Re: New Ball Python Not Feeding
I don't think it is a shed cycle because she's looked the same since I got her, and being a black eyed lucy her eyes have yet to "go into blue". As for the towel technique I can try that, but the placement of her tub is in a small "closet" in the dark with a majority of the time (a small fan nearby to regulate airflow and humidity) so I'm not sure if would be any different than how I have her now.
As far as stress goes I'm at a loss because the first week or so she was not at all active and much like a "pet rock", and she's only been this active after I've made slight changes to better her enclosure (better temps, humidity, clutter/hiding locations).
Re: New Ball Python Not Feeding
No problem, but thanks for your input!
Re: New Ball Python Not Feeding
The breeder himself was Garrick over at Royal Constrictor Designs and prior to purchasing I was in contact with him multiple times about the specific animal (I am in no way blaming him as I know he is a very reputable breeder and cares about his animals, and this is all about the individual snake): he told me she was fed on live hoppers prior to purchasing, and I had asked him if he thought she would do good on frozen feeders (as frozen is more accessible for me). The next scheduled feeding he had with her he offered her a thawed hopper and told me she ate it without hesitation and had no doubt she would do fine on thawed. He also gave me a very informative care sheet in an email once she was shipped. I have yet to contact him with these concerns as I can blame the two prior non-feedings on likely new-homing stress, and I am still trying things on his care list that could possibly help me out (like trying a live feeding).
Should I still attempt feeding with the live pinky rat I picked up, even though it isn't a small hopper mouse? At the store when I was asking about live feeders they were unsure about having live mice feeders at the time but knew they had pinky rats, so I went with the pinky rat never bothered to ask about hoppers because I had read that trying different food types was a potential way to get picky eaters to eventually eat.
Re: New Ball Python Not Feeding
Good news!
Against my better judgement with your advice I still did offer the rat pinky to see what would happen and for two hours she was not interested in it and was sitting in one corner of her tub, and the pinky had actually crawled into her hide. I moved the pinky out and while doing that she curled into the "S" striking shape, so I slid her under her hide and placed the pinky out in front. A couple seconds later, she poked her head out and struck and got it!
From here on out should I continue to feed her live pinky rats for the next few weeks until she's on a schedule, and then if I want switch to frozen thawed?
Re: New Ball Python Not Feeding
Quote:
Originally Posted by
LilDiabeetus
Good news!
Against my better judgement with your advice I still did offer the rat pinky to see what would happen and for two hours she was not interested in it and was sitting in one corner of her tub, and the pinky had actually crawled into her hide. I moved the pinky out and while doing that she curled into the "S" striking shape, so I slid her under her hide and placed the pinky out in front. A couple seconds later, she poked her head out and struck and got it!
From here on out should I continue to feed her live pinky rats for the next few weeks until she's on a schedule, and then if I want switch to frozen thawed?
If / when you do switch to thawed frozen just ensure that they are WARM when offered ( a blast with a hairdryer then offer immediately) - rarely fails in my experience.
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