Need some guidance on a stubborn snake

Okay guys time for a update....Today was feed number four denied. I have tried f/t rats and mice, live mouse and cant get any live rats small enough. I am worried now as i would like him to eat soon. Anything i put in fron of him he will get near it and then either gets scared or just loses interest and leaves. Then whatever I leave in there it just becomes his own little sidewalk and he slides all over it like its not even there. Any other suggestions anyone? I greatly appreciate the help thus far and will gladly take anymore you can give me. thanks again

Have you tried a live mouse hopper???

Have you tried scenting the room with the f/t before you actually give it to entice a feeding response? I was reading the other day on someone else's post about how they use a hairdryer to warm up the f/t and that they point the hairdryer air toward the cage. The drying and warming of the f/t should be wafting very well into your snake's nose :p.

Also, how long do your attempts to feed usually last and how often do you attempt?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Ladybugzcrunch

Add a small hide to the hot side. Make sure he has a 90-92 F hot spot. 86 is a bit cool for a hot spot.

---

Have you tried messing the with temps? It could be possible that your snake isn't at the right temps, try raising your temps like Lady stated above.

Hope this helps.

no as i dont have any available to me live. Today i got the smallest live mouse i could which was not much larger then the f/t rat fuzzy I tried last feed and all he is doing is sliding over it and trying to get out is tub.

I had a baby refuse 6 times for me, every f/t prey offer, also a live rat fuzzie (now my pet rat). I put her in a small 6 qt tub, covered it with a towel, kept a tight hide in with her. I bought a live hopper mouse and put it in with her after 6 days and she took it immediately. You're going to have to find a live hopper mouse if you want her to eat. It really doesn't sound like she's going to take f/t any time soon. It's not necessarily the size of the hopper mice that entice them, it's the way they move.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by notmyfault

Have you tried scenting the room with the f/t before you actually give it to entice a feeding response? I was reading the other day on someone else's post about how they use a hairdryer to warm up the f/t and that they point the hairdryer air toward the cage. The drying and warming of the f/t should be wafting very well into your snake's nose :p.

Also, how long do your attempts to feed usually last and how often do you attempt?



Have you tried messing the with temps? It could be possible that your snake isn't at the right temps, try raising your temps like Lady stated above.

Hope this helps.

---

I have tried scenting the room and still no response. Temps have been raised since last post and are witin normal range. I will try getting the scent directly towards him next feed. As to my feeding attempts I make multiple attempts with baiting him with the food with tongs or by hand and will attempt for 20-30 mins. After he has denied that I will leave the food in over night, if it is f/t I am sure to leave it on the hotside of his tub above the heat tape.

In my experience, baby ball pythons used to eating live will only occasionally accept FT without scenting over. (That means rubbing the FT rodent in the pee from a live rodent, essentially).

Considering the length of time, I would check to see if the expo has a vendor list, and see if you can get in touch with the seller and ask him what the baby was eating. Chances are, the snake will take that (and possibly nothing else).

Also make sure that the enclosure is small (a 5 quart bin, for example, for a hatchling). The hide should be single-entrance, and just big enough for the snake to squeeze into. NO HANDLING (other than for cage cleaning), until he is eating regularly.

If the snake roams constantly, then it is unhappy. If it hides constantly, and never comes out, even at night, then it's unhappy. If it does either of those things, you have to fiddle with its enclosure and furnishings until you make it happy, then it will eat.

If the snake is very young, and weighed less than 200 grams when you got it, I would recommend waiting only 2 more weeks, max, before getting a vet to tube feed it (unless you are familiar with assist-feeding).

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by WingedWolfPsion

In my experience, baby ball pythons used to eating live will only occasionally accept FT without scenting over. (That means rubbing the FT rodent in the pee from a live rodent, essentially).

Considering the length of time, I would check to see if the expo has a vendor list, and see if you can get in touch with the seller and ask him what the baby was eating. Chances are, the snake will take that (and possibly nothing else).

Also make sure that the enclosure is small (a 5 quart bin, for example, for a hatchling). The hide should be single-entrance, and just big enough for the snake to squeeze into. NO HANDLING (other than for cage cleaning), until he is eating regularly.

If the snake roams constantly, then it is unhappy. If it hides constantly, and never comes out, even at night, then it's unhappy. If it does either of those things, you have to fiddle with its enclosure and furnishings until you make it happy, then it will eat.

If the snake is very young, and weighed less than 200 grams when you got it, I would recommend waiting only 2 more weeks, max, before getting a vet to tube feed it (unless you are familiar with assist-feeding).

---

He does seem to roam a lot or he just stays balled up in his tub and explores every once in a while. I have since stopped handling him. He now has a small hide in his tub. When it comes towards his hide I have actually never seen him venture in on his own normally I or my roommate put him in after cleaning or changing water. He will stay in for a hour or two then he starts roaming around again. His weight right now is at 54 grams and has lost approximately 4 grams since he arrived. Not certain as he does not like to stay still at all. His temps are right in range with the hot side showing 89-92, and the cold side 80-83 and around 85 in the center of the tub. He is in a small hatching tub that holds humidity right around 65. He has since seemed to get more skittish though since I came to you guys for help. Could this be something to worry about usually if i go to handle him during a clean he will kinda flinch away, but as soon as he is in my hand he is tame and wants to explore. Now he just instantly balls up as soon as i pull his tub out of the rack. Im sorry for the long post just trying to keep things updated. Next feed is thursday so wish me luck. Thanks for everything thus far.