Baby Ball Python Feeding

[ssst3fn]

I recently got my first ball python, a nice little female bumblebee (after an entire year of research and geeking out watching snakebytes on youtube no less) it's only been a week since I've had her and I'm worried about her not taking food.

The breeder suggested I try and feed her the day I take her home since 'they can be weird like that' but I waited until her feeding day, this being thursday and no dice! She acts as if she's scared of the pinkie, despite seeming interested tongue wise. After looking online at baby ball python feeding i'm wondering is a pinkie too small? I've only seen other people use hopper mice for pythons of this size

I've tried a few ways of thawing the prey item and various ways of heating up her food but still nothing. I may be over worrying at this stage since she's only been in her new enclosure a week today. Just wondering if theres anything I can do to help this? Her hot side is at 90 with the cold side being 76, she has a UTH on a thermostat (set to 82) and a heating lamp on a timer to bring the temps up during the day. I spray the enclosure during the day to keep the humidity up and she has a large water bowl to help with this too.

As far as her behaviour goes she's very inquistive during the night and during the day she'll occassionaly go on a quick look around her enclosure before going back to her hide. From what I can tell she seems quite happy in her enclosure she just refuses to eat


Any tips?

[PitOnTheProwl]

Her hot side is at 90 with the cold side being 76, she has a UTH on a thermostat (set to 82) and a heating lamp on a timer to bring the temps up during the day.

If I am reading this, her UTH is never on then.
The surface temperature of the UTH under the substrate should be around 90 degrees.
What are you using to read temps and from where?

[AllThatInThemGenes]

keep doing what your doing. if she turns it down, wait 5 days. you can try 'braining' the pray so the sent is stronger. some people saying rubbing the pray in tuna oil works (never tried this).

[ssst3fn]

If I am reading this, her UTH is never on then.
The surface temperature of the UTH under the substrate should be around 90 degrees.
What are you using to read temps and from where?

I'll up it to 90, seems like a basic mistake! I've got two thermometers one near the bottom of the hot side and one near the bottom of the cold side, the probe for my thermostat is under the substrate just above where the UTH is

[bcr229]

I'll up it to 90, seems like a basic mistake! I've got two thermometers one near the bottom of the hot side and one near the bottom of the cold side, the probe for my thermostat is under the substrate just above where the UTH is

Your t-stat is not set up correctly. If the probe is in the enclosure then your snake can urinate on it, dump his water bowl, move it off of the heat, etc. causing the UTH to overheat because the probe is always cool. The t-stat probe needs to go between the UTH and the underside of the enclosure.

To measure the temperature you need either an infrared thermometer or a temperature gun so that you can read the surface temperature of the glass over the UTH. Reading the air temperature just above the substrate won't tell you anything except the ambient air temp.

[PitOnTheProwl]

[Stewart_Reptiles]

Yes pinkies are too small and may not be recognized as prey item, an hatchling out of the egg will take a hopper and quickly more to larger prey.

In the majority of cased when a new owner as feeding issues with their new arrival it is husbandry related.

It's always recommended to wait at least a week for the animal to settle before offering food especially if you have limited experience. During that week you should not handle your new snake at all.

Few questions here

How big is the enclosure?

What substrate are you using?

How big is the snake (weight?)

How many hides do you have and are they tight?

Have you been handling your BP?

What was the food previously fed to this BP (mice, rats, live, f/t)?


Braining and scenting is really a colubrid thing at this time it would be useless and pointless without knowing more bout your husbandry.

[ItsAllNew2Me!]

+1 to Deborah this information is definitely needed to help with any issues. I personally give a two week acclimation period. This allows the animal to explore the surroundings, find his\her favorite spot, allows you to adjust any last minute things to get all of your husbandry correct, and allows the snake to work up an appetite. I have not had an issue with this method so far.