I have tried everything...

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Originally Posted by Jay_Bunny

I would not move her to board at a local pet store. That move will probably reset her "acclimating clock" and you will have to wait even longer. Not to mention, some pet store people can be dumb when it comes to fasting ball pythons.

Make her tub as dark and secure as possible (give her an extra hide if you have to). I would just tape dark construction paper over the outside of the tub. Something another breeder recommended to me when the girls were fasting (though I never tried it) was to ball up newspaper and throw the balls of newspaper into the tub to take up space. No personal experience with this one but you could try it. At the size she is, not feeding for a few weeks won't hurt her. One of the girls I had was around 800-900 when she came home and she went 4 months without ill effects so your girl should be fine. You may not be able to breed her this season but I think the most important thing would be to get her eating first.

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You're on point. I have used the newspaper trick with my female het pied and she kills the rat and place it in her water bowl and then come back for it overnight. The pet store is the East Bay Vivarium. There is a guy name Michael who can get a dead ball to eat a jumbo rat. He is really good. In the past he has gotten balls that were off feed to eat for me. I understand how that will be another change of scenery for her again that would be the last case scenario. I want to breed her next season. The '10/'11 season. If she was on feed eating rats I would have tried to get 800 grams on her before next cooling season.

:O egads...don't board her at a pet store...that would make her even more stressed.

Now I want to preface this with ....I haven't had this problem yet....Yet being the key word I am sure. However....from all that I read they can go off food for several months. I understand you are hoping to breed next year....but ...it is really up to the snake. Calm down...take a deep breath get her a jumbo mouse try it live....try it prekilled...try it just laying there. The more uptight you are the more the snake will sense it.

I totally agree with BG...(usually do) about the substrate...didn't even occur to me.

The thing you want to remember is that you have a beautiful 800gram snake...you dont need to worry about her not eating right now....as she is not a hatchling and weight wise can afford to go off for a while.

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Originally Posted by lesserlover

You're on point. I have used the newspaper trick with my female het pied and she kills the rat and place it in her water bowl and then come back for it overnight. The pet store is the East Bay Vivarium. There is a guy name Michael who can get a dead ball to eat a jumbo rat. He is really good. In the past he has gotten balls that were off feed to eat for me. I understand how that will be another change of scenery for her again that would be the last case scenario. I want to breed her next season. The '10/'11 season. If she was on feed eating rats I would have tried to get 800 grams on her before next cooling season.

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Just remember, they don't always work on OUR schedule. She very well may not be ready to go next season, or she could just turn on her eating and be ready. In the meantime, just enjoy keeping her and "don't sweat the small stuff". :)

In the end, there really are no shortcuts in breeding ball pythons, and the snakes will be the first to humble you and remind you of that. Juveniles and adults can take longer to acclimate.

The breeder had her on newspaper. I sent him a message to see what substrate was used for the feeders. Thanks everyone.

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Originally Posted by lesserlover

The breeder had her on newspaper. I sent him a message to see what substrate was used for the feeders. Thanks everyone.

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You may just need to wait her out. Try and set her up as close as possible to how she was set up and wait. If you keep trying different methods she doesn't have time to "settle in". You don't want to try and feed her more than once a week. This is what Balls do unfortunately. You can start to panick in about 6 months.

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Originally Posted by lesserlover

Thanks for your advice. keep it coming.

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I was talking to one of the owners of a pet store I frequent who knows a good deal about snakes because I'm having the same problem with my albino. She said she has had some luck with securing the snake in a large paper bag with a pre-killed rat overnight. Could be the added sense of security? I had never heard of doing that but it might be worth a shot.

My female Mojave ate a jumbo mouse tonight. I am waiting on my het pied female and Lesser female to feed now. I am happy but I wish she would take a rat.

Another thing I've been told to try at times is what they eat over in Africa, ASFRs (African Soft Fir Rats) and gerbils. I've has success before with ASFRs before.

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Originally Posted by Big Gunns

You may just need to wait her out. Try and set her up as close as possible to how she was set up and wait. If you keep trying different methods she doesn't have time to "settle in". You don't want to try and feed her more than once a week. This is what Balls do unfortunately. You can start to panick in about 6 months.

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Still no reason to panic at 6 months either. Ive had males and females under 1000 grams go off feed for 7 months last year and i had to wait it out. They lost maybe 200grams total in thier weight and still looked plump. They have since resumed feeding and are well over 1300grams.

Try cypress mulch! Big Gunns is right! It will make the bp feel more secure feeling something always around its body! It can take a month or more to get one settled in! They all are different!