New to Forum and I have a problem...

for baby balls, mice fuzzies or mice hoppers are good to start them out on. i would try live to get them eating on their own and then do whatever method you prefer. get 6-8 meals in them steady and then try switching if you want. it is very important on the temps and setup, get that right first...



vaughn

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by michele07_441

Thanks...when it is time to feed them should the pinkies be live or frozen/thawed? Sry so many questions but I have never dealt with babies before..my older ball she eats anytime and eats frozen/thawed...she is 9yrs old and was over a year old when I got her....I also read on a different thread on here that it is save to feed them inside their enclosures...helps me out alot...and again Thank you for all of your help....;)

---

Get the temps right ... 82-84 on one side, 92-94 on the other ... seperate them each into their own enclosure ... provide plenty of small tight places for them to hide on each side of the cage ... and leave them alone for at least 10 - 14 days (no touching, handling, poking, playing, etc) ... then offer them each a small live hopper mouse over night.

99% of the time ball pythons that do not eat, don't because of husbandry problems ... fix the husbandry problems and the snakes will eat.

Also, stop the force feeding ... it stresses them out more than it helps which only makes the problem worse.

-adam

Forget the pinkies, they're too small and have very little nutrition. Baby balls can easily accept rat pups or small mice. Your best bet would be to start them off on live and then go to f/t if you want. You can safely keep a rat pup in the cage overnight or a mouse fuzzy without worrying about them hurting your snakes.

Good luck!

:D Thanks to all of you for the great advise...it is nice to come onto a forum and get the help you have asked for..so thanks again:bow: :spid0r:

dont worry about them being from a pet store, thats not stupid, yeah from a breeder is better but i got mine from a pet store and the snakes in perfect health and eats every week w/ no problem at all...

Thank you all for helpping me out with my baby ball....I have yet to get him to eat...I am really worried but I keep trying and I will not give up on him...he is so sweet..never has tried to strike at any of us...we have not tried holding him again yet...we are giving him time to get use to his new home and things...I have the temps right and he has places to hide I just wish I could get him to eat...we don't want anything to happen to him...I think a trip to the vet. might be in order...if anyone has had this happen with their baby ball please let me know how long he is going to be able to go without food...I have searched info online about them but most of everything I have found is about older balls not babies...so if anyone can tell me how long he will be able to go off food and give some advise I would be greatful....thanks to all of you for still reading and answering back to me....:)

Well I have 2 BP's and one I just found yesterday under the bathtub floorboard and she was under a year when I lost her and that was almost a year and a half ago and she is still alive. I am not saying she starved but she is a little thin. I read a thread on here that BP's can go a long time without eating even up to six months. MY second BP wouldn't eat because she was goin into a shed, and once she was done still wouldn't eat I had to change the bedding and totally wash out the tank before she would eat again maybe it smelled to much like mouse who know's. I am sure everything will turnout ok, though. I hope so and keep us posted.