new ball python worry

[Lockes]

I have got a pair of new BP's and have tried to feed them 3 times. While the male has eaten twice the female has yet to eat. I have had them close to 1 month and the breeder said they were eating and I trust hime. Should I start worrying?

[frankykeno]

When any BP isn't eating the first thing for me is to check and doublecheck my husbandry. If you haven't had a chance to go over our caresheet here's a link to it....

http://www.ball-pythons.net/modules....warticle&id=52

If you could give us a bit more information about these snakes as far as how you house them (hopefully you do not have them housed together), how old they are, general size (length/weight), what they were eating for the breeder, how often you handle them, etc. it might help the members here give you a few suggestions.

Have you contacted the breeder yet? He/she should be a valuable resource for you as far as matching the type of prey and manner of offering it so the snakes will be more likely to eat what they already know in the way they are already used to taking it. If at some point you want to change feeding methods or prey type that's fine but it's always best as far as I'm concerned to get them settled first and eating well, then worry about that down the road.

[Lockes]

Ok well I have had the two balls for about a month.


They weigh around 350-400g

the male is definitely more adventurous while the female very shy.

they were eating freshly killed before me so that I what I think could be the main problem.

I am also having a bit of trouble keeping stable temps.

I am gonna build a rack soon so I can make sure conditions are right.

I am keeping them apart of course, and have tried not to handle them as I want them to get into a regular feeding schedule first .

I do heat the F/t rat up first but still the female has shown no interest.

Priority is to get them into their new rack and make sure conditions are gr8

worry?give it more time?what you think?

[Lockes]

anybody

[SnakeySnakeSnake]

Ok well I have had the two balls for about a month.


They weigh around 350-400g

the male is definitely more adventurous while the female very shy.

they were eating freshly killed before me so that I what I think could be the main problem.

I am also having a bit of trouble keeping stable temps.

I am gonna build a rack soon so I can make sure conditions are right.

I am keeping them apart of course, and have tried not to handle them as I want them to get into a regular feeding schedule first .

I do heat the F/t rat up first but still the female has shown no interest.

Priority is to get them into their new rack and make sure conditions are gr8

worry?give it more time?what you think?

I've bolded the two parts to consider. The biggest concern is that you can't keep stable temps. This is the MAIN issue, and it needs addressed first. I understand that you want to build a rack for them, but we need to get them in stable temps first ASAP. What kind of enclosure are you currently using? Aquarium? tub? etc? How are you heating it? How are you regulating the temps? Do you have a thermostat? What temps are you currently having? Do you have a warm side and a cool side at 92 and 82 approximately? What humidity are you maintaining? How do you measure the temps?

These are all considerations and we probably won't be able to help you much without additional info.

[jknudson]

Throw a live prey item in with the female, it may entice her to eat. Once she is regularly feeding on live then you can try to switch her over to f/t.

[Lockes]

I have mnanaged to stabilize the temps now so will see.

I will also be getting a rat colony going so I can entice with live to get her feeding

[4Khan]

JBallpythons is right...Try live, I went to my local pet store and got a mouse,put him into the feeder tank later in the afternoon and then WHAMY! khan took to it like a fish in water! The place said they were feeding him f/t pinkies. He wouldnt eat for us for about 2 weeks before we tried live.