JCP not eating, help?

[Jessicat]

Hey all, wish I was posting here on better terms. My male JCP won't eat. I've tried upping temps, heating rats more (never boiling one again *gag*), rubbing pinky mouse scent on a rat...nada. I'm running out of options and it's been almost 2 months. When would a vet visit be warranted? I've heard of snakes dropping off food for long periods and then just chowing down again like nothing happened o.O If age matters any, he's about 3 years old.
I don't know if this would be any part of it, but he has moved from his (overdue) juvie enclosure to a 2'x2'x3' (longer not taller), and he was fine in there for a while, dunno if cramming him into a small separate container to feed him is a good idea, it's the only thing I haven't tried yet but would that stress him out more? Any other ideas or solutions to the problem? I'll try to get some pics off my phone into the thread, I've given him a lookover, nothing outwardly weird or out of the ordinary. Thanks in advance for any help!

[shaunyboy]

he is most likely off his food due to breeding season.....

some of myCarpets don't feed for 3 to 5 month before,during and after breeding season

i only feed my diamonds 6 momth of the year

the rest of my carpets only get 2 to 4 feeds per winter

ive had a hatchling not eat until it was 10 month old with no issues

as long as a Carpets not rapidly losing wight,then theres nothing to worry about,

they can go off their food for months without issues


i would offer prey every 2 to 4 weeks until his normal feeding response kicks back in


cheers shaun

[Jessicat]

Ohhh okay, thanks! He hasn't done that before so that's why I've been worried ^^; I've been trying every other week but only been losing rats (he's the only snake here), I'll keep an eye on him and try again in a couple weeks to see how that goes.
If this attchment works, here's what he looks like currently; not thin, I think? (Sorry, crappy phone pic)

[Kera]

aw he's gorgeous. Definitely not too thin :) good luck, and I agree, nothing to worry about!! Just look at it this way: You don't have to buy rats for a while ;)

[Mikoh4792]

Most definitely not thin. Carpets are long, lean, and thin. Many go off feed during certain months of the year. No need to worry unless he is losing a lot of weight.

[Jessicat]

Thanks everyone! I think the best news is I don't have to clean up his weekly poop drop XD I did swap his paper this past weekend because it seemed like he peed (or whatever the term is for passing only liquid and urates o.O), and that's when the worrying set in because he seemed totally empty. I'll try to wrangle him onto a scale and check his weight to keep track (he doesn't stay still for long so not sure how well that will go XD).
Would have thought the natural light cycle in the room would've avoided that, as Canada is on the complete opposite side of the planet, but at least now I know ^^;

[Lankyrob]

To weigh him, put him in a pillow case and then weigh, the pillow case has negligible weight and the dark/warmthconfined space will keep him "still"

[KORBIN5895]

To weigh him, put him in a pillow case and then weigh, the pillow case has negligible weight and the dark/warmthconfined space will keep him "still"

That's an awesome idea!

[shaunyboy]

Ohhh okay, thanks! He hasn't done that before so that's why I've been worried ^^; I've been trying every other week but only been losing rats (he's the only snake here), I'll keep an eye on him and try again in a couple weeks to see how that goes.
If this attchment works, here's what he looks like currently; not thin, I think? (Sorry, crappy phone pic)

nice healthy looking Carpet mate

imo you have no worries there,he is a lot fatter than i keep mine,i keep mine lean and muscular

now he is 3 years old he will be sexually mature and looking for a lady me thinks

cheers shaun

[Terranaut]

I also agree with it being the season. Mine go off food for months at thistime of year . No worries.

[Jessicat]

I know it's bad to necro-post threads, but from the time I posted last until now he's only eaten one small quail. I know you guys have said not to worry but when should I start to worry? o.O He shed recently and has been drinking water [and passing it] regularly, nothing looks out of the ordinary still. What's the ideal weight range he should be at? I'd say he's about 5' long [hooray for one-piece shed lol].

[Terranaut]

My male took his first rat since November last week. Your still fine. Don't worry.

[Stewjoe]

My male Jungle quit eating mid December and started eating again at the end of March. All my other males didn't skip a meal all winter but none are fully grown except the JCP. My JCP will only eat Rats off of tongs. He won't take one that is set in the cage. Even after taking it off the tongs he will often lose interest and I have to offer it 2-3 times before he will eat it.

[Jessicat]

Good news, he's finally eaten a rat! And since then has gone into hiding instead of slithering around. Sound normal? Should I try feeding him again in a week or wait a bit longer? Thanks for the help all :D

[Mikoh4792]

Grats on getting him to eat. When has he eaten? My carpets will usually hide after a meal.

Depends on the size of the meal. Small meals can be fed more frequently, and bigger meals should be given 2 weeks or so in between feedings.

Also, don't worry too much about your snake's behavior unless something is obviously wrong. Your snake will hide, roam, drink...etc on it's own as long as the conditions in the enclosure are met.(temperature and clean water).

And to note, carpet pythons though more active than some other pythons(ball pythons) are still boids. Their metabolisms are designed so that they don't move much compared to other animals. At night most of my carpets don't move around, they just hang from a branch like they are waiting for a mouse to come by.

[shaunyboy]

Good news, he's finally eaten a rat! And since then has gone into hiding instead of slithering around. Sound normal? Should I try feeding him again in a week or wait a bit longer? Thanks for the help all :D

personally i would offer again in 14 to 21 days time,if he takes that then i would feed once every 2 to 6 weeks,depending on how the snake looks...

that said,the few months he was off his prey should have done very little to his change his appearance,he will most likely be lean and muscular (i keep my carpets lean and muscular)


cheers shaun