Scared of mice?

[StormSerpent]

So I have had my ball python two weeks now and no luck feeding him with f/t. I have done searches through the forums and I am staying calm, I just have a few questions.

Here's what I have tried:
1. He seems just big enough for the larger end fuzzies and thats what I have attempted to feed him.
2. I have tried different methods such as tuna, splitting the head, leaving the rodent overnight with covered up enclosure, prescenting, etc.
3. I do not have his "history" with me yet, but hoping to acquire it early this week.
4. I would attempt live, but have no way of acquiring it at the local stores, except for adults, which would be too big for him at this point.

Specs: 10 gallon
UTH w/ thermostat
Hot: 90-92 F
Cool: 84-85 F
Humid. : ~45%
Two near identical hides
Aspen bedding

Now my question is, when I attempt to do the "zombie dance" with the mouse with tongs, my ball python seems more frightened than just uninterested, I notice his breathing gets heavier when I attempt to feed and he stops moving, or attempts to curl up. Has anyone else had prey that scared the snake? My tongs are kinda big, and the end that picks up the prey is more like a "tennis racket" shape, do i need to go out and get more "tweezer-looking" tongs? I don't know why he is so scared, I have genuinely attempted to make him feel safe and secure, especially as a baby. Just had a few questions that I thought you all would tackle best!

Thanks
-Nic

[mrshawt]

Do you handle him a lot? Does he cruise the tank during the day?
My bp is scared of medium rats, so I switched to the smaller size. Maybe that would help?

[SnakeCharmed]

This may or may not help, but I FINALLY got my bp to eat rats instead of several mice by dipping his f/t rat in chicken broth. After doing that once, he now eats f/t without the broth with no trouble. Might be worth a try!

[vangarret2000]

So I have had my ball python two weeks now and no luck feeding him with f/t. I have done searches through the forums and I am staying calm, I just have a few questions.

Here's what I have tried:
1. He seems just big enough for the larger end fuzzies and thats what I have attempted to feed him.
2. I have tried different methods such as tuna, splitting the head, leaving the rodent overnight with covered up enclosure, prescenting, etc.
3. I do not have his "history" with me yet, but hoping to acquire it early this week.
4. I would attempt live, but have no way of acquiring it at the local stores, except for adults, which would be too big for him at this point.

Specs: 10 gallon
UTH w/ thermostat
Hot: 90-92 F
Cool: 84-85 F
Humid. : ~45%
Two near identical hides
Aspen bedding

Now my question is, when I attempt to do the "zombie dance" with the mouse with tongs, my ball python seems more frightened than just uninterested, I notice his breathing gets heavier when I attempt to feed and he stops moving, or attempts to curl up. Has anyone else had prey that scared the snake? My tongs are kinda big, and the end that picks up the prey is more like a "tennis racket" shape, do i need to go out and get more "tweezer-looking" tongs? I don't know why he is so scared, I have genuinely attempted to make him feel safe and secure, especially as a baby. Just had a few questions that I thought you all would tackle best!

Thanks
-Nic

If you have only had him for two weeks he could still be spooked just from having his new home. Give him sometime to settle in. Also Attempting to try so many differnt ways to feed him can also stress him out some. Just stick with his normal feeding attempts for now and give him sometime. Keep us updated.

[StormSerpent]

Do you handle him a lot? Does he cruise the tank during the day?

Nope, I have really resisted, the only time I ever have really handled him was on his first day home, and one day last week when I moved a couple things around his cage. I have only seen him during the day once, and that was directly after I changed his tank. He only cruises around about every other night and most of the time just hangs out in his hide.

[vangarret2000]

Nope, I have really resisted, the only time I ever have really handled him was on his first day home, and one day last week when I moved a couple things around his cage. I have only seen him during the day once, and that was directly after I changed his tank. He only cruises around about every other night and most of the time just hangs out in his hide.

Try not to switch around his tank any more. This will just take him longer to get used to it.

[rabernet]

What was he feeding on before? Was he feeding on frozen/thawed or live? I do know that Petco will tell their customers that they feed F/T, but do offer live in the back for those that won't take it.

If he's just a baby, it often takes live to get them going, and THEN you can switch to f/t. A fuzzy mouse is very small for even a hatchling ball python - I start mine on live hopper mice (eyes and ears just opened). Petland seems to be all over the US, and they have tons of feeder mice of all sizes in the back - they should be able to provide you with the smallest adult mouse they have.

[StormSerpent]

If he's just a baby, it often takes live to get them going, and THEN you can switch to f/t.

Seems like I will be traveling across town to attempt to find some live hoppers

I don't know what he has been eating. I know its my fault when he was purchased, but I got him at an expo and have sent a couple of emails to the dealer to see what he has to say, awaiting a reply.

[StormSerpent]

He ate! Just rehinged his jaw and now relaxing a bit.

After six weeks of him being here, and four from the day he hatched, this is his first meal, I know this is/was bad, but I honestly was trying everything! I am very relieved and breathing a bit easier. Everything was ideal inside his terrarium but he would not touch f/t and he dropped a lot of weight and I was really starting to get worried.

Live hopper worked just fine. It took me two weeks to find a pet store that would let me purchase the mouse at that age, luckily I talked with the local Herpetological Society and they pointed me in the perfect direction!

I want to give a big thank you to rabernet, for giving me some information to what a hatchling needs! Everyone should listen up! People know what they are talking about here.

Oh and a tip: 30-40 mins is not neccessarily the time limit to place a live mouse in the cage. What really worked for my snake was the ambush, the mouse laid down underneath some foliage and the snake then made its move, about an hour into the mouse being in the cage. Guess every snake is unique!

Again thanks to everyone who responded, I know no one likes to hear about more feeding problems, but sometimes you find the right information from just asking!

[thatkindofgirl]

Glad he started eating for you!! Keep us posted on his progress.....