Feeding issues

I just got my first Ball on June 24th this year. It was a gift from a friend (It was a replacement for my mangrove monitor that died 2 days earlier). My friend got it from a pet store that apparently bought it from a guy who needed money. On the 26th I attempted to feed him for the first time. I wasn't sure what size he would eat or not. So I got him what the store called a medium rat (but I think was really a small). it was alive until I thumped him. I moved my Ball to a 30g height tank and dangled the freshly killed rat in front of him and he took it instantly.
A week later I tried to feed him again. Followed the same thing I did last week and he wouldn't eat. So I froze the rodent and then thawed it a couple days later and tried again no luck. Since the last feeding on June 26th I was unable to get my Ball to eat again. I tried small and medium size rats, live, fresh killed, F/T, in his own tank and in a separate tank. I've tried covering his tank completely and leaving the food source over night and nothing. Last night I tried a F/T small black colored rat and left it in the tank covered overnight and this morning it was still there.
Then the weirdest thing happened. This morning I moved him back to his normal tank and he went in his rock but then came out about 20 mins later and sat on his hiding rock. So I took a shot at throwing a live small rat in the tank and WHAM he took it down and ate it. it leaves me scratching my head. Any advice, help, tips or other things I should try to make feeding less cumbersome would greatly be appreciated.

Hi, hopefully I can help answer some of your questions.

First off, you probably should have given your new snake a couple weeks to get used to his new environment and unwind. Moving to a new environment is particularly stressful to any snake, but especially to Balls who tend to be more sensitive to changes.

I would find out what the snake was eating while at the pet store, or if they know what the previous owner was feeding him. If it was live rats, then stick with live rats. At least until he is eating consistently and then you can try to change to F/T if you'd like, but don't be surprised if he gets picky again. Balls are imprint feeders and tend to stick to one type of food all of their lives.

I wouldn't try to feed more than once a week. Introducing prey items is actually stressful to the snake and if you introduce one too often, the stress may be causing him not to eat. One feeding attempt a week is plenty... they can go months and months without eating, so there's no need to worry about him starving.

Finally, you mentioned that you tried all sorts of different prey items and left them overnight. That might be okay for pre-killed or F/T, but you should never leave a live rodent (larger than a rat pup or mouse fuzzy) in his cage overnight without risking serious damage to your snake.

It sounds like he's a decent eater, but just needs time to get used to his own environment and placed on a static diet. Stick to one food item such as weaned (or very small) live rats, and offer it to him once a week. Before long he'll be waiting for you on feeding day.

Good luck!

should I also wait until he potties from the last meal or not. Also what i found weird was the night before he would not take the frozen thawed. but took the live one in the bright sunny morning. All these other sites always say to feed them at night. Which is prefered? Also when thawing a frozen rat can you let it thaw out all day at romm temp or is accelerate the thaw with warm water the prefered method?

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Originally Posted by Whodinidunit

should I also wait until he potties from the last meal or not. Also what i found weird was the night before he would not take the frozen thawed. but took the live one in the bright sunny morning. All these other sites always say to feed them at night. Which is prefered? Also when thawing a frozen rat can you let it thaw out all day at romm temp or is accelerate the thaw with warm water the prefered method?

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Snakes don't have a "schedule" of going to the bathroom. Basically they will go whenever they need to. I've had mine do nothing after eating about 4 mice (two feedings). As for a certain time of day to feed, I feed mine usually afternoon/early night. Its usually about the time I go to the store to get a feeder (if I don't have any on hand). And for thawing Im not sure if there is a "preferred" method as I only tried to feed f/t for my first feeding and found them gross to look at and would totally not want to eat it if I was a snake so I stick with live. However when I thawed I just tossed it in a plastic bag and then in a bowl of hot water I believe. (And I love the warning on the bag telling you to not put them into the microwave...KABOOM :P )