When a python does not feed

Sometimes snakes, like all pets, can make an owner frustrated. This week, Blaze did not eat when offered food, although this can be worrying, it is normal behavior for royal pythons as they can be very fussy eaters. There are many reasons as to why a python refuses to eat such as: the food not being thawed correctly, food not being offered warm, stress, illness and when in shed. Females also will refuse food when egg laying and for this reason it's important to ensure that they are at a good weight before breeding.

Sadly the reasons I assume for Blaze not feeding this week are: He struck the rat in the arm and then tried to eat it from the arm. He then gave this up and tried to find the head but by time he found it the rat had cooled down and was to cold for him to eat. Next, I tried the light bulb method (holding the rats head to the light bulb to heat it up) but this did not seem to work. Offering a python food too much can induce stress and will put them off further, therefore I will not try the feeding process again for a week. This might seem drastic but in the wild, snakes would feed sporadically and only take what they can get. Sometimes royal pythons will not feed for up to seven or nine months although this depends on their weight and is not healthy for the snake. Rule of thumb is after two to three weeks start to worry and you may need to assist feed (not recommended).

If the python is a fussy eater, there are a few tricks to try. Some may seem a bit crazy at first but trust me they work.

• Light bulb method (as above) or alternatively a hair dryer on a hot setting would work.
• Braining, which involves cutting into the rats skull.
• Dipping the rat in to heated chicken broth! Trust me it works! For some reason pythons love the scent of chicken.
• Feeding when dark.
• Thawing the rat close to the tank as the scent makes the snake interested.
• Rub the rat in rodent feces.

I strongly recommend NOT to badger the snake with food and do NOT slap feed the snake as this will add stress. But remember that it is normal for pythons not to eat their food sometimes so don't worry too much unless your snakes refuses to eat for a prolonged amount of time.