Why won't my baby eat?

I would try a live small adult mouse.

Also, what are you using to measure your temps, and are you measuring ground level temperatures?

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Originally Posted by xKxLxHx

Not exactly. After I let it thaw to room temperature, last night I put it underneath my ceramic heat bulb overnight.

And no, she still didn't eat, the mouse was still in the cage when I woke up this morning. :(

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So, you're offering mice fuzzies? A hatchling can take a hopper as its first meal (eyes and ears just opened).

I still think you need to offer a small live mouse, since she's never taken f/t for you. Fuzzy is too small for a bp her age.

One other thing I'd like to add. This comes directly from our caresheet here. If you haven't had a chance to look over it yet, it addresses a lot of common mistakes that can cause a BP not to feed.

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WHY WON'T MY SNAKE EAT?
In almost all cases, a ball python refuses to eat due to husbandry issues. Especially a young one. If your snake misses more than one meal (sometimes they won't want to eat while in shed) please check the following possible causes:

Lack of Security -- No hides, or hides that are too large or exposed (ie: half logs). They prefer dark, tight hides they barely fit into. Also, if the enclosure is too large, or too open (glass) or in a high traffic area with a lot of loud noise or movement. Another snake in the same enclosure can also cause serious security issues.

Over Handling -- Frequent intrusions into the enclosure, changes to the enclosure, and/or long frequent handling sessions can cause a shy snake to feel vulnerable and refuse to eat.

Improper Temps -- Temps that are too high or too low, or temps that fluctuate too much. Make sure you have an accurate and consistent read on your temps.

Improper Lighting -- Bright white lights shining directly into the enclosure, or 24 hour lighting can cause stress. Make sure there is some sort of day/night cycle.

Offering New Prey -- Changing prey species (ie: mice to rats) or methods (ie: live to f/t) can cause refusal. Such changes can be made, but may require patience and persistence.

Improper Offering of Prey -- Offering prey too frequently can do more harm than good. If a snake refuses, do not attempt to feed again for a week. Also, changing environments by moving to a feeding-box or removing hides and "furniture" can cause refusal in these shy snakes.

Prey Too Large -- Too large an item may intimidate a snake and cause refusal, or even a regurgitation if it is eaten. Also, if a ball python has eaten large meals in the past, it can cause a sudden an indefinite period of fasting.

Mites -- An external parasite common to snakes that must be treated and eradicated. A product called Provent-a-Mite (P.A.M.) is the safest and most effective method.

Seasonal -- Sexually mature ball pythons may fast for anywhere from a few weeks to a few months during their mating season (typically anywhere from late fall to early spring) especially if a sexually mature snake of the opposite sex is in close proximity.

Illness -- If all other possible reasons are eliminated, a vet check may be in order to look for internal parasites, as well as possible infections to the skin, scales, mouth or respiratory system.

Fortunately, ball pythons are extremely hardy snakes that can go for months (if necessary) of fasting without suffering any ill effects. This gives a responsible keeper plenty of time to figure out why the snake refuses to eat and get them on a regular, consistent feeding regimen.

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They won't eat if its spoiled. Try a live rat pup. The newspaper is a good idea. You might also try putting the snake and rat pup together in a closed up paper sack(inside the cage) overnight. This has worked for me to get a picky eater back on feed.
With F/T I heat it up with a hair dryer. I feed live most of the year. F/T is a PITA.

I agree with a few of the posters above. You should try a live mouse or rat. I suggest a mouse. It seems that picky ball pythons are more inclined to take a mouse over a rat.

Good luck, and keep us updated.

as long as all your temps, humidity, housing etc. is a in proper order i wouldnt stress about it too much . . . .

BP's can go of eating for months even a year is not uncommon, there are even 2 cases where BP's went off eating for 22 months straight which is close to 2 years, as long as your snake is not losing weight then you have nothing to worry about . . . i offer my yearlings(08's) an adult mouse every 5-7 days i weigh them before i offer them food even if they dont eat so next time i can tell if they have lost any weight, i offer my 07's and older an adult mouse every 7-10 days my adults get small rats, i prefer to offer my BP's smaller prey more often than larger prey spaced further away, its easier on their digestive systems

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Originally Posted by Python Guru

as long as all your temps, humidity, housing etc. is a in proper order i wouldnt stress about it too much . . . .

BP's can go of eating for months even a year is not uncommon, there are even 2 cases where BP's went off eating for 22 months straight which is close to 2 years, as long as your snake is not losing weight then you have nothing to worry about . . . i offer my yearlings(08's) an adult mouse every 5-7 days i weigh them before i offer them food even if they dont eat so next time i can tell if they have lost any weight, i offer my 07's and older an adult mouse every 7-10 days my adults get small rats, i prefer to offer my BP's smaller prey more often than larger prey spaced further away, its easier on their digestive systems

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A baby can't go for two years without feeding. An adult with good weight, yes. And those cases were WC females brought in that were in shock.

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Originally Posted by rabernet

A baby can't go for two years without feeding. An adult with good weight, yes. And those cases were WC females brought in that were in shock.

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your right a baby should not go that long without eating nor should any snake, but it happens . . . . here is some more help if you are still having problems

"What can I do to get this snake to eat?! This is a question that most Ball Python owners have asked themselves at one time or another. The first thing you should do is RELAX. A six or eight month fasting period is not unheard of, nor in most cases will it harm your snake. I would suggest getting a postal scale and monitor any weight loss. If your snake doesn't loose much more than about 15-20% of it's original weight you shouldn't worry. Stress is usually the reason that Ball Pythons don't eat. Your Ball Python can be feeling stress: from not being comfortable in it's (new) home, from parasites (either internal or external), from you handling the snake too much, or from infections (respiratory, mouth rot, blister disease, etc). Assuming that the snake is otherwise healthy, free of parasites, and just not eating, try some of the following:


- Double check that your temperature and humidity cycles are correct and your snake has a few places to hide in the cage (see husbandry).
- What season is it outdoors? It's pretty common for adult males (and sometimes females) to go off feed during the winter months, as that is also the breeding season.
- If your snake is shying away from the food item, chances are it's stressed about something.
- Are you handling/disturbing the snake? If so how often? Try leaving the snake alone for a week or so and then offer food.
- Is there another snake in the tank? Some of my Ball Pythons do not eat unless they are the only snake in the cage.
- Is the cage in a room that gets a lot of foot traffic and noise? Try moving it to a more quite room.
- Is it within a few days of, or during a shed cycle? Most snakes won't eat during this period.
- Are you offering live? Try offering dead, or if you are offering dead, try offering live.
- How large of a meal are you offering? Even though they might be able to swallow a large meal, some snakes prefer smaller ones.
- Are you offering different types of rodents?..Mice? Rats? Gerbils?
- What color of rodents are you offering? Some snakes don't recognize white lab mice and rats as food items. Try and get some with some color on them.
- Are you offering male or female rodents? Some snakes show a preference one way or the other.
- What is the temperature of the dead rodent? Sometimes a fresh kill is the right temperature, and a thawed rodent isn't.
- When you offer food, how are you doing it? Are you disturbing the snake first? a lot of times, if you use the hemostats× and dangle a rodent in front of the snake or, just in front of the hole in the hide box, the Ball Python will take it.
- What time of day are you offering food? Remember that Ball Pythons are nocturnal and may not want to eat if it's light out.
- Are the lights on in the room when you offer food? Some snake like it dark when they eat.
- How far away from the snake is the rodent? Somewhere around 2-6 inches from the snakes face is about right.
- Try putting the Ball Python in a brown (opaque) paper bag over night with a DEAD rodent. Make sure you put the bag back into the tank! Sometimes they get out of the bag.
- Talk to the pet store and see if they will provide you with some soiled gerbil bedding. Place that in the paper bag with the rodent.
- Try scenting a dead rat or mouse by rubbing it against a dead gerbil.
- Try thawing a rodent, refreezing it, and thawing it again. The freezing process breaks down the cell walls and makes the rodent smell more pungent.
- It isn't very pleasant, but try splitting or cutting the dead rodent's skull so that some brain matter and blood come out."

I agree with what has already been said....I would try a live rat pup, or live small adult mouse. Juvi's appreciate live prey items as their first meals. Or you could try pre-killed, if the rodent is still warm and fresh, your baby may be more tempted to eat.

From your description you are not heating the mouse above room temperature. BPs have heat pits that they use to locate their prey; basically they can "see" things that are hotter than the rest of the environment. If the mouse is the same temperature as the surrounding environment, no wonder it isn't eating.

I don't quite understand the comment about putting it under the CHE overnight. Was that in the snake's enclosure? If so, then the mouse still remained the same temperature as the surroundings. If it was out of the enclosure, then you offered it in the morning... well... yuk... it was probably half rotten by then.

I would try the newspaper trick... just take pieces of newspaper, loosely crumple them, and make a layer on the bottom of the enclosure. They need to be loose enough that the snake can crawl under or through them. This way, even when the snake comes out of its hide, it still feels mostly hidden and secure. Then, after it has had at least a few days to get used to this, offer a live mouse of appropriate size, or a little on the small side, because that can also help timid feeders. Note, I do not mean smaller than a fuzzy mouse, which is already on the small size for your BP, but sticking with the size it was eating before until it takes a meal won't hurt, then move it up in size.

However, if you have not been heating the f/t mouse properly, you might give that one try before you switch to live if staying on f/t is important to you. Make sure the mouse is warm enough (mouse body temp is a little warmer than human body temp), especially the head. Also, when you wiggle the f/t mouse, do it gently. It is easy to scare a timid snake by wiggling the prey item too much. Your description of shaking it with the tongs leads me to believe you might be moving it around too much.