Spotted python not eating

[redelapid]

hi, everyone my 6 month old spotted python hasn't been eating for about 3 months now and it has only eaten once in the time i have been caring for it which was about 4 months ago. It is about 23 degrees during the day and max 29 degrees in the late afternoon (which is when she comes out for a short period of time but the rest of the day she is under a rock as if shes gone back to hibernation. I also wanted to know whether its unhealthy for it not to eat anything for 3 months as this is its first winter.

Thanks for any help, Aaron.

 

[solar 17]

"NOT HOT ENOUGH"...29C IS A GOOD WAY TO RUN INTO HEALTH AND (NON EATING) PROBLEMS AS HAS BEEN SAID ON THIS SITE MANY TIMES......solar 17

 

[SteveNT]

My Darwin hasn't eaten for 3 months but she's active and hasn't lost any condition, she's just not hungry. She still gets the option but says no. We just broke the record for the most consecutive days under 20o (minimum!) Ha ha maybe she's cold?

Dont worry too much. It's still winter. (for some) :lol:

 

[snakebag]

"my 6 month old spotted python hasn't been eating for about 3 months now and it has only eaten once in the time i have been caring for it which was about 4 months ago."

?

 

[beeman]

"NOT HOT ENOUGH"...29C IS A GOOD WAY TO RUN INTO HEALTH AND (NON EATING) PROBLEMS AS HAS BEEN SAID ON THIS SITE MANY TIMES......solar 17

Well said!

 

[IgotFrogs]

poor thing is cold .... they wont eat when they are cold as they cant digest their food did the person your brought it off not tell you how to keep it?
did you not do ANY research at all ?

 

[ittybitty]

My childreni's temps are sitting from 32-34 degrees (hot end) in her click clack, and even though its winter, she is still eating fine. She still spends a lot of time at the cool end and in her water bowl, but she has the constant option of going back to her warm spot...

So yeah, as said above, your temps are way too low.

and as Igotfrogs has asked, what research did you do before you got your spotted?? If proper research was done you would probably not be asking such a basic question!

 

[Serpentess]

It's a hatchling... Bump up the heat immediately. 26*C for their "cold" end and about 29-31*C for their "warm" end. This is meant to be constant for hatchlings, so that means you should maintain these temps 24/7, no different night time and day time temps. If kept at these temps it should be eating weekly. You should keep up these temps until they are at least yearlings 12 months+, and then you can maybe change up the day and night temps.

 

[souldoubt]

My childreni's temps are sitting from 32-34 degrees (hot end) in her click clack, and even though its winter, she is still eating fine. She still spends a lot of time at the cool end and in her water bowl, but she has the constant option of going back to her warm spot...

So yeah, as said above, your temps are way too low.


and as Igotfrogs has asked, what research did you do before you got your spotted?? If proper research was done you would probably not be asking such a basic question!

True but at least he's asking before the snake is dead. There is a sticky on this page about non feeding snakes, you should have a read of it

The breeder does also have a responsibility to pass on basic information such as this to any new keepers

 

[andy-shanta]

How do you bump up the heat?
One end of my tank has a 75W Exo Terra Intense Basking Spot (+75% intense?).
Other side Exo Terra Repti Glo 10.0 UVB.
1200x600x600 tank.

I don't have a temperature meter (will get) would you feel my snake would be warm enough?

I was told this will be optimal temp for my snake, but a pet store clerk.

 

[souldoubt]

How do you bump up the heat?
One end of my tank has a 75W Exo Terra Intense Basking Spot (+75% intense?).
Other side Exo Terra Repti Glo 10.0 UVB.
1200x600x600 tank.

I don't have a temperature meter (will get) would you feel my snake would be warm enough?

I was told this will be optimal temp for my snake, but a pet store clerk.

You should have any heating globes (or heat mats or cord etc) plugged into a thermostat, then you increase the temperature setting on the thermostat.
If you have your snake in a glass enclosure then you would need a much higher wattage heat globe than 75W to keep the warm end of the enclosure above 30 degrees, in my experience it is difficult to keep a glass enclosure warm enough with anything less than a 150w globe but you will definitely need a thermostat with a globe of that strength to avoid making the enclosure too hot during summer. I usually use 100W ceramic globes for heating wood/melamine enclosures and this seems to be more than adequate as my thermostat does still switch the globe off at times during winter - if you have the animal in a wood/melamine enclosure I would assume that a 75W globe would be sufficient. The problem with your basking spot globe is that it will interfere with the snakes sleeping patterns if left on all the time because it simulates the sun. Infra-red, purple, or ceramic globes can be used for both day and night heating.

You really do need to get a thermometer, the thermometer guns (you can get some on ebay, or at various other stores) are great for monitoring the temps of your enclosures. Otherwise you could get a probe thermometer.

On a side note, snakes dont NEED UV light as they eat whole vertebrate prey. Some people do however feel that snakes benefit from UV light so its your call if you want to provide UV or not

 

[AirCooled]

Tank is way too big,you won't be able to keep stable optimal temp range for a 6 month old snake in winter.What length and weight is your spotted?

 

[Jen]

6 month old maccie should be in a click clack, heat using a mat under 1/3 of the container. Use a thermo and set your temp higher than you have it now.

 

[redelapid]

ok thank you everyone for the advice, i did as all of you said and got a new 100 watt globe today and i just installed it. It is now 29 degrees. My problem is that i set the thermostat to 35 degrees and it is powering 2 globes and one heat mat in the cage but it never gets to the max temp, and i never change the temp during the day i have it set to 35 degrees 24 hours.