So I have Winston, my male ball python who I picked up at the local reptile show. He's 71 grams and from everything I've seen from a visual standpoint and from watching him in his tub a very healthy and active guy who thinks he can come out anytime I take off the lid to rinse out his bowl. He's currently in a 6qt tub and has a setup that mirrors the sticky from Deborah in the BP husbandry section.
My concern and this is more of I think my anxiety playing up the concern more than anything is that he hasn't eaten since coming home on September 17th. I know it's not the end of the world if they don't eat every week and he may need a week or two to settle. The breeder said he was eating live adult mice with no issues so I've been trying that and decided to work on switching to F/T after he's consistently eating. Yesterday was another feeding attempt and this time he showed genuine interest, made a strike and started to coil around the mouse but it managed to wiggle free a second later which spooked him and he hasn't shown any interest since. I left him alone for the rest of the night and decided to see if he had any interest tonight. He didn't so after 10 minutes I took the mouse back out and put him in the makeshift "home" since it looks like I'll be taking care of him for the time being. Has anyone else experienced something similar where they strike but the prey gets loose and they get spooked or decide they don't want it anymore? Any other tips or suggestions?