Baby ball not eating and really skinny

I have never had ball python feeding issues. I always ask what snakes are eating when I purchase them and if they do not eat, offering something different or leaving them alone longer usually works for me, but I am starting to panic at this point. I have a vet appointment for this snake on the 20th but I am really thinking I cannot wait that long. The vet told me if there is any cancellations then they would call. It is the only exotic vet and it is 1hr away.

On the 24th of March I purchased a female leopard ball python. She looked to be in good health. They guy even gave me the feeding chart and he had been feeding her every 7 days on F/T hopper mice. She was born on February 27th. He claimed her to be his from his first clutch of the year.

I have not been able to get her to eat since. I know you people must get a lot of "my ball python is not eating" questions. I have 8 other ball pythons and have never had an issue. I have never bought one this young either but she looked really healthy when I bought her. She weighed 105g when I brought her home, stuck her in my snake rack with a hide and left her there for 5 days. I feed young snakes every 5 days. So I tried to feed her a F/T hopper mouse but she did not eat. I did not think anything of it and attempted to feed her again 3 days later. I have so far offered her F/T and live hoppers. ASFs F/T and live fuzzies up to hoppers. The only size of rats here are pups to mediums, so I cannot offer her one of those yet. But she is not eating at all. She is now 89g and has not eaten since 18th of March. She is active and I still have not held her yet. Can anyone please give me any advice? I am really worried about her and do not even know if she will make it till the 20th for a vet visit.

There's a couple things i know of you can try if you haven't already, I'm sure others will offer up more. But try to offer prekilled instead of frozen? Buy a live and snap it's neck. Maybe he was used to fresher ft mice. If that doesn't work I would try braining the mouse, people say it makes feeding irresistable. Aside from that I've heard of chicken broth, but I have no clue to its effectiveness.

Aren't babies fun!?!? With small BPs, it's mostly about them being comfortable in their environment. You said you brought her home, stuck her in your snake rack with a hide, and left her for 5 days. How big of a tub is she in? What kind of hide? What kind of substrate? How was the breeder keeping her?

Here's an article with lots of good advice as well: My Ball Python Won't Eat!

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Originally Posted by Eric Alan

Aren't babies fun!?!? With small BPs, it's mostly about them being comfortable in their environment. You said you brought her home, stuck her in your snake rack with a hide, and left her for 5 days. How big of a tub is she in? What kind of hide? What kind of substrate? How was the breeder keeping her?

Here's an article with lots of good advice as well: My Ball Python Won't Eat!

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It is just a plastic PCV hide. I use unprinted news paper for substrate and I put her in an adult rack. Not sure of the size but I would guess around 30-50 quarts? I do not have a hatchling rack yet as I am just getting into having a collection and breeding. That is the reason I gave her a hide. My adults do not use hides unless I have feeding issues with them. How funny. I do not have any feeding issues with my adults so far but I do have hides for them JIC. I gave her a hide that my baby corn snakes used. The hide is definitely perfect for her. She still has a little room to move around but can snuggle up nicely in it.

If you've got a 200-ish gram baby in an adult tub, even with a hide she may still feel too exposed. I've run BP's as small as 500 grams in that size rack but they had warm and cool side hides so they could thermoregulate, soft plastic viney fake greenery from the craft store to take up extra space, plus the water dish, so it was pretty cluttered in there.

I would give her a few more hides and lay some sheets of the paper over them so that when your girl peeks out she doesn't see a huge empty space. Next time you feed just leave the f/t feeder at the opening of whichever hide she's using without disturbing the paper too much.

I absolutely agree with the above. An 89g baby in an adult tub feels like a drop of water in the ocean. When my snakes were younger and I was housing them in display enclosures (Animal Plastics T8s), I put in a bunch of crumpled up newspaper in addition to providing multiple hides to help them feel more comfortable. As they grew, I would use less paper until eventually I just had hides for them. Try cluttering the place up and use the above advice about leaving the feeder sit in the enclosure overnight.

Your adults don't use/need hides because the entire tub is basically their hide - they've very different from hatchlings in that regard.

I have two snakes that around the 210-300g mark that are also in these these racks who do not have hides and eat just fine, so I guess I never thought it as an issue. The tubs are pretty much left dark all the time so I guess it would not be too much of an issue. I will add two more hides and I will do my best at closing in some space.

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Originally Posted by BCS

I have two snakes that around the 210-300g mark that are also in these these racks who do not have hides and eat just fine, so I guess I never thought it as an issue. The tubs are pretty much left dark all the time so I guess it would not be too much of an issue. I will add two more hides and I will do my best at closing in some space.

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They each have their own personalities. This one is probably just more naturally shy than the others. :oops: Let us know how it goes!

When should I try feeding her again then? I tried yesterday and she did not eat. Her vet appointment is on the 20th. Even if it is just a hide thing, does not hurt to get her checked anyway. But should I try again tonight or in a couple if days? Is she in any immediate danger of starving to death?

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Originally Posted by BCS

When should I try feeding her again then? I tried yesterday and she did not eat. Her vet appointment is on the 20th. Even if it is just a hide thing, does not hurt to get her checked anyway. But should I try again tonight or in a couple if days? Is she in any immediate danger of starving to death?

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I'd try again on her next scheduled feed.

She does not sound like she is in danger of starving to death. Even the little hatchlings can go a month without food.