# HELP!!! Western Carpet Python Problem



## peechykeenn (Feb 22, 2008)

Hi 

I have a 12month old Western Carpet Python that I am having trouble feeding.

She is housed in a 4 ft tank with temp around 30ish up one end and 26ish down the other. Has 3 hiding places and a log to sit up on. The tank is not in a high traffic area and she is played with by my kids (14yrsl) twice a week more to take her outside and roam in the grass and get natural light. We put paper on the floor of the tank and it is cleaned out once a week. She has plenty of water and has 2 vents unevenly placed in the tank. It is wood all round except for the front which is glass. 

When feeding she strikes in every direction even at the food but will not take it. Once she knows it is there I leave it in the tank and turn off all the lights and cover her over for 48 hrs and she still will not take it. She will not feed on mice but takes 3 -4 fuzzies when she does feed. Her last feed was end Jan and she only ate 1 fuzzy.

She has become increasingly moody since she sloughed start Jan and hasnt been 'happy' or easy to feed since.

Any suggestions would be fantastic


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## Stewydead (Feb 22, 2008)

are you feeding her fuzzy mice or rats?


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## peechykeenn (Feb 22, 2008)

I am feeding her fuzzy mice


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## Stewydead (Feb 22, 2008)

have you tried rats? ive had some fussy feeder, its hard to find out what they like and how they like it


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## peechykeenn (Feb 22, 2008)

as I live in a limited town I havent been able to get my hands on any rats, but after chatting on the phone I have a reptile man that is going to have a look at her. So I will let you know what happens. He seems to think that she might have not shed around her eyes properly and having trouble finding her food, but we will see.


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## peechykeenn (Feb 22, 2008)

taken my snake to the reptile man here where I live and he was highly helpful, she fed today for the first time is ages on fresh mice but will not feed on frozen ones so i guess i am now going to breed mice to keep my princess snake happy! Thanks Stewdead for taking an interest


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## DarthVader (May 12, 2008)

*same problem*

Hi,
i recently required a southwestern carpet python and i have been having the same dumb problem. Every time i offer food (no matter what the conditions) my snake just wont eat. i dont know if he might be starting a shed cycle or if he is just not hungry or worse. All i know is that his colour as been very dull latley (about 3 weeks now) but his eyes have still not turned opaque. I dont know if you might bee able to help me on this problem. Cheers


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## Kenshin (May 13, 2008)

Darth how old is your carpet mine have gone off theyre food right now due to the cold temp drop here in perth..... having said that i own an adult male carpet that is a real fussy eater and will eat ither a big rat (rare but so good when he does) or 1-2 mice once in a blue moon

i also have an adult female whome i cannot switch to rats which is really annoying as she eats 4-5 mice in a sitting

another adult female i just aquired has not fed for me yet and is a little on the skinny side shes only interested in nailing mice n rats out of aggression and not eating them

my last adult male is awsum he eats anything i put in front of him but as of late has gone off rats again 

i have another adult female comming and i have yet to confirm if shes eating yet but should be on mice by the time i pick her up

all of the pythons mentioned are 5-6ft long


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## hawkesbury reptiles (May 13, 2008)

Hi there
How long have you had it? if its the one in the avatar then I would try downsizing your 4ft tank to something half the size maybe. Sometimes reducing the hide box size and /or the enclosure size makes them feel a lot safer.They love squishing into a box they can hardly fit into!

Also, during the cooler months you may have to turn up your temps to heat the same size area.
Good luck


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