BP not Eating

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

:confusd:

You're talking about feeding your snake in a 'side' container? Nope, don't do that. Shy snakes won't eat that way- not with you handling them first. The only thing that picks up a snake in the wild is a predator about to EAT them. Handling to move the snake will destroy their appetite. And a less-shy snake that's pumped up for food will be biting you, either on the way to the tote, or when you try to put them back 'home'- they can stay in "feed mode" for hours to a day or longer. Just don't do that...feed your snake IN his home where he feels safe. Put his needs front & center if you expect him to eat & thrive.

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This is post #9

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

:colbert: Nope, not if you want your snake to eat.

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This is post #11 when you asked about feeding in a separate container immediately after being told not to feed in a separate container

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Originally Posted by Thomas S

what im saying is that Bogertophis post is one of few posters who says to feed in a tote/seperate container

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You're incorrect and again as mentioned before, half listening or just outright misunderstanding the guidance being given. To be blunt, you're becoming increasingly difficult to help and I'm not sure what else to suggest for you if you're not going to read the advice that's being posted.

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Originally Posted by Thomas S

what im saying is that Bogertophis post is one of few posters who says to feed in a tote/seperate container

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Nope, :colbert: Never never never would tell anyone that. Never happened & never will.

Talked to Wilbanks and yes the snake was feed in a small home..you recommend to try to copy what they did if possible, so the only way to do that is to feed in a separate container, you are against that, then i misunderstood your post sorry..i too think she should be feed in her new home, more others than not, agree to this also. Sorry for mix up

How do i post photos?

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Originally Posted by Thomas S

Talked to Wilbanks and yes the snake was feed in a small home..you recommend to try to copy what they did if possible, so the only way to do that is to feed in a separate container, you are against that, then i misunderstood your post sorry..i too think she should be feed in her new home, more others than not, agree to this also. Sorry for mix up

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Wilbanks almost certainly meant that the animal was kept in a small tub in a rack and that it was fed in that tub where it lived. Read the stickied post I shared top to bottom and thoroughly. We're not telling you anything that Wilbanks hasn't.

I didn't think Wilbanks feed in separate tub, they feed it in its home which happened to be a tub

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Originally Posted by Thomas S

Talked to Wilbanks and yes the snake was feed in a small home..you recommend to try to copy what they did if possible, so the only way to do that is to feed in a separate container, you are against that, then i misunderstood your post sorry..i too think she should be feed in her new home, more others than not, agree to this also. Sorry for mix up

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You misunderstood completely. The snake was kept in a small home & fed where it lived, in the same small home. No moving a snake to another place for feeding, ever.

But that's not saying your current home for the snake is what is best (nor is it what was recommended)- it's probably much larger than the snake was used to, & in part, that's why it's not eating.

- - - Updated - - -

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Originally Posted by Thomas S

I didn't think Wilbanks feed in separate tub, they feed it in its home which happened to be a tub

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Yes, bingo!

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Originally Posted by Thomas S

How do i post photos?

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I already gave you a link to follow in the second post of this thread, which you obviously didn't read:

https://ball-pythons.net/forums/show...=1#post2754894

THIS LINE >>> This might help: https://ball-pythons.net/forums/show...-Post-Pictures

Any suggestions on maintaining humidity? They sell cage humidifiers or regular bedroom humidifiers

EXACTLY! Should i move her into a tote for a couple of Months or so until she starts feeding Regularly?

Jeebuz, it's 6 pages of advice and still no progress??

When I first received my ball python (about 75-100 grams), he wasn't eating either. He was housed in a 10 gallon tank. Maintaining humidity was difficult. I followed the sticky thread 101 hatchling advice and it worked! Boger provided that link to you somewhere at the start. Tubs also make maintaining humidity a breeze. Make sure to add air holes.

Imo, 20 gallon is way too big for a 200 or so grams ball python. Something about the size of a 6 or 12 quart tub should suffice, it's nice and snuggly for the snake. Anyways, listen to what Wilbanks said, it's probably similar to what was advised in the 101 hatchling thread.

Wilbanks did say one important thing. As a Last Resort, They will take the Snake back and "Fatten" her up and return her to me later. That would be a lot of stress for her but atleast she wouldn't continue to lose weight...

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Originally Posted by Thomas S

Wilbanks did say one important thing. As a Last Resort, They will take the Snake back and "Fatten" her up and return her to me later. That would be a lot of stress for her but atleast she wouldn't continue to lose weight...

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So... Are you going to do that?

If you are, just say so and no one have to respond to this thread anymore.

Thomas S- We're truly here to help you (& anyone looking for help), but you disrespect our time & efforts by not reading or absorbing what we tell you, & then you ask the same questions again.

May I suggest that you re-read this thread a few times & all the links thoroughly because the answers have already been given to you. At this point, it's up to you to follow instructions- it's not as if we can make house-calls. ;)

WHAT are you talking about? i never asked you about moving into a tote for a while, i only asked if it was a good idea to feed in one, while keeping the snakes home in the 20 gallon tank!

No i will try to feed again before i would send snake back to Wilbanks

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Originally Posted by Thomas S

EXACTLY! Should i move her into a tote for a couple of Months or so until she starts feeding Regularly?

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Originally Posted by Thomas S

WHAT are you talking about? i never asked you about moving into a tote for a while, i only asked if it was a good idea to feed in one, while keeping the snakes home in the 20 gallon tank!

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But...you just....what.

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Originally Posted by Thomas S

WHAT are you talking about? i never asked you about moving into a tote for a while, i only asked if it was a good idea to feed in one, while keeping the snakes home in the 20 gallon tank!

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And for the last time, no. You've missed the points entirely.

I will move snake to a tote for atleast 2 months, i hope its the right choice, sorry for wasting your time, over and out!

*sigh*

Sigh what?

FINALLY! My BP ate for the 1st time since i got her almost 6 weeks ago. I feed her a Live Mouse as that was the last option on the Wilbanks site for feeding instructions. Obviously now i will keep her in her glass home, no temporary move to a plastic tote is needed. She loves the new cool side hide i got for her, the brown rock shaped like a dome and only 1 small entrance, she has not left it once since i put it in her cage last week. I still have a low Humidity problem, i mist every day, I ordered a medium sized bedroom Humidifier, that should solve the problem, i hope? I want to give a special thanks to "Bogertophis" and thanks to all who took the time to post suggestions on my thread...

Glad to hear that she finally ate. I would feed the same prey for at least the next few meals, so she is consistently eating, before you try changing anything (type rodent, live or f/t, etc) other than fresh-killed. (-if you're up to it?) Most snakes switch easiest from live prey to fresh-killed, especially if you offer it the right way so they think they're still killing it, lol. And dead prey is always safer for you snake- it's not fun treating an injured snake- prevention of injuries should always be a priority.

It would be a good idea to have a second hide that matches exactly the one you just gave her. That is because snakes usually choose a sense of security OVER a hide with the right temperature (ie. a warm hide needed for good digestion), so if the hides are the same, you can be sure the snake is choosing it for the temperature it needs also. Otherwise, you may find that your snake likes the one hide so much that she only uses that one (just as you said she is doing now), & then is too cool to digest properly & ends up regurgitating- something you really need to avoid- as it's a health risk that snakes can (rarely) even die from.

Misting is not an effective solution to raising humidity, nor, I'm sorry to say, is humidifying your whole room. Misting should mostly be for a temporary boost, like when your snake is about to shed. Best ways to raise humidity are either (1) use the right substrate that holds humidity, replenish the moisture as needed, & prevent the humidity from leaving the enclosure by keeping the air exchange minimized (ie. cover most -NOT ALL- of a screen top with foil or anything air cannot go through, like plastic). OR (2) Install a third "hide"- a humid hide that you can make or buy. (Ask if you don't understand what a humid hide should look like or how to make one, ok?)

oh im up to it, beiieve me, i would like to get her on F/T asap but, i should still still feed her live at least 3 more times, that's the most important thing now, is just eating...Now im using Loose Coconut fiber substrate(looks like brown sand) on bottom of tank covered by Cypress Mulch chips, and green and brown Moss scattered along edges and corners of tank. i have most of the top screen covered with a piece of card board i cut to size so it fits good, but after misting the tank, i lose most of the humidity in about 2-3 hours..I can cover up more of the screen top with foil tape but im worried about taking to much air away from her. the only other option is those personal tank humidifiers, but they might make her nervous or make the humidity too high? 3rd hide, what is it?

Personally I'd minimize the air-flow (with a small vent area on either side of the top- the one over the warm side will draw air up & out, while the one over the cool side will bring fresh air in). ;)

Continue using substrate that holds humidity. AND, if her humidity is still too low, install a "humid hide" so she can get more humidity whenever she needs it. (You'll probably need to mist inside it at least weekly, but that's better, IMO, than making the whole enclosure wet, becausewith BPs, all that warmth + moisture can promote scale problems- fungal & bacterial infections etc.)

I wouldn't humidify the whole room unless YOU want it (-do you live in the desert?), since sometimes excess humidity causes problems (mold, fungus, mildew), especially in a closed-off room. Whole room = overkill, IMO.

Feels good to have a little success finally, eh? I hope it gets easier for you now...we ALL made mistakes at the beginning...which is why we share our knowledge here, so others don't have to repeat our mistakes, & so their snakes will thrive. :snake:

ok ill give those things a shot, seems like the Desert Follows me around, Lol.. my last apartment and now this new mobile home, BOTH have way low natural humidity levels...

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Originally Posted by Thomas S

ok ill give those things a shot, seems like the Desert Follows me around, Lol.. my last apartment and now this new mobile home, BOTH have way low natural humidity levels...

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Both heat & air conditioning* removes moisture from our indoor air. *The only kind of cooling system that doesn't is what desert-dwellers (as I used to be) call a "swamp cooler" that cools the air by drizzling water thru large pads that the air is pulled in through- for obvious reasons, they only work when the natural humidity is very low, like in the desert, & they're much cheaper to run than an actual A/C.

Sometimes I miss the desert- it rains a LOT where I live now. But it's better for growing tomatoes, I'll say that. Of course, everything else grows too. Green is nice but a lot of work. :cool:

then natural humidity should go up for me soon when its warm enough to open windows, but the outside noise could "spook" the snake? i googled the humid hides, are you talking about those hides made out of moss that look like green snowballs? will have to order from online, dont see any at pet stores...

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Originally Posted by Thomas S

then natural humidity should go up for me soon when its warm enough to open windows, but the outside noise could "spook" the snake? i googled the humid hides, are you talking about those hides made out of moss that look like green snowballs? will have to order from online, dont see any at pet stores...

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You can make one yourself with some moss and a Tupperware bowl big enough for your snake. Fill it with moss and cut a hold big enough for your BP to get into in the top. Google "DIY humid hides" and see what you can find. I use, and love, the ones linked below, but you don't have to buy anything, again you can just make your own.

https://www.pangeareptile.com/store/...y-hide-en.html

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Originally Posted by Thomas S

...then natural humidity should go up for me soon when its warm enough to open windows, but the outside noise could "spook" the snake?

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Snakes are pretty much deaf (notice, no ears- they have some remnant inner ear bones but mostly feel vibrations rather than true hearing) so no, I wouldn't worry about outside "noise" at all.

However, outside SCENTS are another matter- your snake will probably enjoy the variety though- just as long as no one near you is spraying pesticides, either at a home or if you're near a farm (?) as that would be dangerous health-wise.

As for humid hides, what hugsplox already posted. I've never bought one, I make my own as described. Big enough plastic container for damp moss + snake, cut doorway for snake to enter. Easy!

Ok thanks, the hardest part of the humid hide will be getting the Snake to use it. She has been in the cool side hide 24/7 since i put it in her home 10 days ago. She might get pissed if i pull it off her?

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Originally Posted by Thomas S

Ok thanks, the hardest part of the humid hide will be getting the Snake to use it. She has been in the cool side hide 24/7 since i put it in her home 10 days ago. She might get pissed if i pull it off her?

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No, don't pull her hide away. You'd be surprised at how enticing the smell of fresh damp moss is to a snake- they'll find it & go in on their own, as long as it's the right size & not over-heated; be sure to leave room for both the snake AND plenty of moist moss when you pick out a container to convert into a "humid hide". Preferably the plastic container should not be clear, since snakes love some "atmosphere" (darkness). ;)

As mentioned previously, it's best to give a BP at least 2 identical hides (one warm & one cool)- but the humid hide (hide #3) doesn't have to match, as the moisture is an enticement on it's own, & you want to place the humid hide somewhere in the middle as far as temperature. (slightly heated is okay- but it should be cooler than the warm hide)

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Originally Posted by Thomas S

ok ill give those things a shot, seems like the Desert Follows me around, Lol.. my last apartment and now this new mobile home, BOTH have way low natural humidity levels...

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Are you using a ceramic heat bulb because they’re extremely hard on the humidity levels ( you prob know all this )



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Dont worry about the snake not eating. Post a picture of your snake and let us see how small she is. I have several ball pythons that have not eaten in 6 months and I am not worried but it all depends on how big the snake is.

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Originally Posted by JacksReptiles

Dont worry about the snake not eating. Post a picture of your snake and let us see how small she is. I have several ball pythons that have not eaten in 6 months and I am not worried but it all depends on how big the snake is.

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DUDE, STOP OFFERING INPUT WITHOUT READING THE THREAD.
The animal is 250grams as previously stated by OP. A ball python that small should not go 6 months without eating.
READ BEFORE REPLYING!


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Originally Posted by jmcrook

DUDE, STOP OFFERING INPUT WITHOUT READING THE THREAD.
The animal is 250grams as previously stated by OP. A ball python that small should not go 6 months without eating.
READ BEFORE REPLYING!


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In their defence I didn’t read through the whole thread of 85 posts either and they did end with the sentence “ depends on how big it is “


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Originally Posted by Zincubus

In their defence I didn’t read through the whole thread of 85 posts either and they did end with the sentence “ depends on how big it is “


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In my defense this is at least the third time in this thread that they've offered input without reading pertinent information already posted...

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Originally Posted by jmcrook

In my defense this is at least the third time in this thread that they've offered input without reading pertinent information already posted...

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Fair enough.... I just read the last two posts ..


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Originally Posted by jmcrook

DUDE, STOP OFFERING INPUT WITHOUT READING THE THREAD.
The animal is 250grams as previously stated by OP. A ball python that small should not go 6 months without eating.
READ BEFORE REPLYING!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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So it's not just me noticing this trend with this guy.... on more than one thread at that. :colbert:

Has anyone seen the effects(if any?) UVB Bulbs have on BP's? I read one thing that says the Light can reduce stress and increase appetite???

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Originally Posted by Thomas S

Has anyone seen the effects(if any?) UVB Bulbs have on BP's? I read one thing that says the Light can reduce stress and increase appetite???

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While I think most say it's not essential for snakes (as it is for some other animals) & I personally don't use them, I'll also say that over the years of keeping snakes I've always had a sense that the occasional outdoor sun exposure has beneficial effects on a snake's metabolism & appetite. (caution: NOT in a container & NOT if temperatures are too high)

So whether you want to try adding the UVB light* or actual sun exposure, I don't think it's going to hurt anything, as long as you don't over-do things (most snakes don't prefer bright light, & you need to monitor for safe temperatures always.) I don't know off-hand of any major scientific studies on this, I think the evidence is mostly anecdotal. *The natural sun is far more effective & powerful than an artificial UVB light, plus, they're only "good" for about 6 months (last I heard?)- it's not that they burn out in that time frame, only that the UVB output diminishes.

Personally, I just take a stroll outside for sunshine & holding my snakes (one at a time) when I have time, weather permitting.

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Originally Posted by Thomas S

Has anyone seen the effects(if any?) UVB Bulbs have on BP's? I read one thing that says the Light can reduce stress and increase appetite???

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There have been a few studies that suggest that UVB does have it's benefits, even when discussing nocturnal reptiles. That being said, it's not needed for a healthy snake and isn't a long term solution for the issues you're having. For you specifically, I would avoid changing anything about your enclosure for awhile until your snake is heating consistently for you. You don't want to read one thing, get a bulb that ends up being too bright, and stress your snake back into not eating.

Plus, UVB bulbs tend to be a little pricey, and they really don't last that long. You're also looking at if the UVB penetrates your mesh lids, are you using coil vs. tube UVB bulbs, just a lot of variables when trying to figure out if the equipment you're dropping money on is even giving your snake what you think it is. I'd much rather just take a walk outside and let my guys get a little natural sun every now and then, then waste money on bulbs that may not give them anything of benefit.

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Originally Posted by Hugsplox

...until your snake is heating consistently for you...

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You meant to say "eating" I'm sure? :D It's worth a LOT of money if you find a self-heating snake...;) :rofl:

Another thing with using artificial UVB lights is the distance they have to be from the reptile to even be effective. Not worth it to me either, real sun is best & it's free.

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

You meant to say "eating" I'm sure? :D It's worth a LOT of money if you find a self-heating snake...;) :rofl:

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:rofl::rofl::rofl: I'm calling Proproducts to discuss a patent for this right now!


Also a quick edit!
I don't want anyone to think I'm against UVB bulbs or their use. I use to keep bearded dragons and uros who require UVB, so I'm all of them. There's just a lot of variables to take into account that I'm not sure are worth the effort with a BP. For example, it's pretty well accepted that tube type UVB bulbs are better than coils but they're also more expensive. You've also got things like MVBs that I am a huge fan of, you've got some bulbs that wont penetrate mesh lids so they're basically useless, etc etc. I just feel like it's money that could be better spent on other enclosure and husbandry upgrades when we're talking snakes.

OH NO! i definitely don't want to mess with the lighting since she has only eaten for me just the 1 time, I'm just throwing it out there(UVB lighting) for down the road maybe...

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Originally Posted by Thomas S

OH NO! i definitely don't want to mess with the lighting since she has only eaten for me just the 1 time, I'm just throwing it out there(UVB lighting) for down the road maybe...

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Good! So I'll just throw THIS out there for you to consider: I'd suggest that after you've had this snake for several months AND she is eating reliably, when you pick her up to clean her enclosure and the temperatures outside happen to be good (low 80's), try taking a slow casual stroll outside while holding her, say for about 15 minutes- she'll enjoy sniffing all the new scents too.

I know that many like to put their snakes down to roam in the grass, but personally I never do that. Not that they wouldn't enjoy it, but they can pick up parasites (pinworms & other kinds of worms, ticks, etc) as well as unknown pathogens left by wild birds & other animals.

And if you do this a few times a year, I think that's good enough, personally. At least, that's what I do. (I'm doing this in my privacy-fenced back yard also- if you live in an apartment or have neighbors that might make life difficult for you, you need to pick a more "out of the way" place, obviously.)

yesterday was the first time she came out in a long time, and she looked like she had a piece of Substrate on her head, i was right she was shedding, she must have just began shedding right around her first feeding, i was lucky to get that in..how long does a shed take? some snakes take longer than others???

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Originally Posted by Thomas S

yesterday was the first time she came out in a long time, and she looked like she had a piece of Substrate on her head, i was right she was shedding, she must have just began shedding right around her first feeding, i was lucky to get that in..how long does a shed take? some snakes take longer than others???

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Yeah the length of time can vary quite a lot ...

It’s probably worth spraying the viv a couple of times each day now until you’re certain it’s shed the old skin .

In Royals /Ball Pythons the shedded skin is found in a tight , messy lump usually under one of the hides ..


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ok, im new you can all laugh at me, but what is "VIV"?

Can you please post a pic of your enclosure for her? Also have you tried getting in contact with the person that you bought her from? Try asking them for information on what the ball python was eating there schedule what they used in their enclosure what type of food they fed her. Try to see if you can get them to send you the hide box that she was using before she might like having something in her enclosure that she remembers is hers. It is good to try and stay consistent with how and what you feed your ball python. Try to only offer food once a week. Post a picture of your ball python too so we can see how healthy she looks.