Need Help feeding my stimsons python

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CarlosTheSnake

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Location
Orange, NSW
I have a Stimsons python who's about 6 months old. He is refusing the pinkies I am offering him so he hasn't eaten in about 6 weeks. Any help or advice appreciated
 
I have a Stimsons python who's about 6 months old. He is refusing the pinkies I am offering him so he hasn't eaten in about 6 weeks. Any help or advice appreciated
Not quite enough info to go on. Just a few questions...
What size is the enclosure?
What are his temps?
How often are you feeding him?
 
the enclosure is a clip on container: about 35cm x 20cm and 15cm high.
warm end is about 30 celcius (from a thermostat) and cool end about 25. I try to feed him each week but no luck.
 
The temperature of the prey item offered is important to me. I like the feed to be close to 38 c.

It's getting colder where I live, is the enclosure still warm enough? I just upped wattage on one or two bulbs last week for winter.

Show us a pic of your set-up?
 
The temperature of the prey item offered is important to me. I like the feed to be close to 38 c.

It's getting colder where I live, is the enclosure still warm enough? I just upped wattage on one or two bulbs last week for winter.

Show us a pic of your set-up?
image.jpg
 
the enclosure is a clip on container: about 35cm x 20cm and 15cm high.
warm end is about 30 celcius (from a thermostat) and cool end about 25. I try to feed him each week but no luck.
I would have the warm spot sitting around 32-34. Where coming into winter so you'll want to be watching those temps.
If you don't notice a change in his feeding after you boost the temps, then try leaving the rat in the enclosure overnight (if that's not what your already doing)
Or you could try scenting the rat with quail. Also like Harpo mentioned, it's a good idea to have the temperature of the rat mid to high 30's to stimulate a live rats body temperature.

Hope this helps.

Cheers,
Josiah.
 
Don't panic!

Things to try!:
- Getting his enclosure the right temps - as mentioned above
- gently warming his food to 38C, as mentioned. I do this by putting the mouse in a thick plastic tupperware container and into a bowl of warm water - like you would a baby bottle.
- stabbing the mouse head, feeding with tongs, holding the bloody offering nose-to-nose with your snake. Hold it still until he strikes.
- offering at night time, cover the cage to give privacy

Else
- is he coming up to a shed?
- he also could just be skipping a meal or two. They do that to keep us owners on our toes! (Not. They just don't think like we do)

Heaps of info in the stickies!
 
I don't like those analogue dials. I use digital ones from fleabay, Buy many, they're cheap, I get 4 packs at a time.

I see condensation on your tub, it is probably a bit too humid if it's often like that. I like ambient/lower humidity, but I use a"humid hide" (sphagnum moss) to offer a cooler moist dark place, which they barely use tbh.

Do you have an IR temp. gun? It's the most used bit of kit I own. I think if you can dial in temp and humidity it should eat.

Depending on your thermostat probe placement - 30c. is probably a tad cool at the thermostat. Some of my stats run at 35- 38c. to get 32-33 in enclosure.
 
1. Gorgeous little noodle you have there! Looks nice and healthy.
2. Is that a thermometer or a hydrometer you have in there? cause it's reading pretty high. That sort of humidity combined with those low temps can be dangerous for a juvenile snake. Like Harpo said, try and lower the humidity so it's sitting around 30%-40%. And boost those temps as well.
3. As mentioned above, get a separate thermometer. Never trust the thermostat readings as they can be completely unreliable. An IR heat gun is the best thermometer to use in my experience.
4. That's it. Feel free to ask if you have any more questions.
 
he
Don't panic!

Things to try!:
- Getting his enclosure the right temps - as mentioned above
- gently warming his food to 38C, as mentioned. I do this by putting the mouse in a thick plastic tupperware container and into a bowl of warm water - like you would a baby bottle.
- stabbing the mouse head, feeding with tongs, holding the bloody offering nose-to-nose with your snake. Hold it still until he strikes.
- offering at night time, cover the cage to give privacy

Else
- is he coming up to a shed?
- he also could just be skipping a meal or two. They do that to keep us owners on our toes! (Not. They just don't think like we do)

Heaps of info in the stickies!
he/she shed about a week ago. (unsexed)

1. Gorgeous little noodle you have there! Looks nice and healthy.
2. Is that a thermometer or a hydrometer you have in there? cause it's reading pretty high. That sort of humidity combined with those low temps can be dangerous for a juvenile snake. Like Harpo said, try and lower the humidity so it's sitting around 30%-40%. And boost those temps as well.
3. As mentioned above, get a separate thermometer. Never trust the thermostat readings as they can be completely unreliable. An IR heat gun is the best thermometer to use in my experience.
4. That's it. Feel free to ask if you have any more questions.
That’s a hygrometer. sitting at about 70%
 
HI Carlos.

For starters your little snake looks to be in good health and 6 weeks without a feed is nothing to worry about with a young snake unless they appear to be undernourished.

Feeding issues with young snakes almost (if not) always relates to the snake not getting enough warmth to reach its desired optimum body temperature of between 28 & 30 deg C. So, as already suggested, it would probably be a good idea to set the thermostat to a couple of degrees higher to ensure that the the heat mat provides enough heat for the little snake to accomplish this. Remember to only cover no more than half to a third of the heat mat with the click clack length wise so the snake can move away to thermoregulate at a cool end once it has warmed up.

The temperature of the food item should not be an issue if the snake is able to reach its optimal body temperature and hungry. Remember that, as in the wild, all captive snakes maintain their primal instinct and like all nocturnal and semi nocturnal species young pythons will actively search out sleeping lizards and frogs under rock or logs, in crevices, tree hollows etc of a night using their other senses when the food item is at its lowest body temperature. Nor should the time of day be an issue either as all snakes are opportunistic feeders and even snakes like pythons that are generally active at night will take a meal at anytime of the day or night if they are hungry and a prey item is presented to them.

Just looking at your set up can I suggest that you decrease the size of the water bowl to at least half that size and place it at the cool end of the enclosure as this will assist with lowering the humidity and minimize, if not delete the excess condensation that is obvious on the sides of the enclosure. I find that having vent holes at the top of the side of the click clack or even in the lid allows excess moisture to escape easier than just having the vents on the sides. As pointed out above excess moisture and cool temperatures can lead to disastrous situations regarding the health of not just young snakes but for snakes at any age.

They will also go off their food if they feel insecure. So I'd also suggest making sure the enclosure is situated in a low traffic area of the house and getting rid of that leggo hide and get something similar to the fake rock one you have and place one at either end of the enclosure so the snake can have somewhere to hide away and feel secure when it feels like warming up, cooling down or just resting. FYI these small pythons like to squeeze into hides to make them feel safe and secure so maybe it might be worth considering removing both these hides and swap them over for something like half squashed toilet roles. They may not be that aesthetic but the welfare of the snake should be the main concern rather than what the inside of the enclosure look like,

The only other thing I'd suggest is to just leave it alone for a couple of weeks and not even bother to try and feed it. Snakes are geared to survive and will not deliberately starve themselves to death provided all their husbandry requirements are met and quite often they will let the keeper know that they are hungry by actively searching throughout their enclosure and even at times taking up an ambush position on a perch or atop a hide.

I hope this helps and things go well for both you and your little critter.

George.
 
Last edited:
HI Carlos.

For starters your little snake looks to be in good health and 6 weeks without a feed is nothing to worry about with a young snake unless they appear to be undernourished.

Feeding issues with young snakes almost (if not) always relates to the snake not getting enough warmth to reach its desired optimum body temperature of between 28 & 30 deg C. So, as already suggested, it would probably be a good idea to set the thermostat to a couple of degrees higher to ensure that the the heat mat provides enough heat for the little snake to accomplish this. Remember to only cover no more than half to a third of the heat mat with the click clack length wise so the snake can move away to thermoregulate at a cool end once it has warmed up.

The temperature of the food item should not be an issue if the snake is able to reach its optimal body temperature and hungry. Remember that, as in the wild, all captive snakes maintain their primal instinct and like all nocturnal and semi nocturnal species young pythons will actively search out sleeping lizards and frogs under rock or logs, in crevices, tree hollows etc of a night using their other senses when the food item is at its lowest body temperature. Nor should the time of day be an issue either as all snakes are opportunistic feeders and even snakes like pythons that are generally active at night will take a meal at anytime of the day or night if they are hungry and a prey item is presented to them.

Just looking at your set up can I suggest that you decrease the size of the water bowl to at least half that size and place it at the cool end of the enclosure as this will assist with lowering the humidity and minimize, if not delete the excess condensation that is obvious on the sides of the enclosure. I find that having vent holes at the top of the side of the click clack or even in the lid allows excess moisture to escape easier than just having the vents on the sides. As pointed out above excess moisture and cool temperatures can lead to disastrous situations regarding the health of not just young snakes but for snakes at any age.

They will also go off their food if they feel insecure. So I'd also suggest making sure the enclosure is situated in a low traffic area of the house and getting rid of that leggo hide and get something similar to the fake rock one you have and place one at either end of the enclosure so the snake can have somewhere to hide away and feel secure when it feels like warming up, cooling down or just resting. FYI these small pythons like to squeeze into hides to make them feel safe and secure so maybe it might be worth considering removing both these hides and swap them over for something like half squashed toilet roles. They may not be that aesthetic but the welfare of the snake should be the main concern rather than what the inside of the enclosure look like,

The only other thing I'd suggest is to just leave it alone for a couple of weeks and not even bother to try and feed it. Snakes are geared to survive and will not deliberately starve themselves to death provided all their husbandry requirements are met and quite often they will let the keeper know that they are hungry by actively searching throughout their enclosure and even at times taking up an ambush position on a perch or atop a hide.

I hope this helps and things go well for both you and your little critter.

George.
image.jpg
does this look any better?
 
I have a Stimsons python who's about 6 months old. He is refusing the pinkies I am offering him so he hasn't eaten in about 6 weeks. Any help or advice appreciated
Hello mate, new here myself, but last time I saw a problem like this, I suggested the following;

Post in thread '3 mth coastal can't swallow food HELP!' https://www.aussiepythons.com/forum/threads/3-mth-coastal-cant-swallow-food-help.227834/post-2540534

And of course try any available recent advice from those more experienced than me

Good tidings
[automerge]1620824279[/automerge]
Hello mate, new here myself, but last time I saw a problem like this, I suggested the following;

Post in thread '3 mth coastal can't swallow food HELP!' https://www.aussiepythons.com/forum/threads/3-mth-coastal-cant-swallow-food-help.227834/post-2540534

And of course try any available recent advice from those more experienced than me

Good tidings
You have a different species to some of the advice linked but there are a few commonalities with feeding issues; most of which will be addressed in the forums linked OR by other helpful friends in this post. I hope you get a result! And if your python is holding weight it's not actually an issue, from what I have been told. Trawl the forums and see what the breeders (for your species) have said in the past.

Cheers
 
HI Carlos.

For starters your little snake looks to be in good health and 6 weeks without a feed is nothing to worry about with a young snake unless they appear to be undernourished.

Feeding issues with young snakes almost (if not) always relates to the snake not getting enough warmth to reach its desired optimum body temperature of between 28 & 30 deg C. So, as already suggested, it would probably be a good idea to set the thermostat to a couple of degrees higher to ensure that the the heat mat provides enough heat for the little snake to accomplish this. Remember to only cover no more than half to a third of the heat mat with the click clack length wise so the snake can move away to thermoregulate at a cool end once it has warmed up.

The temperature of the food item should not be an issue if the snake is able to reach its optimal body temperature and hungry. Remember that, as in the wild, all captive snakes maintain their primal instinct and like all nocturnal and semi nocturnal species young pythons will actively search out sleeping lizards and frogs under rock or logs, in crevices, tree hollows etc of a night using their other senses when the food item is at its lowest body temperature. Nor should the time of day be an issue either as all snakes are opportunistic feeders and even snakes like pythons that are generally active at night will take a meal at anytime of the day or night if they are hungry and a prey item is presented to them.

Just looking at your set up can I suggest that you decrease the size of the water bowl to at least half that size and place it at the cool end of the enclosure as this will assist with lowering the humidity and minimize, if not delete the excess condensation that is obvious on the sides of the enclosure. I find that having vent holes at the top of the side of the click clack or even in the lid allows excess moisture to escape easier than just having the vents on the sides. As pointed out above excess moisture and cool temperatures can lead to disastrous situations regarding the health of not just young snakes but for snakes at any age.

They will also go off their food if they feel insecure. So I'd also suggest making sure the enclosure is situated in a low traffic area of the house and getting rid of that leggo hide and get something similar to the fake rock one you have and place one at either end of the enclosure so the snake can have somewhere to hide away and feel secure when it feels like warming up, cooling down or just resting. FYI these small pythons like to squeeze into hides to make them feel safe and secure so maybe it might be worth considering removing both these hides and swap them over for something like half squashed toilet roles. They may not be that aesthetic but the welfare of the snake should be the main concern rather than what the inside of the enclosure look like,

The only other thing I'd suggest is to just leave it alone for a couple of weeks and not even bother to try and feed it. Snakes are geared to survive and will not deliberately starve themselves to death provided all their husbandry requirements are met and quite often they will let the keeper know that they are hungry by actively searching throughout their enclosure and even at times taking up an ambush position on a perch or atop a hide.

I hope this helps and things go well for both you and your little critter.

George.
update: i had a breeder (same person I got the snake off) his name is Steve adn he owns the DoLittle farm where a lot of people buy their snakes food. He brough along a live pinky and carlos took that straight away, so he finally ate!
 
update: i had a breeder (same person I got the snake off) his name is Steve adn he owns the DoLittle farm where a lot of people buy their snakes food. He brough along a live pinky and carlos took that straight away, so he finally ate!
Great news! I use Dolittle farm mice as well.
 

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