Is This Normal?

ok, my baby ball python, i think around 3-4 months old, hasnt fed in 5 weeks, however i fed him live and hes been eating for the past 2 weeks consistently, which was a great releif, however..in order for his to feed, i have to take him out of the cage, put him on my bed on a towel...put the rat (me holding the rat by the tail) right infront of him for him to eat it, hes small now and i feed him hoppers, but eventually the rats will get bigger and i dont feel like gettin bit

Im sorry, Im not quite clear on what your asking here. he has been off feed for 5 weeks, but has been eating for the last two????? So he isnt really off feed is he?

i didnt say he is off feed, i said prior to the two weeks, he hasnt ate in 5 weeks

this is the only way he'll eat? have you tried feeding in his enclosure? get a good pair of tongs to hold the prey with. otherwise you're really just asking to get bit.

Have you tried feeding him in a separate enclosure, prescenting? Anything to really get him in the mood to eat?

I would try a few different things, first off I would try to feed him in a different container, and drop the rat in, or hold it with some tongs for him. That way you wont have to hold the rat by the tail

...perhaps some soft music, a little wine, candlelight...that would work for me...

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Originally Posted by mrmertz

...perhaps some soft music, a little wine, candlelight...that would work for me...

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hahahhahahah

Leave him in his enclosure, try prescenting by leaving the rat in a container near his enclosure for a few minutes.

If he won't eat in his cage maybe he does not feel secure enough, make sure to provide hides or fill the cage with loosely wadded newspaper, otherwise perhaps something is off with your husbandry.

Just some thoughts.

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Originally Posted by JBallPython

Leave him in his enclosure, try prescenting by leaving the rat in a container near his enclosure for a few minutes.

If he won't eat in his cage maybe he does not feel secure enough, make sure to provide hides or fill the cage with loosely wadded newspaper, otherwise perhaps something is off with your husbandry.

Just some thoughts.

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well i actually dont feed him in his cage for a reason, and that is so no substrate will be swallowed, i was just wondering why he only eats from my hands basically

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Originally Posted by Igor

well i actually dont feed him in his cage for a reason, and that is so no substrate will be swallowed, i was just wondering why he only eats from my hands basically

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How else have you tried?