Baby Ball Python won't eat frozen Mice

I got a Baby Ball Python about a month ago from Petco. This is my third one, The 1st one I had from April 10-July 10 and he died of heat stroke I think. The 2nd one I had from July 2010 till December 2012 and I'm not sure why he died.

The 3rd one is if I had to guess about 6 months old and maybe 2 feet at most. Lord Tyrion is his name. I've tried many times to feed him and he won't eat the frozen fuzzy or pinkie(baby mice with no fur). I take him out of his cage and he's real gentle and calm he lets me hold him and never snaps. When I try to feed him I put the frozen mice in a container and run warm/hot water to get the mice to above room temperatures.

When I bring the mice over using Thongs and dangle it around him he just goes right by it and tries to get out of the little cage. This last time on advice from a petco worker I took him out of the cage and put him in the bathroom sink which had warm water. I even tried to bring his little hide into the feeding tank and left the mice in the cage and put the feeding cage in another room where the light was off and I covered it. Nothing so far this is very frustrating. I must of tried 4 times now. When I got him on December 8th(Saturday) they said his next feeding was that Monday.

Now I know most snakes can go months with out feeding especially in the winter. Does anyone have any ideas at how I can get him to eat. its always that 1st time that is the hardest! I don't want to try Live Mice at all.

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Originally Posted by BigCountry

I got a Baby Ball Python about a month ago from Petco. This is my third one, The 1st one I had from April 10-July 10 and he died of heat stroke I think. The 2nd one I had from July 2010 till December 2012 and I'm not sure why he died.

The 3rd one is if I had to guess about 6 months old and maybe 2 feet at most. Lord Tyrion is his name. I've tried many times to feed him and he won't eat the frozen fuzzy or pinkie(baby mice with no fur). I take him out of his cage and he's real gentle and calm he lets me hold him and never snaps. When I try to feed him I put the frozen mice in a container and run warm/hot water to get the mice to above room temperatures.

When I bring the mice over using Thongs and dangle it around him he just goes right by it and tries to get out of the little cage. This last time on advice from a petco worker I took him out of the cage and put him in the bathroom sink which had warm water. I even tried to bring his little hide into the feeding tank and left the mice in the cage and put the feeding cage in another room where the light was off and I covered it. Nothing so far this is very frustrating. I must of tried 4 times now. When I got him on December 8th(Saturday) they said his next feeding was that Monday.

Now I know most snakes can go months with out feeding especially in the winter. Does anyone have any ideas at how I can get him to eat. its always that 1st time that is the hardest! I don't want to try Live Mice at all.

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Describe your set up, first of all.

Temps?
Are you using a UTH? Is it regulated with a thermostat?
Humidity?

I would just feed him in his enclosure. You're just stressing the snake out more by moving it around. Cage aggression is a myth. I feed all my snakes in their cages and have never been mistake for food or have snakes suddenly become aggressive.

Ball pythons out of the egg can eat hopper mice. You are offering too small of a meal. It's a good idea to get a kitchen scale and feed your Bp a meal that is roughly 10-15% of its body weight.

Id try a hopper. Heat it up, and then use a hair dryer to warm the mouses head. If all else fails, you could try live. It will usually get them feeding. If it ate on Friday, wait till next Friday to offer again. If you keep offering it will stress him out.

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Originally Posted by Bobbafett

Describe your set up, first of all. Temps?Are you using a UTH? Is it regulated with a thermostat?Humidity?I would just feed him in his enclosure. You're just stressing the snake out more by moving it around. Cage aggression is a myth. I feed all my snakes in their cages and have never been mistake for food or have snakes suddenly become aggressive.Ball pythons out of the egg can eat hopper mice. You are offering too small of a meal. It's a good idea to get a kitchen scale and feed your Bp a meal that is roughly 10-15% of its body weight. Id try a hopper. Heat it up, and then use a hair dryer to warm the mouses head. If all else fails, you could try live. It will usually get them feeding. If it ate on Friday, wait till next Friday to offer again. If you keep offering it will stress him out.

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Um.. What?

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Originally Posted by BigCountry

Now I know most snakes can go months with out feeding especially in the winter. Does anyone have any ideas at how I can get him to eat. its always that 1st time that is the hardest! I don't want to try Live Mice at all.

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Try live mice. And no, baby balls can't go months without feeding. I would get over your hesitation of feeding live, or start saving up for Lord Tyrion's replacement...

sorry ok here are a few pics. My tank has two heaters. one on the day side(right which comes on at night) and one on the night side(which comes on during the day. both my night and day are on the zoomed digital timer. I have the day come on from 6am-6pm and thus the night come on from 6pm-6am. The day temps range from 90-95. the night stays around 80-85. I have a water dish in the middle and a hide rock on night side and a little hide thing on the day side.http://i1292.photobucket.com/albums/...ps2c2c83c5.jpghttp://i1292.photobucket.com/albums/...ps8455bbd5.jpg

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Originally Posted by BigCountry

sorry ok here are a few pics. My tank has two heaters. one on the day side(right which comes on at night) and one on the night side(which comes on during the day. both my night and day are on the zoomed digital timer. I have the day come on from 6am-6pm and thus the night come on from 6pm-6am. The day temps range from 90-95. the night stays around 80-85. I have a water dish in the middle and a hide rock on night side and a little hide thing on the day side.http://i1292.photobucket.com/albums/...ps2c2c83c5.jpghttp://i1292.photobucket.com/albums/...ps8455bbd5.jpg

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What does this timer look like :/
I'm not aware of that. Can you set the temperature or does it just turn the heat pad on and off .

You should have a heat gradient. A hot side, and a cool side. Temps should be roughly:

Hot side: 89-91 (95 is TOO HOT)
Cool side: 79-81
Ambient: 80ish.

He also looks skinny. I know you don't want to, but I would try live. Babies can't go months on strike like adults can.

http://i1292.photobucket.com/albums/...ps90c591d8.jpg

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Originally Posted by BigCountry

http://i1292.photobucket.com/albums/...ps90c591d8.jpg

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There's your problem right there. Picture of the Yankee's has caused him to lose his appetite...
:puke2: