Snake won't eat

Well my 2 cents is feed in the cage. Feeding outside the cage was an old myth that was used more for very large constrictors because thought they would become imprinted with cage door opening meant food. It has long been proven that's not true and it is more stressful for the snake and more dangerous for the owner to do this. Im going to ask first is your husbandry right(temps, right size hides)? That is a big issue for why a lot wont eat. Assuming that's all right, how was the breeder feeding the snake before you got it? Live? F/T? Zombie dancing it? Leaving the F/T in the cage overnight? If you are doing live and not pre killing, then never leave the rat unattended in the cage. ALWAYS keep an eye on it. Sit there and watch for probably 10 mins or so, you will know if the snake is interested or not. If it isn't interested, take it out and pet your new pet for about a week. Then try again. You can also try something like a little live hopper mouse. Seems snakes love those little bouncy furballs. If you are feeding F/T, then just put it in there at night and leave it in there overnight and see if he eats it. If not, throw it out. But like I said, triple check your temps and hides to make sure the snake is comfortable. My little pied girl didn't eat for the pet shop I got her from for 3 weeks but when I got her home, she ate in 2 days and hasn't stopped since. She went 102g in November to now at last weigh in last night, 1028g. If the husbandry is right, generally a baby will be more than happy to eat and eat and eat.

Husbandry is aspen bedding, two hides, temps are 80-83 at night and 85-88 during the day. He seems very at home and comfortable in the cage. The breeder fed live and in the cage. Since I tried earlier at 11 would I be able to try again tonight at night? If this myth is debunked I have no problem feeding in the cage. Just worried from the stories I've heard about the rat going after the snake and taking a chunk out of him. Hes now two weeks without eating and I just want the guy to eat.

Two weeks is nothing for a 500 gram ball python. You want this snake to settle in and get comfortable. Moving him to a feeding container and trying to feed him four times in two weeks is stressing him. Let him settle in and try him after a week or so.

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Originally Posted by Champagn3

Husbandry is aspen bedding, two hides, temps are 80-83 at night and 85-88 during the day. He seems very at home and comfortable in the cage. The breeder fed live and in the cage. Since I tried earlier at 11 would I be able to try again tonight at night? If this myth is debunked I have no problem feeding in the cage. Just worried from the stories I've heard about the rat going after the snake and taking a chunk out of him. Hes now two weeks without eating and I just want the guy to eat.

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Feed F/T if that is your worry.

Couldn't even imagine him taking it since all he's eaten is live. I don't even think he'd be interested in f/t

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Originally Posted by Champagn3

Couldn't even imagine him taking it since all he's eaten is live. I don't even think he'd be interested in f/t

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You haven't tried it... Can't just make them assumtions, if you are worried about the snakes health then feed F/T. Tons of people have given you good advice and you say you wanna do things a certain way. Try what people with experience are saying to do, you might get your BP feeding again, and if not, what has changed haha!

Also, this amount of time not eating is nothing. Mine went 5 months with no food when I first got him.

That's why with live you got to watch them 24/7. A rat or mouse isn't going to chew on your snake in 10 mins but left overnight, I would bet it would be chewed on a lot. Regardless though, that is why when you feed live you watch the whole deal like a hawk and if anything starts to happen you grab the rodent. Also its a good idea to have a piece of dowel or pencil or something you can let the rat bite on if for some reason your snakes grabs it by the butt or something goes wrong and the rat has a chance to chew on the snake. Like I said, I just pre kill all my rodents by cervical dislocation and then just dangle them in front of the snakes and they slam em. I say just try again in a week. You don't want to try too often as it could cause the snake stress and make it scared of the food.