Just won't feed!

[speciespython]

Hey guys,
It's been a long time since I have been on this forum, but i know it's the place to come for help!

My trouble is with my (approx) 6 year old male coastal carpet, Henry. I bought him in August just over two years ago through a friend of mine, who was looking after him for another woman until he could be sold (apparently she couldn't afford to feed him any more). I'm not sure what kind of condition the owner had kept him in, but when i got him he was quite thin, and had a nasty scratch across him back, which looked old, but was still open. The friend who was looking after him said that for the 3 weeks they had had him, he had not fed, but I was not concerned.

After 3 weeks at home we managed to get him to eat a weanling rat. He ate one weanling every weekend for about 3 weekends, but stopped again after that. We tried him on different sized rats and mice but no go.

In February of the next year we had to move home from QLD to NSW. When we left he still hadn't eaten. By August that year we still hadn't gotten him to eat (we had tried rats, mice, ducklings and chicks), and we took him to the local vet. Whilst he wasn't a specialist, he did have a small amount of knowledge, and said that there was no obvious reasons that he shouldn't be eating, and that we should try force feeding him. We were able to force feed him a pinky surprisingly easy, and the next weekend he ate a sub adult rat. He ate again for 3 times (fortnightly), but stopped again.

The next January (the start of this year), we moved back to QLD, and he still didn't eat until in August we decided to force feed him again, which worked again, and he ate a few rats over a month. He then stopped eating rats, so i tried mice, which he ate 2 of the first fortnight, 1 the next fortnight, and hasn't eaten again since (its been about 6 weeks now).

I tried feeding him a quail today, but he's just not interested. I have 2 Bredlis in the same room, at the same temperature who are eating very well (more if they could!). I have kept him at above 20oC for the whole time. The first winter I didn't cool him down at all, and this winter i only cooled him down a little. One side of his enclosure has a heat mat and a UV light, but he prefers the cool end (in his handbag).

He is a very good handler, and whilst he is not very active, when i do have had him out, he has been very happy to go exploring.
When he eats, he does not to seem to be in any pain, and it comes out of the other end fine.
I really can't think of any reason that he would stop eating when he has been, and I really don't like the idea of having to force feed him every time he stops eating!

The only other trouble we've had with him is his inability to shed very well by himself (about 75% of the time we've had to bathe him in warm water and pull it off for him!).

If you guys have any suggestions as to the reason why he would stop, or to entice him to eat with out forcing him, I would be very appreciative!

Thank you,
Laura.

 

[MissVampz]

Were the other 2 snakes with you when you were doing all that moving around? I'd say temperature/climate difference and stress of moving but couldn't say for certain sure...

 

[pythons73]

IMO i would say, up the temperature,above 20c you say,i would make it around 30-32c,I have noticed with older snakes they dont generally like to eat a great deal,have to remember they are already grown and only need enough food to survive,i had a 7-8year coastal that would only eat 4-6times a year,but he was a solid snake all year round..Force feeding a adult can do more harm then good IMO,force feeding it a pinkie wouldve been a waste of time.One thing i generally do when ever any of the snakes are about to shed,i place the water bowl closer to the heat and that increases the humidity,i havent had a bad shed so far..lol..As the weather is warming up around here(besides all the rain) and the temperature is increasing keep trying every week-fortnight,with little disturbance..6weeks is nothing to worry about,adults go without food for 6-8-10months,without any ill effect..Hope all comes good..

 

[J-A-X]

He should have a basking area of around 32 - 35c, the 'above 20c' that you are keeping him at are too cold IMO, and he knows he will not be able to digest,
If he is 'always at the cool end' then maybe you should think about putting a choice of hiding spots in there, you haven't mentioned any other hides, If your Bredli are kept at the same temp then i'm surprised they are eating,

maybe you could post a pic of your setup so we have a clearer pic of whats going on, It might also be worth a trip to the vet to make sure there is nothing sinister going on

 

[speciespython]

Sorry, i meant 'above 20oC' as in i hadn't cooled him during the year. He sit about 26-30 during the day. (humidity is same as outside, and i have a coastal carpet in the roof)
I went on the chat the other night and pretty much everyone said the same thing with him not eating very much, although the main reason i was concerned was that i had never gotten him to feed for longer then 3 feeds in a row, and when he did eat he was ravenous. The other 2 snakes were moved an equal amount, as i only got them last year.
Another question that came up was asking if he had lost weight. I haven't noticed any weight loss, but to be honest he seemed to have very little on him when i got him, and he certainly hasn't put any on. Is there any real way to tell if a snake is to thin? Maybe a rough guess at how much he should weight for his length?

 

[J-A-X]

Humidity in Qld shouldn't be an issue, but i'd still up the temp a bit more, it might tempt him to eat, as far as an underweight snake is concerned, if you can easily see his spine then he is too thin. and comparing it to the coastal in the roof is silly, your roof is probably about 15-20c hotter than your house......

if you think he is thin then find a vet and take a fecal sample with you .....

 

[speciespython]

lol, i just meant humidity wise not temp, just saying that he's in his nature humidity range. Also, would there be a good site/page for a list of reptile vets in qld? that would be awesome

thanks for the replies

 

[J-A-X]

here is the list from the APS Wiki members from Qld may be able to comment on their experience with their vets,

Reptile Vets - Aussie Pythons & Snakes

 

[solar 17]

one of 3 is my bet or maybe even a combo [1 or more] 1st/temps 33/34--24...2nd/mouth infection...3rd/r.i.
solar 17 [Baden]