Feeding problem

[Hruke]

Hello all, I recently bought a ball python and had a few questions. I brought him home a couple of weeks ago and fed him twice, the first time was a small f/t mouse that weighed around 7.5g and he took it without a problem last sunday 2/21/16, he then pooped the 23rd and i weighed him on the 24th @ 78g. I tried feeding him today(saturday 2/27/16) and he bite the mouse and released it without eating it. I was going to feed him a small mouse and fuzzy both f/t. He ended up eating the fuzzy but after didnt want anything to do with the small mouse. Is there a reason? I thought maybe he determined it to be too big but I dont think thats the case seeing as he ate that size meal before. Im trying to stick to the 10-15% for feeding but today he only ate about 6% of his weight will this be a problem? Also im just curoius on how often everyone feeds their BP's, i've read alot of different things and right now im going to do something between every 4-6 days. Thanks for all the info.

[DennisM]

Well, the 10/15% is a good guideline for hatchlings, but it is just a guideline that usually work for MOST BPs. Undoubtedly a mouse fuzzy is too small a meal for you snake. However, if he won’t take hoppers, I’d try rat pinks. Bigger than a fuzzy mouse and smaller than a hopper.

I’d offer food to a hatchling about every 5 days. So once every 4-6 days is fine, it doesn’t need to be exactly every x days . the important thing is to find what he’ll eat and offer him that.

Try not to worry too much, sometimes these guys start slow or take a while to adjust to their new surroundings. As long as he eats somewhat regularly it’ll be OK. A few years ago I had a male hatchling Orange Ghost Fire who took it to extremes. He ate only 4 times in his first 6 months. I was astonished that he survived. I tried everything, f/t, live, mice and rats of different sizes. Every meal he took was a f/t rat fuzzy. He ate 8 times in the next 6 months, rat fuzzies then pups. Then when he was about a year and a half old he decided he would eat like any other well-adjusted BP. He’s never been a problem feeder again.

But like I said, that snake took it to an extreme. If you continue to have feeding issues, continue to post here and the BP.net community will help you get that guy feeding

[DennisM]

limit your handling of the snake until he feeds regularly. he's only been with you for a couple of weeks. he'll settle in quickly if he is undisturbed.

[DennisM]

useful links for BP newcomers.

http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showthread.php?30763-BP-Husbandry-FAQs
http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...thon-CARESHEET

[Hruke]

Alright, thanks for the info, and help. I've been handling him everyday besides for the next day after he ate. Maybe ill only handle him a every other day or 3 days or so. If I leave the f/t small mouse in his enclouser overnite do you think he will take it? or is this something i shouldn't do?

[DennisM]

Alright, thanks for the info, and help. I've been handling him everyday besides for the next day after he ate. Maybe ill only handle him a every other day or 3 days or so. If I leave the f/t small mouse in his enclouser overnite do you think he will take it? or is this something i shouldn't do?

if the feeder is live , then no. never leave live prey in the snake’s enclosure for more than about 10-15 minutes. And be sure to supervise live feedings. A live mouse/rat can do damage. If feeding pk/ft then yes, leave it over night.

[DennisM]

Alright, thanks for the info, and help. I've been handling him everyday besides for the next day after he ate. Maybe ill only handle him a every other day or 3 days or so. If I leave the f/t small mouse in his enclouser overnite do you think he will take it? or is this something i shouldn't do?

don't handle him at all until he is feeding well. I know, it's hard to do, but the snake must be comfortable for it to thrive and feed. until he's feeding regularly, your only interaction should be necessary husbandry.

[Hruke]

Thanks again for all the help, and I have some good news i kept the f/t mouse in overnite and he took it, and yeah ill try not to handle him until his next feeding to see how he does with that.

[Willowy]

One of mine will only eat if I leave the f/t rat in overnight. If I move it around he totally freaks out and hides. My other boy wants his meal to do a little dance . So you have to figure out how your individual snake likes his meals. It can take a while to figure out his favorite presentation.

But, yeah, don't handle him much yet. Not until you have him eating well and settled in.

[Hruke]

Thanks again for all the help guys, I've had my ball for almost a couple months and ive found that he will take his food f/t when i throw it into his enclosure, and he wont eat if i take him out and put him into another tank. On monday I put his mouse in the enclosure and within 2 mins he came to take it. also feeding him closer to the 5-6 days then 4-5 days hes been taking the food better(haven't had any problems yet). Hes also grown from that 78g to 136g!!!