Advice On First Feed?

[Twoboyz]

HI,

I am nervous about our first feed. I brought my 2 month old BP home yesterday from the reptile show. The breeder said the last time he ate was last Monday and he recommended I wait until Wednesday to try feeding him. The problem is he fed him live hoppers. I don't intend to feed live and I'm afraid he won't eat f/t. I read that they should be left alone to acclimate for two full weeks before feeding. I'm wondering if I should wait longer than he recommended. Also I'm reading on the boards that people are feeding in their regular tanks. Should I not put him in a separate enclosure to eat? I only have experience with corn snakes so far and I always take him out of his tank to feed him.

I appreciate any advice I can get.

Thanks

[Kaorte]

I would leave him completely alone for one week starting from the day you got him.

After one week, offer a live hopper if you can get one, or you can try a f/t. If he doesn't eat the f/t, try a live hopper the following week. Your main goal is to get the animal eating. Once he is eating consistently then you can worry about switching to f/t.

I feed all my snakes in their home enclosures. Moving them to another enclosure is just making the situation more stressful. There is really no reason to move them to another enclosure.

PS: you went to the wheaton show? I was about to go but then I had to move out of my apartment...haha. Perhaps I will see you at the next one?

[bsash]

HI,

I am nervous about our first feed. I brought my 2 month old BP home yesterday from the reptile show. The breeder said the last time he ate was last Monday and he recommended I wait until Wednesday to try feeding him. The problem is he fed him live hoppers. I don't intend to feed live and I'm afraid he won't eat f/t. I read that they should be left alone to acclimate for two full weeks before feeding. I'm wondering if I should wait longer than he recommended. Also I'm reading on the boards that people are feeding in their regular tanks. Should I not put him in a separate enclosure to eat? I only have experience with corn snakes so far and I always take him out of his tank to feed him.

I appreciate any advice I can get.

Thanks

You should wait at least one week to try and feed the snake, and if it refuses only try once a week. For the first two or three feeds, give the snake what it is used to eating, which is live, otherwise you could just ad to the stress. After you have established that it will eat for you (After two or three feeds) you can then try and make the switch. Feeding in the enclosure is the best way to keep the stress level down, and it is not necessary to feed in a separate enclosure.

If you decide to make the switch to frozen thawed after feeding the live, you will need to get some used mouse bedding. After thawing and drying the mouse, you should then blow dry the head to make it the warmest spot on the body. It should tell the snake where to strike.

Good luck to you, and congratulations on your first ball python!

[Twoboyz]

Thanks for the advice everyone. As for the live mice, I'm really squeemish about that. Where can I get them? Do they have them at Petco? So unlike Corn snakes, they won't mistake your hand for food when you reach in their tank to pick them up?

Hi Steffe,

Yes, I was at the Wheaton show for the fist time. Very cool place. I intend to go again, but probalby not the next one. I'm not sure when I can get there again. I have to wait for an opportunity as weekends now are filled with baseball. I just got lucky on Saturday so we were able to go. Hope to run into you there sometime for sure.

Thanks

[BuckeyeBalls]

So unlike Corn snakes, they won't mistake your hand for food when you reach in their tank to pick them up?

Unless ur hand smells like rats/mice then generally no.

[kilabyte]

I've been getting my mice from Petco. Size is a big factor in your snake eating. I have not seen hoppers there but they do have large & small adults.

[Twoboyz]

Thanks. According to the breeder he's been on hoppers. At least I can empathize with the poor guy. He's probably stressed right now and I'm definitely stressed.

[Twoboyz]

Hi,

I'm back again for more advice. I still haven't gotten my little guy to eat. I contacted a local reptile shop to ask if they had live hoppers and they told me to just try the f/t that they usually accept them just fine. Well, I've tried twice now and he wants nothing to do with them.

So, despite my feeling of nausea and just overall "badness" about torturing a poor little mouse, I am ready to break down and just do it. Does anyone know where to get hopper size mice in the chicago area? The breeder said that I can try rubbing the live one on the f/t to scent it and then try feeding, but at this point I'm not sure that will work.

So here are my questions about feeding live. Do I just drop the mouse in the tank with him and watch? I'm afraid that he'll get hurt by the mouse from things I've read about feeding live. What if he wants nothing to do with the mouse? Then what do I do? Should I take the mouse out, and then what do I do with him? I don't really have anythign to keep him in.

I'm starting to get worried about him. He's just a little guy and I think he's not acclimating very well. It's been just over a week since we got him. Today it's been two weeks since he ate. also, I have him in a 20 gallon long tank. I really only see him staying on one side. Is he in too big of an enclosure? I never see him moving around unless it's at night when I don't see him.

So should I wait another week to feed him? Should I start handling him a little now to get him used to me? A little bit each day? Or should I leave him alone until he eats?

If there is anyone out there willing to take on all my questions, I really appreciate it.
Thanks

[ls1goat04]

I got my boa from that show on the first as well. He was being fed live hoppers. I came home and he took a f/t fuzzy right away. This last Saturday he took another. I wouldn't give up just yet on f/t. Make sure your are getting it warm enough. Do you have a temp gun? I warm mine to low 90s.

[BuckeyeBalls]

Look first off

Make sure your temps and humidity are CORRECT

Leave him alone for a week.

Get him eating on live for a few times for ya

Then you can try the switch to f/t

But keep in mind the first and second thing i said. These lead to stress. And stress leads to not eating

Edit: And as far as holding. IMO i think it's just stupid to hold a new snake who you haven't gotten to eat. Snakes don't like to be held they tolerate it. And if he is stressed out and not eating for you lets not add more to it

Edit x2:Also if u got a digital scale u could see how many grams he is and feed him 10-15% if his body weight if hes under like 1000g's i think.