Stimson will not eat

[I_am_lagan]

Hey guys.

I've had a 6 month Stimson python for about 3 weeks and he hasn't eaten yet.
The pet store sold me a terrible all glass enclosure that fails to keep the heat in sufficiently. I was a told a 75watt ceramic heat emitter would be sufficient however it only reached about 23 degrees. I ended up getting a 100watt ceramic heat emitter, which sometimes reaches up to 30 but due to the cold weather is still sitting at around 27-29. I'm currently waiting for a new wooden enclosure to be built..

Anyway, I'm going to try and feed him again tomorrow, if he doesn't eat, should i be worried?

Thanks in advanced.

Nathan.

 

[Ausreptiles101]

Well firstly, not having a go, but you should have been properly set up with an enclosure and temps at least a week before purchasing the snake...

Now to answer your question, do you have any feeding record or any idea when it was last fed by the pet shop? It is also winter so pythons go off there food, so 3 weeks for a 6 month isn't too bad, but if it is more it could be a problem.

My stimson has been off her food for about 2.5 months now but she is nearing 2 years and never misses a feed in the other months. If you can you should also try to bump up the temps to around 33 at the hot spot.

If he doesn't feed for you tomorrow id just leave him alone for a few days, no handling e.t.c and try braining the mouse. Also what size mice/rats are you feeding him?

Also how large is the snake and the enclosure? My stimson was in a click clack until she was around 12 months old.

Thats all i have to offer but im sure someone with more experience than me will be able to offer some advice.

 

[user 30368]

I don't think any python would eat with those cold temps. You need to get a temp of 32 degrees. My stimi likes 35 degrees. My advice is to get a wooden viv. You're just wasting electricity trying to heat a glass tank. BUT - if you put down a heat mat or a heat cord with a hide on top, the glass viv can still be used and the snake can get those 32 degrees that it needs to digest food.

 

[Lawra]

I don't think any python would eat with those cold temps. You need to get a temp of 32 degrees. My stimi likes 35 degrees. My advice is to get a wooden viv. You're just wasting electricity trying to heat a glass tank. BUT - if you put down a heat mat or a heat cord with a hide on top, the glass viv can still be used and the snake can get those 32 degrees that it needs to digest food.

+1 a heat mat is inexpensive and works a charm

 

[user 30368]

I used to use heat lamps, but for the price of running one lamp, you can run 4 heat cords. I have a huge BHP and she has a 25 watt heat cord. She cooks herself all day on a toasty 35 degrees

 

[I_am_lagan]

Hey Ausreptiles101,

Yeah i feel pretty noob for taking the petstores advice, so many things they have told me i have found to be not correct.
It was fed on a sunday about 2.5 weeks ago, I've been trying to feed it every sunday since then.
I might buy a higher wattage heater until then.
I stopped handling him a while ago to try and get him to eat.
Im trying to feed him pinky mice atm
What do you mean by braining the mouse?
And yeah the snake enclosure is probably to big, 600HX600LX400W

Hey StimiLove
Yeah im getting a wooden enclosure built atm, just waiting for it to be complete
I have a little heat 5 watt for it, the lady at the pet store told me to put it under the glass, but it did nothing, so atm the heat matt is under the cage bedding with a scrunched up newspaper ball he can hide in sitting on top of it

 

[borntobnude]

Black contact is a very cheap quick fix , stick it all around the tank apart from the front get some alfoil for the top if its mesh and cut or fold it around the heat source . Don't feed the snake until you have a warm environment as the digestive process works better when you have a warm happy snake . our 4yr old male stimy has ben off his food for 3 1/2 months now but as yours is a little fella he needs to eat . So get it warmed up and try again

 

[Ausreptiles101]

Okay, well in the meantime while your wooden enclosure is being built i would advise setting up a click clack enclosure. Here is a good thread on how to build one http://www.aussiepythons.com/forum/noteworthy-threads-5397/guide-build-click-clack-dial-93266/.
As the others have mentioned getting a heat mat will be essential as it is the best way to heat a click clack. A 7w reptile one heat matt should be sufficient to achieve a nice hot spot but i would still run it on a thermostat.

Feeding a 6 month old Stimson pinky mice seems like its being underfed to me. Appropriate sized food should have roughly the same size head as the snake and should be no thicker than the thickest part of the snake. Also you could weigh your snake and then aim for around 20-25% of its body weight for the mouse. Braining is where you insert a needle or something similar into the head of the mouse to draw blood and it helps scent the mouse.

What i think you should do is firstly get a click clack up and running with a hot spot of around 33. Then once this is achieved wait 2-3 days so he can settle then try and feed him a mouse, if that doesnt work you could try braining and trying again the same or following day.

 

[Pitttownboy]

Just get some styrofoam and put it on three sides of tank

 

[mikey_mike]

Just get some styrofoam and put it on three sides of tank

Use a blanky untill you find the styrofoam.

 

[The_Geeza]

Black contact is a very cheap quick fix , stick it all around the tank apart from the front get some alfoil for the top if its mesh and cut or fold it around the heat source . Don't feed the snake until you have a warm environment as the digestive process works better when you have a warm happy snake . our 4yr old male stimy has ben off his food for 3 1/2 months now but as yours is a little fella he needs to eat . So get it warmed up and try again

3 1/2 months... U r lucky lol