Every year especially when baby season is upon us, many people become proud new owners of their very first hatchling Ball Python, sadly more often than not the excitement often turn to frustration and worry when their new acquired pet refuse to eat for them.
The good news is that YOU can get your animal to eat on it’s own but for that you will often have to forget everything you read, everything you were told, forget about what YOU want or like and be open to a PROVEN temporary method that has help many get their animal to feed for them.
Ball Pythons unlike other species MUST have their needs met to a T, it is very important especially with an hatchling getting used to a new environment, among those needs SECURITY is the single most important one and should always be kept in mind.
So how can you provide your hatchling with an optimum setup that will get you on tract rapidly, leading to a more enjoyable first time experience?
If your hatchling is less than 200/250 grams here is what I always recommend.
Use a 6 quart tub as enclosure; remember this is TEMPORARY, ideally until the animal reached 200/250 grams. Whether you dislike tubs or have the perfect 10 gallons setup ready to go it does not matter what matter it to provide the optimum setup which means cramped.
Use aspen as bedding, aspen will allow your new pet to bury himself in the bedding offering added security should it be needed.
Use 1 plastic flower pot saucer as hide (6 inches in diameter), they are very low profile with the top touching your BP’s body, which will provide an even more secure environment
Provide a small water dish.
Provide temperatures of 76/78 on the cool side and 86/88 on the warm side (no higher) – You will obviously need a UTH, a thermostat and a reliable digital thermometer to achieve those requirements.
Provide a humidity level of 50%/60%
Once you bring your BP home and place him in his new setup, LEAVE HIM alone, I know it is tempting to handle your new friend but it is best to let him acclimate to his new environment until he eats for you.
So now your BP has been home for a week and you have not handle him so what now? Well now is feeding time. Remember getting the animal to eat for you is the priority, switching is not so even if you prefer F/T right now it is irrelevant unless you bought an animal that was eating f/t previously, same goes with rats if the animal was feeding on rats offer rats if not feeding should be as followed:
Offer a live mouse (the ideal size will be equal the girth size of your snake) in the tub (do not feed outside the tub), close the lid and remove if un-eaten after 10/15 min. It might not work the first time around and in some extreme cased (un-started animals, picky eaters, rehab) it might take more than one try and additional little tips, but it can be done, and worry and frustration can become a thing of the past.
This setup will also solve stress issues that can build up over time in very young animals even if they are eating.
If you have additional question you can PM me, I will be happy to share additional tips and trick I might not have covered here.
Finally pictures are worth a 1000 words
Ideal setup
Ideal hide for above setup
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Originally Posted by DPlant
