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#2088112
Schulo
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14 foot female Burm WON’T EAT! Help! 
Hey guys. I picked up a beautiful 14 foot female granite burm at the Hamburg reptile show in August. At first, she wouldn’t eat (they told me she was feeding f/t colossal rats, but I felt she needed bigger), and I figured it was just the adjustment. I have tried f/t rats, live rats, f/t guinea pigs of all different sizes, and she just kinda pulls her head into her coil when food is around. She came down with a case of mites in mid September but that was eradicated quickly. Since then, she still hasn’t eaten. She came out with a beautiful healthy shed and has not appeared to have lost any weight. She is still active and friendly. I want to try rabbits but I figured I’d ask first if anyone had any other ideas.
Thanks!
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10/24/09 03:06am
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#2088122
Grunt
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Message To: Schulo In reference to Message Id: 2088112
14 foot female Burm WON’T EAT! Help!
a 14 ft female that is off feed if she went off feed in august for whatever reason she may be off for the winter / breeding season. I would get her temps up a little higher than normal . make sure she has plenty of fresh water, and give her a couple weeks and try again . also if she is use to eating rats and you are trying to switch her over to another food item it may take longer for her to eat also. Rats of any size are to small for her , specially if it is a female and not a male. do you hear any weezing when it is breathing?
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10/24/09 05:30am
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#2088163
Schulo
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Message To: Grunt In reference to Message Id: 2088122
14 foot female Burm WON’T EAT! Help!
Nope, she’s got no upper respiratory symptoms, her cage temps when I first got her were upwards of 85 with a basking of 95 and now they’re about 80 with a basking of 90. I changed the bulb because she would never go to the basking end and I thought she was too hot. I am worried they lied to me about what they fed her which is why I am nervous. I know since she is so big she can be off feed for a while without showing any problems, but I do know that burms tend to jumpstart on rabbits. When I have tried rats, she just turned away from them. Considering the largest rats I have are only half her body thickness, I guess that could be the reason. But I was just trying to keep her on her normal feed. Since it was early August and still really warm, I feel like brumation is a little weird. NOW she could be, but I am worried to let her go through the winter and come to spring and still have her not eat.
She always has fresh water and I have seen her drinking it, but she doesn’t tend to soak. She’s a pretty lazy girl lol. That is, until I take her out to meet people.
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10/24/09 11:08am
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#2088182
Grunt
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Message To: Schulo In reference to Message Id: 2088163
14 foot female Burm WON’T EAT! Help!
can you get some pics up? by the sounds of it if the largest rats you can get are half her body thickness either he is a she or she has been off feed for a while. I could not find any rats that are near half the thickness of our girl fantasy and she is 14+ ft. It is possible that you have a male or someone lied to you . here is an old pic of fantasy who is now bigger than in the pic. she eats 3-5 xxxxlg G-pigs every 2 weeks
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10/24/09 11:53am
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#2088188
Schulo
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Message To: Grunt In reference to Message Id: 2088182
14 foot female Burm WON’T EAT! Help!
This is the only picture of her that I have that shows her body:
I never probed her but definitely could do so.
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10/24/09 12:03pm
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#2088565
Schulo
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Message To: Schulo In reference to Message Id: 2088188
14 foot female Burm WON’T EAT! Help!
I currently have her in a large and rigid laundry bag with a 3lbs rabbit. Hopefully the rabbit will disappear by the end of the evening.
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10/25/09 06:45pm
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#2088673
Schulo
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Message To: Schulo In reference to Message Id: 2088565
14 foot female Burm WON’T EAT! Help!
Feeding was once again a no-go. I am running out of ideas on what to do...
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10/26/09 01:36am
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#2088845
Tav13
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Message To: Schulo In reference to Message Id: 2088673
14 foot female Burm WON’T EAT! Help!
I would NOT remove her from the cage to feed. Try leaving her/him in the cage at night with no lights and cover the cage and do not disturb. I would give it a little wait now though since you just tried to feed it though. But yeah for 14’ the largest possible rat is to small for it. Good luck.
My Granite is around 14’ and a female and she feeds on 10lb rabbits or a couple 5 pounders or so at a time if I don’t have the bigger rabbits.
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10/26/09 07:12pm
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#2090217
LizaB2008
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Message To: Tav13 In reference to Message Id: 2088845
14 foot female Burm WON’T EAT! Help!
Oh my goodness look at that beautiful granite! I would love to have a burm, but I’m to short and not strong enough to have an adult so I’m not even going to try, but wow, what a beautiful snake.
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10/31/09 12:08am
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#2090224
Wallsone
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Message To: LizaB2008 In reference to Message Id: 2090217
14 foot female Burm WON’T EAT! Help!
wallsone
i agree with the post to darken her serpentarium this will make her feel more safe and secure alot of times it takes awhile for them to become comfortable with a new home also check her mouth and make sure their is no discoleration if there is contact a vet. some animals are raised on prekilled food you mite want to try killing the food you give her. let me know if this helps. lots of luck and best wishes.
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10/31/09 12:42am
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