to his enclosure? When was he last fed by the breeder as you mentioned you only had him a week.
Some pythons take over a week to settle in and take food, you shouldn't keep throwing one in until he's had a few days of piece and quiet. Was he on Rats or Mice with the breeder as it can be hard to swap them over. Do you have any under tank heat for him or only the light?

He has both. He is about a meter and enclosure is 60x45x45cm.

As i said i don't have a thermometer yet but i am getting one tomorrow as well as the bulb.

Going to give a break from handling for a couple of days or so and then try feeding again...

The breeder fed fuzzy rats and I'm feeding fuzzy rats, last ate 26th september, he said to feed a day after i got him.

 

[kitten_pheonix]

Was just about to say I had a look at your other thread, the major problem I can see is the fully glass enclosure, in his eyes he can be attacked from all sides, try getting a nice fish tank wrap to put around 3 sides of the glass to enclose it in a bit more, visually appealing for your or just some black contact (glass tanks are also notorious for loosing heat) You mentioned loose skin in the other post as well, have you noticed if he's kind of a dull shade? He may be due for a shed, my stimmies refuse food when they start going into shed and wont eat until after, loose skin is often an indicator of shed =)

 

[andynic07]

You really need to check your temperatures before trying anything else. In my opinion temperature is one of the biggest factors when a snake won't heat. Also the glass enclosure with mesh lids loose a lot of heat. I also think that you are trying to feed your snake too often, if one of mine refuses a rat (not often) I will miss that feed and try on the next scheduled date. I also think that you are probably handling it too much as well, I am sure that it was not handled very much at all coming from a breeder and you may be better easing into it.

 

[RedFox]

Some more info would be good.Temps, pictures or description of enclosure?

Could be stress related. I would suggest not handling until he has had a feed. And stop changing his enclosure. Unfamiliar settings can really stress them out. I'm suprised he suggested to remove things as more hiding space normally makes them feel safer.

Are you sure the breeder was feeding on rats? Sometime the change over from mice to rats can be difficult. A few weeks certainly isn't much to worry about.

From the pictures you posted he looked very healthy so nothing to worry about him being 'smaller'.

I would probably cover up the front of the enclosure for a few days and leave it completely alone. Then put what ever food that the breeder was using in his enclosure overnight and recover. Hopefully it will be gone in the morning.

Overwise you might have to use other methods like braining, scenting, etc. But my bet is it is probably stress.

Just saw previous posts. It is really important to know temps and to have a good hotspot. If it is too cold they can't digest properly and will refuse food. You should leave at least 3days between trying to feed. Sounds like a combination of poor husbandry and stress

 

[ReptiBeck]

You really need to check your temperatures before trying anything else. In my opinion temperature is one of the biggest factors when a snake won't heat. Also the glass enclosure with mesh lids loose a lot of heat. I also think that you are trying to feed your snake too often, if one of mine refuses a rat (not often) I will miss that feed and try on the next scheduled date. I also think that you are probably handling it too much as well, I am sure that it was not handled very much at all coming from a breeder and you may be better easing into it.

I know, i will be handling less now.
Also, the breeder told me to try again after a few days, each time i said he'd refused food...just following his advice

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Some more info would be good.Temps, pictures or description of enclosure?

Could be stress related. I would suggest not handling until he has had a feed. And stop changing his enclosure. Unfamiliar settings can really stress them out. I'm suprised he suggested to remove things as more hiding space normally makes them feel safer.

Are you sure the breeder was feeding on rats? Sometime the change over from mice to rats can be difficult. A few weeks certainly isn't much to worry about.

From the pictures you posted he looked very healthy so nothing to worry about him being 'smaller'.

I would probably cover up the front of the enclosure for a few days and leave it completely alone. Then put what ever food that the breeder was using in his enclosure overnight and recover. Hopefully it will be gone in the morning.

Overwise you might have to use other methods like braining, scenting, etc. But my bet is it is probably stress.

Thanks, will do...
He was definitely feeding fuzzy rats and thats what ive been using..

Don't know temps, getting thermometer tomorrow, said that in another reply...

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Was just about to say I had a look at your other thread, the major problem I can see is the fully glass enclosure, in his eyes he can be attacked from all sides, try getting a nice fish tank wrap to put around 3 sides of the glass to enclose it in a bit more, visually appealing for your or just some black contact (glass tanks are also notorious for loosing heat) You mentioned loose skin in the other post as well, have you noticed if he's kind of a dull shade? He may be due for a shed, my stimmies refuse food when they start going into shed and wont eat until after, loose skin is often an indicator of shed =)

Will do and last shed was 15th September so i guess he almost is..? week or so?

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Some more info would be good.Temps, pictures or description of enclosure?

Could be stress related. I would suggest not handling until he has had a feed. And stop changing his enclosure. Unfamiliar settings can really stress them out. I'm suprised he suggested to remove things as more hiding space normally makes them feel safer.

Are you sure the breeder was feeding on rats? Sometime the change over from mice to rats can be difficult. A few weeks certainly isn't much to worry about.

From the pictures you posted he looked very healthy so nothing to worry about him being 'smaller'.

I would probably cover up the front of the enclosure for a few days and leave it completely alone. Then put what ever food that the breeder was using in his enclosure overnight and recover. Hopefully it will be gone in the morning.

Overwise you might have to use other methods like braining, scenting, etc. But my bet is it is probably stress.

Just saw previous posts. It is really important to know temps and to have a good hotspot. If it is too cold they can't digest properly and will refuse food. You should leave at least 3days between trying to feed. Sounds like a combination of poor husbandry and stress

Pics of enclosure in my other thread. Also the breeder (actually a young lady) said to 'give him no choice so he has to eat it' if that makes sense

 

[RedFox]

I updated my post.

Are you heating the enclosure at the moment?

 

[ReptiBeck]

I updated my post.

Are you heating the enclosure at the moment?

Yes, heat light and heat mat on one end

I know i need to measure temps, have not had the chance to get a thermometer, getting one tomorrow and will measure then

 

[kitten_pheonix]

If he was only recently put onto Fuzzies by the breeder then he may have a growth spurt and be shedding again, but all in all don't stress too much, he's a healthy size and a great looking snake. Everyone has there own ways of doing things, what will work for one snake may not work for another.
(Dumb example my female stimmi will only take white mice, my male doesn't care) Top thing would be to get a duel probe thermometer (usually at pet shops in the reptile section) with a black and white probe so you can monitor multiple spots within the enclosure at the push of a button.
But try blocking 3 sides and letting him have a few quiet days, he should come good. I would stick to using paper towel/ butchers paper for the substrate, they cannot ingest is and after a few messes you will know why, I used aspen at the start and never again lol

 

[andynic07]

I know it is too late now but what I try to do is have my enclosure set up at least a week in advance and have it running with everything including water bowl in it and have a minimum/maximum thermometer recording the mins and maxs for a few days at the hot end and the cool end. Sometimes you will find that you may need to change things slightly.

 

[ReptiBeck]

If he was only recently put onto Fuzzies by the breeder then he may have a growth spurt and be shedding again, but all in all don't stress too much, he's a healthy size and a great looking snake. Everyone has there own ways of doing things, what will work for one snake may not work for another.
(Dumb example my female stimmi will only take white mice, my male doesn't care) Top thing would be to get a duel probe thermometer (usually at pet shops in the reptile section) with a black and white probe so you can monitor multiple spots within the enclosure at the push of a button.
But try blocking 3 sides and letting him have a few quiet days, he should come good. I would stick to using paper towel/ butchers paper for the substrate, they cannot ingest is and after a few messes you will know why, I used aspen at the start and never again lol

Thanks
How much are they? Mum's going to be annoyed if its expensive haha
Main reason i worry so much is he's only my second snake-my first was a furious eater!

Thats unusual yet cool about your Stimmi

 

[RedFox]

But you have thermostats to control your heat sources? Could possibly be in slough mode in which case still follow my previous advice. Covering up the enclosure should help with temps and humidity. Does he spend most his time at the hot or the cool end? This should tell you a fair bit about the temps in the enclosure. Also it is good to have two hides in an enclosure, one on the hot side and one on the cool.

 

[kitten_pheonix]

Thanks
How much are they? Mum's going to be annoyed if its expensive haha
Main reason i worry so much is he's only my second snake-my first was a furious eater!

Thats unusual yet cool about your Stimmi

Thanks, the duel ones are about $10 from memory but saves you trying to move probes etc to find out what's happening at the cold and hot ends.

I've had a couple with unique personalities, a bredli that hated men and iPhones, a really calm jungle and my partners BHP is too posh to strike and will eat once its on the roof of his hide doesn't constrict just opens his mouth and glides it on down, my male stimmi was the same as a baby I had to push the food against his nose for him to delicately open his mouth to place it in (he now strikes lol)

 

[ReptiBeck]

But you have thermostats to control your heat sources? Could possibly be in slough mode in which case still follow my previous advice. Covering up the enclosure should help with temps and humidity. Does he spend most hos tome at the hot or the cool end? This should tell you a fair bit about the temps in the enclosure. Also it is good to have two hides in an enclosure, one on the hot side and one on the cool.

He did but now only one because of what breeder said.
Doesn't look like he's in slough mode but maybe
Even amounts of time on each side, sometimes under the rock hide on heat mat, sometimes in his cave hide on cool side. At the moment he is just spreading out on the one stick thats in there and trying to get away from the rat
Getting thermo tomorrow, i think at my shop theres a joint thermostat and thermometer

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Thanks, the duel ones are about $10 from memory but saves you trying to move probes etc to find out what's happening at the cold and hot ends.

I've had a couple with unique personalities, a bredli that hated men and iPhones, a really calm jungle and my partners BHP is too posh to strike and will eat once its on the roof of his hide doesn't constrict just opens his mouth and glides it on down, my male stimmi was the same as a baby I had to push the food against his nose for him to delicately open his mouth to place it in (he now strikes lol)

haha, awesome!

 

[wildthings]

The little duo thermometers are only about 12-15 bucks depending where you buy them

 

[Gruni]

I won't be surprised if it's about to shed. My girl refuses food when she is in shed mode. I have used a glass enclosure very sucessfully but I do have it in a wall unit with three sides covered with aquarium film that looks like rocks. When I got my girl home the first week the front of the enclosure was curtained off to let her settle although not every snake needs that. Don't panic just yet. Get your thermometer check things over first, the 26th wasn't that long ago.

 

[andynic07]

Thanks
How much are they? Mum's going to be annoyed if its expensive haha
Main reason i worry so much is he's only my second snake-my first was a furious eater!

Thats unusual yet cool about your Stimmi

I would explain it like this to your mum, she has spent $800 on a snake and I she does not want to spend a couple of hundred dollars on the right equipment it may not survive.I thought that this being your second snake you would have been a little more prepared. Do you still have your other snake and how long did you have it for?

 

[ReptiBeck]

I won't be surprised if it's about to shed. My girl refuses food when she is in shed mode. I have used a glass enclosure very sucessfully but I do have it in a wall unit with three sides covered with aquarium film that looks like rocks. When I got my girl home the first week the front of the enclosure was curtained off to let her settle although not every snake needs that. Don't panic just yet. Get your thermometer check things over first, the 26th wasn't that long ago.

Thankyou for that, thats the sort of comment i need to calm me down haha... stupid anxiety!

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I would explain it like this to your mum, she has spent $800 on a snake and I she does not want to spend a couple of hundred dollars on the right equipment it may not survive.I thought that this being your second snake you would have been a little more prepared. Do you still have your other snake and how long did you have it for?

Yeah i know, she knows and will pay but will be annoyed haha
No i don't, had her for around 3 months (before i knew about the 6 month rule..oops!) and no issues other that a bad shed that i fixed easily

 

[andynic07]

Thankyou for that, thats the sort of comment i need to calm me down haha... stupid anxiety!

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Yeah i know, she knows and will pay but will be annoyed haha
No i don't, had her for around 3 months (before i knew about the 6 month rule..oops!) and no issues other that a bad shed that i fixed easily

Well as said before don't panic, they can go a long time without food but you really do need to get a few things fixed up.