Hiya...newbie here...

Hi guys. I'm a newbie on this forum and moreso to ball pythons. The boyfriend and I currently have 9 hatchling non-feeders we got off of another breeder. We did have ten but one just drowned in his water dish (I promise - it wasn't too deep, he was already more sluggish and underweight than the others). They weigh between 40g (male) and 64 g (female) with all of the females being heavier. They are in 12q sterilite containers with airholes in a rack system. Only one has shed for us so far and she refuses to eat. I'm not too concerned because these guys should only be 3 weeks old or so but we need to get them eating. Have tried rat pinks and mouse fuzzies with no luck (rat pinks were live and mouse fuzzies were f/t). Tried slitting the fuzzies as well since my older trio won't touch f/t unless they can sense innards for some reason. We've tried forcing the one that has shed and it hasn't worked either. We're running out of ideas and need to get some food into these guys. As a last resort we'll use a pinky pump thing and force feed them (but I'd like to avoid that). Any suggestions are welcome. Thanks in advance!

~Katie

Wow, you seriously took on 10 non-feeders?! You're crazy girl!! :D

Can't say I have any good advice, I'm just amazed by your guts!

Here read this...
http://www.8ballpythons.com/journal/...ingseating.htm

Give Adam's methods a try and see how they work.

hiya and welcome good luck with the 9 bps hope they all feed soon bad luck about the 10th that drowned

Welcome to the forums! Good luck, you've definately come to the right place! :)

Welcome and adam's method seems like a good one and good luck!

3 weeks is nothing. Relax.

First, wait until they all shed before you do anything.

Make sure they all have small hides that they can squeeze into and fill their boxes with crumpled up newspaper. Hatchlings must feel very secure in order to start eating and a 12 qt box is a HUGE and SCAREY place to a baby ball python.

Leave them alone like that for at least a week and then try live hopper mice at dusk .... leave the room for a couple of hours and then check on them.

Also, keep them nice and warm!!!

-adam

Thanks for all the replies guys! Next question: we got them on the 5th of June as newly hatched non-feeders and the guy said he wasn't sure if they had shed yet. Only one has shed so far and it's been at least 3 weeks since they hatched. Should I take this as a sign of the others shedding before we got them? Most of the females are nice and big and robust but the little 40g male we have left I'm starting to worry about. Still moves around and is curious but all skin and bones. It's been almost 3 weeks since I've had them and none have eaten. Should I go ahead and try feeding all of them?

~Katie