he struck and coiled around mouse, but wont eat it

Im new to ball pythons. I have had rocky for three weeks, and he hasnt eaten for me yet. My husbandry is all right on, hot side 92 cool side 82, 50% humidity, all controlled by t-stat. Tonight i offered a f/t mouse and he took it, coiled around it and started to eat it from the tail end. But then he just stopped and wants nothing to do with it. Am i doing something wrong?

Just leave it on the hot side and check in the morning. Some are shy and don't like to be watched.

Your husbandry is spot on and he showed interest so just give him time.

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Originally Posted by mpkeelee

Just leave it on the hot side and check in the morning. Some are shy and don't like to be watched.

Your husbandry is spot on and he showed interest so just give him time.

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+1

They may have been spooked by you watching them. If you feed in their enclosure - once your sure the mouse is dead, give its tail a gentle yank so that the BP thinks the mouse is still alive. Then close up the enclosure and leave him alone.

The first time we fed our OG he wouldn't eat after he killed it. We left the room for 20 minutes and came back and it was gone.

I have had this happen before and all I did was wait for a few minutes and then I took out the rodent and reheated it with a hairdryer and he took it right away when I offered it again. My BP seems to be very picky about the temp of his food.

well i left in in the tank on the warm side all night and he still didnt take it. Im getting worried becuase he is only 81g to begin with and has yet to eat for me. At what point to i consider assisst feeding. i really dont want to do that, but if he keeps dropping weight i might have to because he doesnt have much weight to lose

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Originally Posted by medic

well i left in in the tank on the warm side all night and he still didnt take it. Im getting worried becuase he is only 81g to begin with and has yet to eat for me. At what point to i consider assisst feeding. i really dont want to do that, but if he keeps dropping weight i might have to because he doesnt have much weight to lose

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I wouldn't worry about assist feeding just yet. Try a live mouse.

Yeah ball pythons can be very shy about eating. Which is strange cuz my boas the exact opposite,it'll eat in front of anyone anytime of day or night. But ball pythons seem to get distracted from there meal if you watch them eat sometimes.

so should i wait to offer a live mouse until next week? it would be at least 4 weeks without a meal, and i dont really know what is considered a long time for a 2 month bp to fast

If he's only 81 grams I would offer a live mouse ASAP. Four weeks is a long time for such a small snake to wait.

It not too long. I'd wait for at least 3-5 days and try to offer a live mouse. At night.


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