First Ball Python - Hatchling Feeding and Spots

Hello, I am back.

To begin, I have posted before about this snake and here is the link to the last Thread.

https://ball-pythons.net/forums/showthread.php?263640-First-time-Owner-Juvenile-BP-Feeding-Difficulties

I wasn't sure if I was supposed to begin a new thread or not but I am so here we go. I have a 6 qt tub, back and sides obscured, it has a small water dish and one hide on the warm side. The warm side is created using a UTH that is regulated by a thermostat. The thermostat is set to 87 degrees F and bounces between 84.9-88. Aspen bedding and the humidity hovers at between 60-70%. Following the advice I received in the last thread, (again, thank you for your patience), I left him to himself as much as possible excluding changing water. His weight is now 58 grams which is horrifying. I attempted to feed him a f/t mouse that had been warmed and puppeted. No luck.
Seeing as he had more interest in trying to leaving the box then eat the mouse, I eventually left the mouse and decided to check later. As I went to remove the mouse from the box I noticed the cool side bedding was actually fairly damp and must have been spilled at some point. (I am sorry your bedding was so cold over there, tiny noodle.) The bedding on the warm side was dry.

Since it has become clear that he was not eating regularly when I got him, I will try to get him started using live prey, which I will need to leave town to get. (Hoppers, yes?) Would it be okay for me to assist feed him a smaller item so that when an additional week has passed, he will have the strength to eat it?

Additionally, he has these soft white callous like marks on the sides of his head that remind me of skin that has been around water too long. It isn't mites, they don't move. Thoughts?

FYI, if your thermostat is measuring 87, it could potentially be quite a bit less inside the tub once it gets through the plastic and substrate. That's why it's recommended to measure the temperature with a heat gun from inside the tub.

My thermostat measures under the substrate but within the tub.

You can't expect things to change overnight, give it another week NO HANDLING and try again, if you assist you will only make it worse especially considering you are lacking the experience to do so.

And considering you did not do everything to a T as mentioned it is no surprised that it failed the article mentioned LIVE HOPPER not frozen and it is very important to get an animal back on track that as now became accustomed not to eat and has entered a viscious circle.

So top the water dish make sure it's full it will last a week, no interaction and offer a live prey.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by HenloHiSB

My thermostat measures under the substrate but within the tub.

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Your thermostat probe should be out of the enclosure between the UTH and the tub.

Hello Howdy Hi,
He is tubbed and he ate and he has put on about 11 grams. I hope for him to eat again tomorrow, a week from his last. I ran to a few stores to get a live mouse and he ate it swiftly. I just wanted to update anyone following the thread so they know things have gone alright. Next time I post I hope its just happy snake things or advice on tank upgrades. Thank you for all the help.:)