First ball python, won't eat.

[omnibus2]

I have had my first ball python for a week now, he is about a foot long and in a 20g. The heated side is about 90 degrees, and the other side is about 80, with the humidity being 40-50. However, I use the cheap measuring dials from petco. I should get a digital thermometer probably tommorow, any suggestions on which type? He also has 2 hiding spots and a water bowl.

Anyway I put him in a plastic tub with paper towels (The breeder said he has not eaten frozen yet), and he noticed it but ignored it and tried to escape so I put him back in his cage.

The pinky is still alive, and I plan to try again tonight. If he still doesn't eat, what should I do with the pinky when it dies? I feel sorry for the little thing. Thanks a lot for the advice.

[Prophet]

mouse pink or rat pink?

Accurite from walmart is a good one, you can even make it so you can make it a 3 probe one with a few simple mods posted in the DIY forum

[omnibus2]

Yeah, I think I will get the accu-rite one.

It's a pinky mouse.

[John Marker]

I would start by feeding him in his cage. I personaly feel that feeding in their cage is the easiest on your snake, others will disagree with me. The typical argument is that feeding in their cage can develop cage aggression due to feeding response. I have never seen this develop in any of the snakes that I have ever owned.

You said that you offered a pinky. If this is a pinky mouse, it is definatly way to small of a prey item. If it is a pinky rat, it is most likely to small for a foot long ball python. You may want to move up prey size to something that is about the same diameter as the thickest part of your snakes body. If it is slightly larger or smaller, it will not hurt anything; this isn't rocket science. Oh, if the pinky dies, just put it in a zip lock type bag and throw it in the garbage. Or you can throw it in the bushes outside, something will eat it.

It sounds like your temps are good. You are offering two hides and water. Being that it is a 20 gallon tank, you may want to add more stuff in the tank (vines, rocks, half logs, crumpled papers, etc.) to allow your snake some security in that large of a tank.

As far as a digital thermometer, most everyone recomends the Acurite brand. They work very well.

Hope this helps.

John

[omnibus2]

Yeah, I was thinking of feeding him in his cage for now. The mouse is about an inch long without the tail, and my ball python is about an inch and a half wise. I suppose I could move up to larger mice, but then they might be able to bite my snake.

[John Marker]

When looking at prey size, compare the diameter of the prey to the diameter of the largest part of your snakes body to come up with the most appropiate size prey.

Granted, the larger mice have teeth and they can bite. I wouldn't worry about it too much. I have never had a live mouse try to bite any snake. As an example, I have a female that I feed live medium sized rats. The last rat that I offered to her she bit the rat on the tail. While the rat had the opportunity to bite her before I had a chance to get the forceps on the rats mouth, the rat didn't bite her once. Your snake will be fine. They have evolved to hunt live rodents, and they do it very effeciently.

John

[Prophet]

When looking at prey size, compare the diameter of the prey to the diameter of the largest part of your snakes body to come up with the most appropiate size prey.

Granted, the larger mice have teeth and they can bite. I wouldn't worry about it too much. I have never had a live mouse try to bite any snake. As an example, I have a female that I feed live medium sized rats. The last rat that I offered to her she bit the rat on the tail. While the rat had the opportunity to bite her before I had a chance to get the forceps on the rats mouth, the rat didn't bite her once. Your snake will be fine. They have evolved to hunt live rodents, and they do it very effeciently.

John

I thought i might have been the only one to do that i hold the mouse or rat by the base of the tail, when the snake takes it, i use the forceps to make sure it doesnt bite my snakes or scratch the heck out of them again

[Kaorte]

Well a pinky is way too small for any ball python.

A hatchling can start with a hopper and quickly move to an adult mouse.

As long as you are supervising the feeding, there should be no risk of a mouse bite.

Feeding in the home enclosure will probably be a better option since the snake seems to be more interested in escaping than it does eating.

[John Marker]

I thought i might have been the only one to do that i hold the mouse or rat by the base of the tail, when the snake takes it, i use the forceps to make sure it doesnt bite my snakes or scratch the heck out of them again

I tried to do what you do, but this rat did not agree with me holding its tail. He was thrashing and spinning trying to get me to let go of him. When I did let him go, he walked up to my females head, that startled her. The rat then walked to the side of her hide, that she was in, and that is when she struck the rat. Unfortunately she bit the rats tail. When she coiled around the rat its mouth was right next to her body. Luckily the rats head was pointing up and not covered by my snakes body. I was able to grab the rats top jaw with my forceps. This allowed me to control the rats head so it couldn't bite my snake and also so its head did not slip through her coil to get partially free.

Normally this type of situation doesn't happen. My snakes are typically extremely accurate with their strikes. They almost always hit the rats head.

John

[omnibus2]

I see, I should get a hopper or something about that size, thanks a bunch guys.

One more question, when should I get the mouse and attempt to feed my ball python? In 2 or 3 days?