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wolfspirit
Old Royal - I Post too much!
United Kingdom
5741 Posts |
 Posted - 01/07/2009 : 07:39:07
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Part 2 from Rachel, posted here with her full permission.-)
Natural Fasting In Royal Pythons.
Royal pythons have been given a reputation for being poor and picky feeders, however this reputation may not be deserved as it is most likely earned from a general misunderstanding of this species as a whole.
What Causes This Fast?
Many keepers will notice that over the autumn and winter months their royals will miss more feeds or perhaps refuse to feed at all and this is the seasonal fast.
In their natural environment royals will behave in a certain manner depending on their environment and starting in September levels of light decrease and temperatures start to cool down.
This cooling period is the time at which royals will cease to feed as they can possibly detect that the temperatures are now inadequate for proper and full digestion to take place. It is also the time when royal pythons begin to look for a mate.
Once royal pythons detect these changes in light and temperature their bodies will automatically switch to a standby mode where all energy is conserved for breeding. Hormone levels will change and reproducing is now the only aim on a royal pythons mind.
This change of hormones is more noticeable in males of breeding age as they will stop feeding but become more restless in their search for a female so in captivity it may be observed that a once quiet royal becomes a snake on a mission. Females don’t display this change so much but they do often go off food too (although not as common as males) but they will give off pheromones which the males will pick up on and follow in their pursuit for a female.
This fasting period usually finishes with females once they have mated and have ovulated by which point they start eating again and often even more voraciously in attempt to maximise body weight to make a successful pregnancy easier.
Males however normally continue to fast because for them their breeding time won’t finish until late winter – early spring as one male will quite happily mate with multiple females.
How Do I Know If My Royal Is Naturally Fasting?
A snake refusing to eat for a prolonged length of time is worrying for any keeper but there are a few tell tale signs which will tell you the difference between a stress related fast and a naturally occurring seasonal fast.
Time of year:
Obviously if it is the right time for royals to stop eating you can presume that this is a naturally occurring fast, however other checks need to be made. If the fast occurs in a time out of the natural breeding season period then other factors need to be looked into to try and detect any other underlying causes.
General Observations:
As mentioned royals tend to be very active (especially males) during the cooling/breeding season so if the time of year is correct and you have a male climbing the walls of his vivarium (often quite literally) or making desperate bids for freedom (especially when females are in the room) then it is most likely that he is searching for that female to breed with. Females may do this too but these behaviours are most commonly seen in the males.
Sluggish or abnormal behaviour along with any other concerning signs are not typical of these seasonal fasts and it would be wise to keep a close eye or seek veterinary advice on the situation.
Weight Check:
This will be your biggest clue as to whether your royal is fasting for natural reasons or not.
Royals who are just naturally fasting will lose very little weight over this time and overall condition and general health is still to a good standard.
Example: I personally have a female who I bought in September 2007 weighing 800g she has never eaten with me since the day of purchase but weighed in last week at 720g so 80g in 6months is nothing to worry over.
Royals who are not fasting naturally will show this by losing weight rapidly so that it is noticeable even by sight and these royals need to be assessed for causes of the fasting.
Example: In July 2007 I had a good feeding male go off food due a respiratory infection he weighed 1100g and in September when he was finally clear and resumed eating weighed 640g which is a massive weight loss over 2months and is clearly due to stress from illness.
Weighing royal pythons is a simple thing to do, all that is required is a good set of digital kitchen scales and a plastic tub with clipping lid, the tub should be placed on the scales with the lid secured and the scales set to 0g, the snake should then be placed in the tub and the lid secured and the weight taken.
What Can I Do About This Fasting?
The simple answer is not a lot, if the royal is fasting then that’s exactly what it will do, there is no point waving food in its face every couple of days as this is more likely to stress the snake out than to help it.
The method I use of seeing if they are ready to feed is simply entering the room where the snake is with food and feed other snakes, if the snake in question suddenly appears or you notice shifting in the vivarium/box then I offer a smaller than normal food item, if this is taken immediately then brilliant, if not I just leave it in with the snake ½ pushed under it’s hide so it doesn’t have to come out to eat but I don’t have to go rummaging around either to retrieve the food if uneaten.
If you are really desperate to get a royal out of fasting there are a few techniques than can be tried.
Putting the snake in a smaller housing solution: If the royal is in a vivarium and refusing to eat then try putting it into a contico or really useful box that is a bit too small for it as sometimes this cramped up feeling makes the snake more secure and may persuade it to feed.
Filling The Box: Another method which can be quite successful for fasting royals is getting a newspaper and tearing it by hand (machine shredding makes edges of paper to sharp) into strips and filling the box with it so the hide is buried and only the water bowl remains above it all as this can recreate a burrow environment.
Taking The Snake For A Ride: This has become a very common method of resolving fasting problems in recent years, it involved putting the royal in a tub and taking it to the car and going for a drive for 20minutes or so as it is thought that the vibrations get the encourage the growth of gut flora again which can cause hunger in the snake.
Temperature Increase: Sometimes a slight raise of temperature can entice a royal to feed again but this must be done carefully because although royals like hot conditions, too hot can still stress and kill a royal.
I have personally tried all these methods and did have success with the shredded paper method but it was only once so I think it may have just been luck more than anything else, other keepers have reported great success with these techniques but I am a personal believer that leaving well alone is the best cure for most problems with royals.
General Summary.
Royals are a very mixed bunch of snakes, some will tear your arm off all year round for food which always makes a happy keeper but there are those who will go off their food for varying reasons be it they are easily stressed or being those that are inclined to do as the seasons tell them.
In any case a royal should be monitored when it refuses to fast as it is all too common that a royal is diagnosed as a seasonal faster when it stops eating because of the time of year fits but there can always be other underlying reasons too so weight monitoring is the most reliable way of making an educated guess as to why the royal isn’t feeding.
The only casualties of seasonal fasting are the keepers because it can be very stressful especially to those who aren’t experienced with it and can be stressful still to those that are when some royals choose not to feed for 9months+ but the best thing any keeper can do at this time is to just leave the snake alone to its own devices and wait for it to decide it wishes to feed again. |
"No one can go back and make a brand new start. Anyone can start from
now and make a brand new ending."
-- Source Unknown
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Blackecho
Royal Python Admin
United Kingdom
11327 Posts |
Posted - 01/07/2009 : 08:06:33
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Yes, that's a very good post. I asked her to bump that up yesterday  |
 
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wolfspirit
Old Royal - I Post too much!
United Kingdom
5741 Posts |
Posted - 01/07/2009 : 11:56:35
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quote:
Originally posted by Blackecho
Yes, that's a very good post. I asked her to bump that up yesterday
I asked her to send it to me yesterday..lol...
great minds think alike eh? |
"No one can go back and make a brand new start. Anyone can start from
now and make a brand new ending."
-- Source Unknown
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sexychef
Royal Python Moderator
United Kingdom
692 Posts |
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Blackecho
Royal Python Admin
United Kingdom
11327 Posts |
Posted - 01/07/2009 : 12:28:08
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quote:
Originally posted by wolfspirit
quote:
Originally posted by Blackecho
Yes, that's a very good post. I asked her to bump that up yesterday
I asked her to send it to me yesterday..lol...
great minds think alike eh?
Yes, I'm guessing you only saw it after it was bumped as it was months old? - Or had you seen it before? |
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wolfspirit
Old Royal - I Post too much!
United Kingdom
5741 Posts |
Posted - 01/07/2009 : 12:29:11
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wonder if it would stop a person stressing cos there snake is not feeding...
i would still be worrying..but yes it is a very good read..and hopefully will help other members on here to.. |
"No one can go back and make a brand new start. Anyone can start from
now and make a brand new ending."
-- Source Unknown
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Blackecho
Royal Python Admin
United Kingdom
11327 Posts |
Posted - 01/07/2009 : 12:44:37
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| Its very easy for me and you to tell others not to worry about it, but we're so used to animals like cats and dogs eating regularly and if they stop eating its almost always a sign that something is wrong. Its hard to accept that other animals are so different. |
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wolfspirit
Old Royal - I Post too much!
United Kingdom
5741 Posts |
Posted - 01/07/2009 : 12:46:37
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i would still worry Piers, but maybe not so muich now if it was the time of year when they would naturally fast..
I would still keep an eye on them and weights just in case
How old are your females? do they still eat through the winter? |
"No one can go back and make a brand new start. Anyone can start from
now and make a brand new ending."
-- Source Unknown
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Edited by - wolfspirit on 01/07/2009 12:47:35 |
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Blackecho
Royal Python Admin
United Kingdom
11327 Posts |
Posted - 01/07/2009 : 12:48:09
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| That's the one, if they are fasting and not losing weight its natural, if they are fasting and losing significant weight, something's not right. |
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wolfspirit
Old Royal - I Post too much!
United Kingdom
5741 Posts |
Posted - 01/07/2009 : 12:52:09
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yep i know that one...
its the males that are more likely to fast though isnt it?
the females are more likely stop when they have laid there eggs?
is that right or wrong? |
"No one can go back and make a brand new start. Anyone can start from
now and make a brand new ending."
-- Source Unknown
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Edited by - wolfspirit on 01/07/2009 12:52:30 |
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Blackecho
Royal Python Admin
United Kingdom
11327 Posts |
Posted - 01/07/2009 : 13:01:20
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| Theoretically, but I've had two females (Cleo & Savina) come here and not feed for about 6 weeks. Rocky my big male was a bit picky this winter, but that's about it really. |
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wolfspirit
Old Royal - I Post too much!
United Kingdom
5741 Posts |
Posted - 01/07/2009 : 13:12:57
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quote:
Originally posted by Blackecho
Theoretically, but I've had two females (Cleo & Savina) come here and not feed for about 6 weeks. Rocky my big male was a bit picky this winter, but that's about it really.
how often was you offering Rocky over the winter?
you have not bred Cleo yet have you? she is not old enough is she? what about Savina?
might be a different story once they are gravid and laid there eggs? |
"No one can go back and make a brand new start. Anyone can start from
now and make a brand new ending."
-- Source Unknown
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Blackecho
Royal Python Admin
United Kingdom
11327 Posts |
Posted - 01/07/2009 : 13:19:24
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| No, both too young. Rocky was offered every 10 days and fed when he felt like it, certainly not every time. |
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wolfspirit
Old Royal - I Post too much!
United Kingdom
5741 Posts |
Posted - 01/07/2009 : 13:52:12
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thanks for that info;-)
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"No one can go back and make a brand new start. Anyone can start from
now and make a brand new ending."
-- Source Unknown
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