Jungle Eating Disorder or Normal?????

[Tazz7774]

Hi all, We have recently brought a Jungle Python bred in captivity. She is our 4th snake and we are still learning. We have had no problems feeding our other pythons, but this jungle just won't eat. When we got her we were told she wasn't a good eater and the previous owner said he hasn't been able to get her to a substantial condition to breed yet. We were told she hasn't been fed since April and that was one mouse and it was months prior to that she had her last feed. We try every week and have tried everything but she just won't eat. The previous owner used to put all his snakes in tubs to feed. That doesn't work. we have tried tempting her with a dead mouse (defrosted and room temp) being dangled near her, we have tried a baby chicken, we have tried just leaving the mouse in there for her to feed at her leisure and today i almost got her to feed playing a game where i scaped the tongs and she was attracted to the noise then made the mouse look like it was trying to escape. She went on the attack and went right up to the mouse but it was almost like she was screwing her face up at it when she discovered what it was (not literally of course). In a last ditch attempt, as this is the first time she has actually shown any interest in food at all i thought i would just leave the mouse in the cage and watch from a distance thinking I might be putting her off. I saw her rear up and open her mouth ready to eat but then she closed her mouth and slithered away without taking a second look at the mouse. I have been surfing the net and there seems to be a few people that have issues with jungles not eating but not for this long .... it has been over 5 months now. I like to believe that an animal will eat when it is hungry but now i am not so sure. Another breeder has suggested force feeding but I am not real keen on that. Just want to make sure we are doing everything we can for her. Any advise would be greatly appreciated ...

 

[shellfisch]

Have a read through the threads below, there may be some hints or other things to try in amongst them


Atherton python hasnt eaten for months

My atherton has eaten for the first time in 7 months !!! Yayyyyyyyy !!!!!!!!

Help! My Python wont eat

Help my new jungle hasnt eaten in about 6weeks


Diamond eating trouble

 

[GrahMand]

hi i have a 7 month old female jungle (Shai) and she hasnt eaten in 4 months, i have tried everything u have to no avail ..... as long as she isnt dehydrating she should be ok

 

[sara_sabian]

You say the feed was room temperature, try it a bit warmer. You can also try quail, not many jungles will refuse a quail.

 

[pythrulz]

Hey Tazz best not to eat a non feeder that said its very frustrating try a mouse of appropiate size try rubbing the mouse slovly and gently along the snakes body to entice it requires patients I had 2 coastals disnt eat for 2 months thats how i got them to eat good luck

 

[JAS101]

i had a jungle that wouldnt eat , i ended up geting it to feed on a fresh killed mouse . ever since then i have just gave it fresh killed rats and mice .