My royal python is not feeding – it is usually the temperature
Temperature is almost always the cause
The most common cause: too cold
Especially in winter, we receive enquiries every day about royal pythons that will not feed. Almost every time it comes down to temperature. Royal pythons need it considerably warmer than most other commonly kept snakes.
The right values
- Daytime 30–31 °C air temperature – measured in the air, not on the heat mat
- Night-time 26–27 °C, never below 25 °C
- Plus a hide box with damp moss
- Best kept singly, at least while settling in
In West Africa, air temperatures never drop below 30 °C during the day and sit closer to 31–32 °C. Even at night they never fall below 25 °C. A smaller vivarium with good climate control beats a large one that never gets warm enough.
The argument that your other animals are doing fine does not hold here: just because an animal has tolerated cool conditions so far does not make those conditions correct.
Winter and breeding season
During the breeding season royal pythons often simply are not hungry. This can last up to three months and is entirely normal – keep offering food every 10–14 days.