Escepially ballpythons are known for beeing touchy if it comes to food.
I guess everybody who keeps a ballpython will have this situation sooner or later: suddenly the snake refuses food.
This can be quite normal, but can also be a sign of sickness.
General
If your snake refuses food you shouldnt worry right away but keep an eye on it.
Control if temperature and humidity are ok and just wait 1 or 2 weeks and keep trying feeding her.
Always watch the weight!
Aslong as there isnt a rapid weight loss everything should be fine.
You can also try diffrent food like alive or dead, diffrent sizes and diffrent species like mice, rats, or even poults..
I´ve even heard of ballpythons only eating hamster and nothing else!
The "box-trick"
If nothing helps afer weeks you can try put the snake in a small box, with a small hiding place and a water bowl (and temperatur and humidity as usual).
Keep her in there for a week and try feeding inside there.
I made the experience that especially hatchlings refusing food started eating really quick then.
Pairing and pregnancy
hunger strike while pairing season especially for males should be absolutly normal. Also if you keep female and male together.
A big female living together with a male and refusing food can be pregnant!
Pregnant females stopp eating in the last 3rd of pregnancy and start again weeks after the babies hatched or if you keep the eggs away to incubate, she stars eating weeks after that.
[
• • • If you notice a quick weight loss or conspicuous changes in the attitude you should go to the vet!!]
Mostly the problem disappears as quickly as it came and the snake starts eating again as if nothing has happend!
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