Am I doing something wrong?

try using a hair dryer on the mouse before offering it to him, snakes pick up on heat signatures quite well and I think this helps release the smell to get a feeding response going

My only suggestion would be to BUY A TEMPERATURE GUN........you can get one on line from harbor freights for $19.99....they are great u can tell exactly how hot the rat is the warm side, cool side readings....they are worth the money......

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Originally Posted by yourstruely_rachel

I just brought home my ball python on the 25th of november. He is about 14 inches long, but i'm not sure how old that means he is. I have never owned any kind of snake before, but have some expirience handling them. The first two days went great. He was very active, and explored his new surroundings day and night. He even let me touch him a couple times. But on the third day he went into his warm-side hide, and didn't come out. Its been 5 days now and he has barely moved.

Also just moments ago i attempted to feed him. The pet store said the last time he ate was the 23rd, and he is on frozen-thawed fuzzies. He responded positivly to the food by flicking his tougne and getting in strike position. But i dangled the mouse for about 20 minuets and he never made any moves to take it. And when i tried just laying it down in front of him and walking away he became even less interested in it. I've learned that its nothing to worry about if they skip a few feedings, but he is still very young, and kind of thin because he just finished shedding about a week ago.

My setup is in accordance with all the research iv done, but I have two theories for his odd behavior. First is that the temp in the cage has been a little low the past couple days, due to a sudden cold snap and a broken window in the room. But ive made arrange ments to get it fixed asap and will be using a space heater to heat the room in the meantime. And the second one is the feeding tongs i'm using are different than the ones used by the pet store and he might be scared of them.

So if im doing something wrong, please correct me! Any advice at all is appreciated. And thanks for taking the time to read my post :]

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I had the same problems with mine.I bought him from petsmart.after coming here and reading wish i would have went through a breeder.But what can you do but make the best of it! Mine was also very small from looking at pics of breeders they are alot fatter and healthier looking.
Woody shed about 2 weeks after i got him and wouldn`t take food for the next 3 weeks.I got worried so i started to leave it in front of his warm side hide and came back about 5 min later and it was gone.Now that`s how i feed him every time.
Also if you have a heat lamp I let my mice thaw over night in the frig then put them under the heat lamp for about 5 min flipping once and it`s worked pretty good.

Hello there! And welcome! :)

I didn't read through all the posts that have gone up, but I believe for the most part your question has been answered. The only thing I would add is that, after a move or some other stressful event, a ball python may refuse food for a couple of weeks. I know in my personal experience, every time I move my male won't eat for at least two weeks. (The female has no such issue.) So he may just be stressed out due to the new environment and a new person with a new smell feeding him. :) No worries though. He should get used to it shortly and resume eating as usual.

As others have said, for a snake his/her size I'd say only feed him/her once a week with an appropriately sized prey item. Don't attempt to change his usual food until he has resumed a regular eating regimen either. Unless you're trying live, which may be an effective option. Just supervise while the food item is in the cage. However, if you're feeding fuzzies or some other small prey that isn't particularly motile, it should be fine to leave it in the enclosure unsupervised for a little while.

Also, you should have a day/night cycle for your snake. I suggest a black light bulb, or red viewing bulb for nighttime. They can be found in the same location where you purchased your basking bulb or whatever heat source you have. An under tank heater (UTH) is an amazing thing during winter. It helps get the temps up without heating up the room! :) Other than that, if your temps and humidity are correct you should be good to go! :gj:

Good luck! And if you have any other questions, don't hesitate to ask! :snake:

Good news! I fixed the broken window and continued using the space heater to keep the room warm, and it did exactly what i hoped it would. He spent sevral day and night hours roaming around and climbing yesterday. From what i can tell he seems to be pleased with his new home. I took some cool pics and will upload them as soon as I find my lost usb cord...and I will try feeding again on tuesday, husing the hair dryer to make sure its warm enough. Also i will try and see if i can get the reccomended heat guns and digital thermometers for christmas :)

Everyone, thanks for all the help!

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Originally Posted by KigerTiger

Hello there! And welcome! :)
Also, you should have a day/night cycle for your snake. I suggest a black light bulb, or red viewing bulb for nighttime. They can be found in the same location where you purchased your basking bulb or whatever heat source you have.

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BPs are nocturnal - they don't need a day/night light cycle.

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Originally Posted by yourstruely_rachel

Good news! I fixed the broken window and continued using the space heater to keep the room warm, and it did exactly what i hoped it would. He spent sevral day and night hours roaming around and climbing yesterday. From what i can tell he seems to be pleased with his new home. I took some cool pics and will upload them as soon as I find my lost usb cord...and I will try feeding again on tuesday, husing the hair dryer to make sure its warm enough. Also i will try and see if i can get the reccomended heat guns and digital thermometers for christmas :)

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If he's still roaming, then he's likely either hunting (good thing) or there is something wrong with his setup that is stressing him. Don't wait until Christmas to check his temps - digital Acurite thermometers with a probe for the hot spot are ~$15 at Walmart, and you only need one for one BP.

A few things:

1) Shedding doesn't make ball pythons skinny. Failing to eat does...which means they probably lied about his feeding. That may have been the last time food was offered, but it's unlikely it was the last time he ate, if he was thin when you got him.

2) Give him a live mouse hopper. If he's truly been eating frozen thawed, then he will eat it again, once he has his appetite back. A live mouse is much more likely to stimulate his appetite and instincts.

3) If he doesn't accept the live hopper, take him a veterinarian for a check up. Pet stores are notoriously untrustworthy places to buy reptiles from. His failure to eat may be the result of a health issue, or internal parasites. If heat, hides, etc are all correct, then a hatchling ball python should not fast for longer than 2 or 3 weeks, max...if thin ALREADY, than even less time than that.

4) Ball pythons should rest in their hide all day, and roam for a few periods at night. If they're out and about continuously, even during the day, then they're unhappy. Usually this is due to an enclosure that's too large, or an improper hide. (A dirty cage, or mature male looking for a mate, can also cause roaming).

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Originally Posted by WingedWolfPsion

A few things:

1) Shedding doesn't make ball pythons skinny. Failing to eat does...which means they probably lied about his feeding. That may have been the last time food was offered, but it's unlikely it was the last time he ate, if he was thin when you got him.

2) Give him a live mouse hopper. If he's truly been eating frozen thawed, then he will eat it again, once he has his appetite back. A live mouse is much more likely to stimulate his appetite and instincts.

3) If he doesn't accept the live hopper, take him a veterinarian for a check up. Pet stores are notoriously untrustworthy places to buy reptiles from. His failure to eat may be the result of a health issue, or internal parasites. If heat, hides, etc are all correct, then a hatchling ball python should not fast for longer than 2 or 3 weeks, max...if thin ALREADY, than even less time than that.

4) Ball pythons should rest in their hide all day, and roam for a few periods at night. If they're out and about continuously, even during the day, then they're unhappy. Usually this is due to an enclosure that's too large, or an improper hide. (A dirty cage, or mature male looking for a mate, can also cause roaming).

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X2!!:gj::gj:

And you have some well respected breeders in Owensboro that could help you out as well. (It's always nice to find another herper close to you!)

Welcome to BP.NET and the addiction that will follow :P

So here are a few sugestions I either missed or were not given yet.


First What type of enclosure do you have your snake in more that likely its an aquarium. If you havent already black out the sides and back I use aquarium backgrounds from the petstore. Also if you are having issues with heat and humidity use a peice of plexi and foil tape to help keep heat in. I used cardboard and foil tape behind the aquarium backgrounds to keep my temps more stable with room fluxuation. Remember baby snakes are food for other snakes and as such they need to feel secure. I also use a blowdryer to heat F/T rodents it also help scents the room and get them in a good feed/hunt mode. My first PB was a pet store purchase and I had the same issues so make sure your husbandry is good and also have 2 identical hides for the little guy. Ours took almost 2 months to get to eat real regular so keep trying eventually your little guy will settle in and become a great pet:)

here are a couple pics of how my aquarium is set up hope this helps :D

http://a1.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot...84084614_n.jpg

Plexi Cover for the screen top

http://a7.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot...64496118_n.jpg

It's pretty normal for them to explore the first day, and then hide for a week or two after that. He'll start poking his head out again when he gets really comfy and settled in and maybe a bit more hungry. They're most active in the evenings---my babies and juveniles come out around dinner time. My adults hide until I turn the lights out, and then they spend the next hour or two bumping around while I'm trying to go to sleep.

If that f/t mouse was actually warm to the touch, then he's just not hungry yet. Try again in 5 days, and then again in 10 days. If he won't eat then, let us know.

14 inches is pretty young. He's a 2011, but how old exactly depends on how often he was being fed.

Welcome! And have fun with your new pet (when he finally gets settled in).