It's Spring. Yet still feeds erratically?

[cazzamon]

Hey again everyone, sorry for one of those "MY SNAKE ISN'T EATING" posts but I was wondering if anyone could give me their opinions on what actually happens during this time of the year?

My 5 y.o carpet python has recently 'woken up' from her winter state - despite giving her proper heating she automatically went into cooling herself so there was nothing I could do about that.

After a few weeks of crazy pacing high traffic activity towards the end of August, I managed to catch her resting for a bit. So I gave her a large rat. Gobbled it up! Finally! That was three weeks ago.

Since then she has not shown any interest in more food - what's happening here? Is she still looking for a male and so is not interested in anything else? Do older carpets just eat less? Normally she would take down a rat every two weeks with no problems.

I'm not really worried because I know she will eventually eat when she is hungry but for now, I am having trouble reading her signals and just wanted to know if there was something else I keep in mind next feeding time (like age/breeding instincts?). Maybe feed her once a month from now on? Or smaller feeds more frequently?

Thanks in advance!

Caz.

 

[wildthings]

As you said, not to worry, as far as I understand it, their metabolism slows down during winter cooling periods, so she'll still be adjusting, she won't be overly hungry yet, what kinda carpet python? it does depend a little what kind of python to how often and what you feed

 

[cazzamon]

This time last year she was very ferocious with her eating and never refused a feed unless in shed. I bought her from gumtree. The previous owners weren't givng her enough heat and it seemed her food items were smaller back then (small to medium rats). That was about 16 months ago. Now I feed her large to x-large rats.

As for breed... I wasn't really given an accurate description! But looking at a hundred photos I've decided she is either an Atherton Jungle or a Coastal - the varying patterns between the two are just too confusing. She's 2m long.

No biggie! Just annoying cos I've wasted so much money already

 

[Tristan.C]

Wasted?

 

[cazzamon]

I think I may have spent about $100 on rats that were never eaten in the past four months.

 

[wildthings]

Head pattern is one way of discerning which she is. I don't feed mine on a strict regimen, They're all varying in age, all Jungles, but from three different localities. My oldest (6 nearly 7)bloke eats about every 21 days depending of timing of sheds and cooling periods etc, he will perch on the lowest branch in his house and watch the floor, this tells me he's thinking about hunting and he is very much a creature of habit, he is either basking under the heat or in his cool cave, he only bothers to get up on the perches when he wants out or food.. I offer two large rats per feed all year round if he's not cooling, and I don't bother to offer until he gets up on his perches..I only had one coastal in my care, he had been sick when I got him, but once eating he was a machine, fortunately he was a wild snake so once he was all good I was able to release him, which was lucky coz he was gonna eat me out of rats lol..

- - - Updated - - -

I think I may have spent about $100 on rats that were never eaten in the past four months.

Buy frozen rats

- - - Updated - - -

Ohh right you probably did,,thawed and not eaten :/

 

[Trimeresurus]

Head pattern is not an accurate way of distinguishing between subspecies.

 

[Pythoninfinite]

I think I may have spent about $100 on rats that were never eaten in the past four months.

Then why do you keep trying during that time of the year? - it's an adult snake (probably a male if it was pacing recently and has no appetite) and is biologically cued not to eat for 4-5 months in winter. Don't bother offering food between April-May and Sept-Oct, it's normal for them not to be interested.

Jamie

 

[wildthings]

Head pattern is not an accurate way of distinguishing between subspecies.

No that's true, particularly with all the new patterns and cross breeding that happens, but you can get some idea..and I always thought coastals look chunkier in the head ?
and for the op, I only feed my pythons at night, not sure if that makes much difference tho and I always make sure the food item is at 38 degrees too

 

[Paintbrushturkey]

A 5 yo carpet in decent conditon can probably go for a year without a feed, quit panicking... they will feed eventually, if they don't and stat loosing condition you probably have a more serious underlying condition you probably should see a vet anyways....

 

[Tristan.C]

Woah... So, what, do you pull a rat out and when it doesnt eat it throw it out and then try the following week? It will be fine, just leave it for the moment, if you still want to try and feed it, try once a month... its an adult python, it can months without food without and significant weight lose. If she still doenst eat and you get more concerned, take it to a vet... But she should show signs, like more active and bitiessss Good Luck anyways

 

[cazzamon]

Hey y'all. She's feeding great now - and I found a place in Sydney (NOT Petbarn!) That has cheaper and larger rats to buy so hopefully I can save a bit of cash by offering her larger prey with longer waiting periods.

Although she does have some dumb moments - if the rat is not active and wriggling she will not take it. I wish I could just leave it in the cage and walk away. Sometimes when she does take it, she'll start to swallow it from weird angles and then drops it (and then just lies on top of it later), not realising it's food. So annoying.

Anyways, this was the first time I ever experienced having a snake go into brumation/hibernation so I'll know what to do next winter. Nothing

 

[Pythoninfinite]

If you haven't confirmed the sex, I'd still be inclined to rule out the possibility that it's a male - the behaviour seems very consistent with seasonal male behaviour.

And they don't usually start out ravenous at the end of brumation, it takes a while for their metabolism to crank up, hence the feed then no interest in food. If it takes the rat then drops it and has no interest, it's not hungry. You should not offer food during the weeks the animal is pacing the cage - they are very unlikely to eat it at that time. You need to wait for a few weeks until the pacing stops and the snake starts to adopt the ambush pose at night - it will then be ready to resume feeding. This may not happen for a couple of months, but it is of no concern to the snake.

Jamie

 

[cazzamon]

Thanks. Was told by previous owner that it was a female but never had it sexed personally, may have to do that one day... Newt can also be a boy's name I guess!