Re: killed food but then stared at it all night
Quote:
Originally Posted by rabernet
Hi! Just wanted to address these two.
First - good instincts of no interaction with your snake (although I would have waited 7 days). If any of mine refuse food one week, they get no interaction until they successfully feed again.
Second - removing hides aren't necessary and in fact remove the security that our shy ball pythons need and want. I don't remove any hides for mine (or water bowl for that matter). My snakes get very insecure if the hides are removed and would be more likely to refuse without the safety and security of their hides.
Well, I decided after recommendation here at this site. ;) lol Ah didn't realize that about the hides. I thought that is why some people move to a different tub to eat so they can focus strictly on their food. I might leave them next time and just see what happens. I had left them in before when he wouldn't eat, but I am almost positive it was just him getting used to his new house.
Re: killed food but then stared at it all night
no i take mine out so it doesnt begin to associate my hand going in the tank with yay its food time. this could possibly make your snake aggressive always trying to strike at you when you want to handle them. they will get accustomed to knowing when its feeding time and putting them in a separate enclosure lets them know when its feeding time.
Re: killed food but then stared at it all night
Quote:
Originally Posted by sg1trogdor
no i take mine out so it doesnt begin to associate my hand going in the tank with yay its food time. this could possibly make your snake aggressive always trying to strike at you when you want to handle them. they will get accustomed to knowing when its feeding time and putting them in a separate enclosure lets them know when its feeding time.
This is not true - I feed all of mine in their enclosures, none of them mistake me for food, because a) I don't smell like a mouse or rat and b) I'm going into my enclosure to clean, change water every day, and go to get them out for brief handling, not just feeding, so there's no way for them to associate that opening their enclosure always means food is coming.
They are very good with routines, as you mentioned - knowing when it's feeding time. I don't know about you, but I don't want to handle MY kiddos on feeding day to move them to another enclosure, they are locked and loaded on feeding day, as they should be. I'd be more likely to be bitten if I DID move them to another enclosure than allowing them to eat in their familiar surroundings.
Any other day, they know is not feeding day.
Re: killed food but then stared at it all night
well third times a charm... he took a F/T mouse that i let thaw on top of his tank, then hit it with the blow dryer for a few mins. took him some time but he took it. i left the room and gave him complete privacy (the room was pitch black). came back 20 mins later and no mouse. VICTORY! this was the first time he ate since i have had him.
Re: killed food but then stared at it all night
As some people may know i recently have gotten a ball python, and i have been having trouble with his husbandry so far i have finally perfected my Temps and i am happy know, all i am worrying about is helping him settle in. Today was feeding day and my instinct told me that he wasn't gonna eat because he havent even been in his hides yet so i am gonna wait until next thursday to try again. The hide i had were the open log hides, i figured that he didn't like them. So i bought to knew hides Reptile CAves and after taking him out of his feeding container after not eating i placed him inside of his hides. So far his is still in there he poked his head out and went back in and actually moved back, i hope this works because i am very anxious but patient to start handling him, but since he is not settled in yet i am just gonna give him his room.
Re: killed food but then stared at it all night
I agree dont remove the hides but you can remove the water dish... I have problems with my guy getting to physical with his pray that he sometimes drags it through his water dish and gets stuff stuck to it.
Re: killed food but then stared at it all night
Quote:
Originally Posted by Blaq215
As some people may know i recently have gotten a ball python, and i have been having trouble with his husbandry so far i have finally perfected my Temps and i am happy know, all i am worrying about is helping him settle in. Today was feeding day and my instinct told me that he wasn't gonna eat because he havent even been in his hides yet so i am gonna wait until next thursday to try again. The hide i had were the open log hides, i figured that he didn't like them. So i bought to knew hides Reptile CAves and after taking him out of his feeding container after not eating i placed him inside of his hides. So far his is still in there he poked his head out and went back in and actually moved back, i hope this works because i am very anxious but patient to start handling him, but since he is not settled in yet i am just gonna give him his room.
Sounds like you are being very attentive to your animal and learning how to read him! I think you made a good decision to wait. I know when my guys are out and about like that, they will likely refuse. If they are in their hides lurking waiting for food, they're more likely to eat for me!
