My ball python hasnt eaten in up to 6 months.?

[Dematre]

Hi.

I have had my python for around 5 years now. Every year he went a few months without eating which is understandable due to winter and hibernation. I know that when it turn winter i shouldnt expect him to eat for a few months. However he has never taken this long in all the years i have had him to eat.

I try feeding him once a week, i defrost the rat and make sure it is warm before i try to feed him. (iv tried variations in sizes) Yet all he does is come out of him hideout, go up to the rat and then just lazily goes back into his hideout.

I change his water every day. The tank layout is what is usually needed e.g. 2 hideouts (1 in the warm area and 1 in the cold area with a large bowl of water in the cold area.

Additional info:
He is always at the warm side of the tank and hardly moves
Before this extended period of not eating he was relativly fat and healthy.

If anybody can calm my nerves and tell me why he is taking so long it will be most appreciated.

Thanks

[reptile king]

The not eating for 6 months isn't really too long at this time of the year for a male ball python.What is a worry is that you mention about it used to be fat and healthy.Could do with a bit more info as to how much weight he has lost.It shouldn't be loosing too much weight but will loose a little.If he's not as healthy in other ways then you need to make sure he hasn't got any mites or parasites.Find a reptile vet who can do a blood screen for you.If everything is clear then just keep trying with defrost mice or rats.DO NOT TRY LIVE MICE/RATS.If you have a very subdued snake,putting a live rat in there is only going to make things worse.If your snakes responses are slow due to lack of energy from not eating then the rat may just injure the snake.Then you will have problems trying to get a snake to eat something that's just bit back.They do have a degree of self preservation in them.You do need to check that the Viv temps are correct as this can sometimes cause feeding problems.If the snake has the all clear fro the vet and is mite/parasite free then just keep trying to feed once a week.Remember,just because its not eating doesn't mean its not healthy.A healthy snake will not starve itself to death and will eat when it wants to.

[Mango Muncher]

try live mice, get a small adult (even though your snake can eat something bigger get a small one as a apitiser) be sure you get a healthy one, you may need to keep it as a pet for a while (just don't think of it as a pet an u will be fine, lol) i have never had a problem with mine, she is always eager to eat. i would suggest an investingin a vet's visit. you may have to force feed them, but you have more experiance with your snake then i do with mine, so see what the vet says

[Maz z]

Seriously you need to feed your snake. These are the things you can do to help it , if not take it to a pet store or vet right away cuz that's too long.
check heat and humidity in tank
check water source
shedding schedules
change from frozen to live immediately it might not like that source of food and might want to kill it first
try feeding it mice instead of rats
try feeding it a bigger/smaller size food depending
try feeding it in different locations until successful
feed it in a dark place/container.
feed it on the bed on a towel
feed it outside or inside its cage and leave it along
so many things can be wrong that you could potentially change to help your snake.
last result would be force feeding it food to live.
Also all my snakes it rats so they can either eat mice or rats. I've met many breeders at expos and they start there snakes off on mice then switch to rats for more calcium and protein.

[JoJo27]

A ball python can survive for up to a year without eating, however problems may occur as a result. Long-term anorexia can lead to dehydration which in turn can lead to kidney problems. The best method for dealing with this problem is to see a qualified reptile veterinarian if the animal fails to eat after 60 days. There are drugs available now that have been proven to stimulate appetite in reptiles when given in small dosages.
The most important factor involving lighting and heat is to be sure and to provide a heat/light cycle of 12-14 hours per day. This will allow the animal time to cool off at night. Constant light has been shown to effect thyroid production in some species of reptiles. Since ball pythons are nocturnal eaters providing constant light may effect eating habits, thus making a problem eater even more of a problem.

Best of Luck.