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Snake Feeding Problems
Information and advice to follow when your snake is having problems feeding, with particular regard to the Royal Python.
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Most Royal Pythons in the pet trade are captive farmed and imported from Africa. In Africa, they do not eat white albino mice, but prey on rodents more closely resembling gerbils and other prey including small birds. They do not therefore always recognise white albino mice as prey.
In order to achieve successful feeding practices with any snake, it is important to evaluate their captive environment. If the environment is not set up appropriately for the python, no amount of tricks ni the world will get it to feed properly.
Make sure the temperatures are in the proper range (optimally 80-90F during the day, 75-85F at night). Royal Pythons, like all snakes, do not require UVB supplemental lighting, but they do require a 10-12 hour period of darkness. If you are using a light bulb to provide heat, you cannot use a white or other bright bulb at night. Use an undertank heating pad, a properly shielded ceramic heating element, or a dark blue or red bulb.
Although Royal Pythons come from a very arid environment, they spend a great deal of time in underground burrows or rocky crevices where the humidity is higher, so keep a bowl of water big enough for the snake to comfortably curl up inside the enclosure at all times.
One common reason for Royals going off their food during the Autumn and Winter months is that they can percieve the seasonal changesin temperature and lighting. Therefore it is vital to maintain the correct temperatures by using a variable power heater controlled by a thermostat, rather than a fixed wattage heater.
Tricks To Encourage Self Feeding
A healthy Royal may be tricked into eating in several ways:
1. Try using brown, grey or black mice instead of white. Gerbils and hamsters may also be taken in preference to mice. Even chicks can be tried to start the snake feeding.
2. Ensure that frozen-defrosted rodents are fully defrosted and warmed in hand hot water to blood temperature.
3. Provide a dark hide box, such as an inverted flowerpot with a hole in it, a cardboard box, half log, hollow log or ceramic cave etc. It is okay if the snakes body touches all sides when it is inside, as the snake will feel more secure this way. Dangle the prey (use forceps or tweezers) in front of the opening. Be prepared for the snake to strike and try to avoid jerking back the prey. If you do this may discourage the snake and it will not strike again. If this happens, leave the snake for several days before trying again. You may have better success offering a smaller prey item for the next feeding attempt.
4. Do no provoke a Royal Python into striking by taping the prey on it's nose. Although this may work with other snake species, Royals are a naturally timid snake and although they may strike, this will be a defensive strike rather than a feeding one and the snake will be intimidated and become discouraged.
5. Try feeding at night. Royals are nocturnal snakes and may be uncomfortable feeding during the day or in bright light. Once they are acclimated to captivity, they will often take food during the day.
6. If it takes the prey but won't eat, or it won't take the prey, drop the prey inside and cover the enclosure with a towel or paper so the snake won't be distracted by seeing any movement outside the enclosure. Leave it alone for 24 hours and avoid the temptation to peek!
7. Try offering gerbils or hamsters initially, as these most closely resemble the natural wild prey of Royals. If it starts taking these regularly, rub the gerbil or hamster on a mouse to scent the mouse (a gerbil or hamster can be used repeatedly if kept frozen and defrosted when needed for scenting)
If the snake is regurgitating it's meals, this may be a sign that it's enclosure is too cold or that it has an internal parasite infection. Check the temperatures to ensure they are correct. If the temperature was too cool, wait a couple of days and try agani with a smaller prey item.
If regurgitation continues then the cause is likely to be a parasitic infection and veterinary assistance should be sought.
If the snake is seriously thin, it may be necessary to initiate force feeding. Veterinary advice should be sought again on how this should be done.
This information has been extracted from data provided by Stephen J. Divers BSc(Hons) BvetMed CertZooMed Cbiol MRCVS
Exotic Animal Care Centre, Lawton & Stokes, 12 Fitzilian Avenue, Harold Wood, Romford, Essex, RM3 0QS, UK.
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Please only take the information given in any of our caresheets as general advice. They may not provide an exact answer to your particular reptiles problem and are to act as a general guide and 'heads-up' to keeping reptiles.
We cannot be held responsible for any problems your reptile encounters following the reading of these pages.
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