Ball python trouble with eating from tongs? Advice??

I got a ball python back in November from a local pet store (yes I now know why buying from a pet store is NOT a good idea) as a supposedly one month old hatchling. The store fed live and I didn't think to ask if she'd eaten for them yet (again, didn't know the question's importance at the time). She didn't eat for four months. She didn't lose too much weight, but out of caution my vet did a tube feeding. She stayed the same weight after that (this happened in January I believe) but still wouldn't eat. I tried taking her out of her cage, leaving her in, I even tried smaller mice. My last resort would be scenting, but before that, out of curiosity, I tried just putting the mouse under her lip gently while holding her head and BAM she took it the second it touched the inside of her mouth. She ate it with no issues and I was super happy she did. She ate this way about four more times (total of four weeks) until I tried one day and she struck the mouse for the first time. Ate it with no problems again, but the next time I went to feed her, she wouldn't strike it. She looked hungry, so I tried putting it in her mouth and she took it? Why did she go back to not striking? Could it be a husbandry change? The only thing I could think of was that at the time I was in a hotel temporarily and I had to bring her. Could the new location have made her want to eat? Is there anything I did wrong (if so please do not hesitate to tell me)?

Ball Pythons are notoriously picky eaters who wil sometimes go on a "hunger strike". It can happen for no reason at all, and last for months. So long as the snake isn't losing much weight, it's nothing to worry about. Your snake sounds like she's eating though, just not striking... it probably thinks the rodent is dead. After thawing it, do you run it under hot water? Snakes "see" heat, and if you can get it up to live temps, it might go through the strike-constrict process. If a BP realizes its dead, it won't bother and just try to "eat it".

I would recommend switching to rats ASAP. Several breeders I know start their hatchlings on rats from the beginning.

As long as shes eating that's what's important. Some are more aggressive feeders than others. Some never take from tongs. You just may have a "drop feeder" who is a bit shy about eating.

Have you tried just leaving it? By that I mean showing her it's there, but not near her at all. She'll smell it and sense the heat. Once you've got her attention just leave the mouse and let her do her thing.

As far as switching to rats, I wouldn't worry about switching right away. I'd make sure she keeps eating consistently and puts on a little weight. Most likely switch when it's time to upsize prey, since they grow quickly as juveniles.

What size prey are you feeding?

Right now i am feeding her fuzzies but I think she can handle hoppers. I only went smaller because my vet suggested that she may be scared of the larger prey but that didn't seem to be the issue. I've been trying to buy more mice anyway but nobody near me is in stock yet lol. She is getting her weight up more and before I fed her her spine was becoming visable, but not beyond fixing. I have tried leaving her alone with the mouse but that was before she started eating and I haven't tried it since so the next time I feed her I will. Thanks for the advice

Edit: Is there a nutritional benefit to rats over mice? I've heard many breeders do use rats but I've never known why

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Originally Posted by Alicia Kesler

Edit: Is there a nutritional benefit to rats over mice? I've heard many breeders do use rats but I've never known why

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Some people start their BPs on rats so later on in life when they outgrow mice they don't have to switch the BP from mice to rats, which i've heard can be difficult. I don't know about the nutritional value though.

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Fuzzies and hoppers are too small, by the way.

Look at the above pic. They start eating hoppers right out of the egg, that means a fuzzy mouse if too small of a meal.
Rat vs mice? They seem to grow faster with rats and is much economical to feed... say a large female 1 med rat than 5 mice.
Like Craig said, make sure she's eating first then try to switch her to rats.

Thanks for the advice guys, I will definitely start feeding her hoppers now. 👍

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Originally Posted by Alicia Kesler

Thanks for the advice guys, I will definitely start feeding her hoppers now. 👍

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How much does she weigh? I'm sure she can take larger.