spotted pythons not eating

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it isn't uncommon for juvies not to feed, or even to get them on to feed for the first place. A lot of the time, when you get them feeding, they'll feed for life, but sometimes they don't and stop (like yours has).
Many people say they are a great first snake with the only downside is the feeding aspect (but yeah, no where near the same as something like a ball python).
Many people keep these pythons together, I know, and they are known to be tolerant of each other and can co-habit (which is why I said it might not have anything to do with them being together, although you still don't KNOW). I'd check your temperatures to make sure they are correct, although I guess you should be doing this all the time anyway. I'd check to see if they are acting different to what you've seen before (small things like breathing, or becoming more snappy etc.). They could both be getting ready to shed, that can put them off feeding- and snakes have a tendancy to do it at the same time. I'd keep trying to feed them if you don't know if they are in shed or not, but not too much to stress them, and try different ways to stimulate a feeding response. If you think they are looking worse for wear- i.e. malnurished, as i guess these would be young snakes and would want feeding more often than adults, then you could always go to a vet... check for blockages etc. Although before you go that far, I'd seperate them first to see if that changes it.
 
the female is quite obviously about to shed, and the male looks like hes getting there too. the warm side is about 87-ish, but i still find the male on the cool side quite often, so that makes me think that heat isn't an issue, but i don't know for sure.

i recently picked up a book called Pythons: A complete owner's manual by Bartlett and Wagner. it says that spotteds can be kept in trios, and even foursomes (2.2), because even males don't fight with each other.

the snakes have constant access to water, and i watch them drink quite often.

thanks for the help davo
 
The reputation that Antaresia pythons have is usually only restricted to breeders since they are naturally lizard eaters when they are born. However once they are on mice, there is no reason for them to be a problem feeder again unless something is extremely wrong with the husbandry or feeding technique.

Edit: Of course, shedding is a problem with every snake.
 
Kioka;1345187; said:
The reputation that Antaresia pythons have is usually only restricted to breeders since they are naturally lizard eaters when they are born. However once they are on mice, there is no reason for them to be a problem feeder again unless something is extremely wrong with the husbandry or feeding techinque.

Yup, many problems when they are first getting onto rodents. And I agree that the odds are more than favourable that once they are feeding you won't ever have problems- I can't recall an occasion I've heard an adult that has been feeding fine suddenly go off food. However, I know that they aren't perfect and I know that if after they have been feeding for a few times it occasionally happens that they can "slip into old habits" and stop once more and need another nudge on when they are juvies.

Anyhoo... if you know they are coming up to shed, it's definately not uncommon for them to stop feeding then, and I'd hope that that is the reason in this case. Leave alone if they are in shed and they'll probably be gagging for a feed the day they do. :)
 
i forgot. the male was fed a fuzzy last time, which is pretty big compared to what he used to get. could he still simply be digesting the meal?

i think that the reason they aren't eating is because they are about to shed, but....
 
If it's too big after 2 day, he would had regurge...

Edit: I fed my Coastal a huge rat the other week and he had a belly budge for about a week and STILL ate another proper-size rat while he had it. I used to feed my Spotted female, born in August, a pinkie every second or third day. Now she's on one fuzzie a week.
 
has it crapped yet? If not you'll probably end up with more than just a nice skin on shedding day :D
Guess this is a good example of why keeping records of when your snakes feed, shed and crap is important.
 
lol if he's crapped what meal would it be digesting?

nah mate... i'd leave lizards well alone... that's a recipe to get stuck on lizards lol.

If they are in shed, or coming into shed, they often will not want to feed and be left alone. A lot of the time snakes kept together go into shed around the same time, so... I mean if he's cruising around you could offer him something, but don't be gutted if it doesn't take it.
 
... You do not want lizards. They are expensive. I means... look at my "Planning For" list... I am looking at 3 to 10 wild-caught lizard eating snakes... going to try and get them on mice or fish.
 
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