Help?

[Zayra]

My boyfriend and I recently purchased a ball python, (Approximately a month ago, (s)he's a normal juvenile)
(s)he's very stubborn when it comes to eating and refused to do so for the first three weeks of living with us. I know this is very common, but I'm still very concerned. I've been told that feeding live would help him to start eating, but I am VERY uncomfortable doing so. I understand that most breeders are doing it, but I hate the idea that the mouse could hurt Jambi, (s)he's still very small and thin. (S)he's also been fed f/t before being adopted by us (to my knowledge).

In regards to feeding, we brought Jambi (our snake) into a separate container for the first two weeks and let him sit in there for an hour, and he seemed to show little to know interest in it, so the third week we did the same thing but put both the snake and mouse into the terrarium for a little under twenty four hours, but again he did not eat. After three weeks of unsuccessful feeding we assist fed him. He ate it in the separate container and we later put him back into his terrarium (10 gallon) and let him be.

Is there anything more that we can do to help him get comftorbal with us and feel safer as well as eat?

Tank setup:
We currently have two hides ( a cold (75-80 degrees) and warm (90 degrees)), a UTH, a heat lamp (both connected to a thermostat) humidity level of in between 45%-55%, aspen bedding, a vine, a water bowl (placed underneath the lamp), black cardboard around three walls of it's glass terrarium, and crumpled up news paper around his tank.


This is the best picture I can find of his terrarium before we added the lamp, vine, and newspaper.


This is Jambi, just showing you guys his size.


Not the greatest picture, (sorry) but this is what his cage looks like now, ( I know the temperatures are low I had just recently removed the hides to get you guys a picture of Jambi)

[thedarkwolf25]

I would try live prey, if done properly live is just as safe as F/T or P/K. What I would recommend (and I am far from an expert) is to get some tongs and hold the live rat by the tail and let it be just out of reach from the snake.

This way the snake has the chance to strike and feed and the prey can't harm him/her. Your temps and humidity seem fine and he should have had time to adjust to the new environment. What temp is the food when you offer it? They should be nice and hot (but not cooked) and if needed warm em up real good with a hair dryer. But I would try live for the next offering of food.

[Zayra]

We've been feeding with tongs, since day one, and we usually put the mouse in a bag and run very hot water over the bag and then blow dry the mouse.

Are you positive there's no other option then live? I know I'm really stressing over it, I'm just really hesitant, I've been told live is just trouble, I'm okay with feeding him babies that are still blind, it's just the transition from live to f/t or p/k after he's used to live that I'm not sure (s)he'll make. (S)He's VERY stubborn.

[SlitherinSisters]

To be quite honest I would be assist feeding him a small f/t (warmed) pinky every 3-4 days. He's super thin and losing him is a definite possibility. I would also move him to a shoe box tub until he is eating and gaining weight. That tank is far too big for him and a smaller enclosure will help him feel secure and eat on his own. But don't put off feeding him any longer. A small pinky every 3-4 days starting today! Feel free to PM me if you have any questions or want to talk more about it.

BTW there is no way a live pinky/hopper could hurt him, they don't have teeth. He's way to small for anything other than a pinky/hopper.

Those hides are also way too big for him. BPs should have to squish themselves a bit to curl up inside a hide. You may have to make your own hide out of a solid colored tupperware dish, small pots-for plants, etc. You will need to cut a doorway in whatever you decide to use.

[Zayra]

I have no way to set up a tub right now unfortunately our UTH is stuck right onto the glass so the heating wouldn't be sufficient, I just started thawing a mouse for him so in about an hour I'll assist feed him again.

The feeding I can do but the bucket I'm not so sure is as easy. Would it have the same effect if I put paper over the 4th wall of the terrarium? Also how long do you think I should assist feed him for? (assuming I did it every 4 days) I was told only to do it every two weeks.

[MitsuMike]

The problem with the cage is that the hides are WAYYYY to big. Go to Lowe's today and buy the smallest saucer pans (catch the water at the bottom of a plant pot). And when people mean fill the tank with newspaper balls that means FILL it to the lid with news paper. Personally I would just stick him in a 6 qt and save the tank til he starts eating. The tub can be placed inside the tank to keep ambient temps up along with humidity.

To be honest, a hopper mouse or rat pup hurts won't your snake. Feed live.

[Zayra]

Alright, I can get smaller hides that's no problem, I thought they were a little big buying them, we actually bought them form a breeder and he said that they would be fine. I'll go buy proper hides in a couple hours, thank you so much.

In regards to the tub how exactly should it be setup and placed, if I needed it to be in the terrarium? A picture would be a lot of help.

[Zayra]

Alright, I can get smaller hides that's no problem, I thought they were a little big buying them, we actually bought them form a breeder and he said that they would be fine. I'll go buy proper hides in a couple hours, thank you so much.

In regards to the tub how exactly should it be setup and placed, if I needed it to be in the terrarium? A picture would be a lot of help.

Is it possible just to get smaller hides and more newspaper instead of a tub?

[Zayra]

I just tried feeding him again and I got the mouse into his mouth once and he spit it out and while trying a second time he urinated on me..

I'm really starting to worry, should I go to a vet?

[Sarin]

He is very thin... I hope you don't lose this guy.

I have had lots of experience with trouble feeders at the Pet Store I work parttime at. This is my advice to you..

Go to Walmart and get a 6 quart tub All you want in there is a tight plastic hide on the warm end and a water bowl on the cool end. Paper towel as substrate. Either buy a new UTH or put the tub in his current enclosure right on the glass over the UTH. (Making sure half of the tub [the side with the water] isn't over the UTH) Fiddle with your thermostat so inside the tub he's at 90-93 warm spot. Leave him be with NO contact for 2 days then defrost a pinky and assist feed him. If he refuses the assist feed, force feed. I'd do this every 3 days for about 5 feedings. Then I would get a hopper mouse (LIVE) and leave it in his tub overnight. Hopefully he takes it. If not, continue assist feeding and alternate from the live hopper to assist pinky.

I wouldn't go to the vet just yet...