Haven't been on in awhile, but my snake is still not eating.

She is most definitely a hatchling, and hatchlings are started on fuzzy mice and move on to small adult mice by the time they are ready to be taken home as pets.

I highly recommend getting a smaller enclosure for at least a month or two until you get her feeding regularly. A young ball python like this can go a little while without food, but they will approach starvation much sooner than an adult snake.
You can get a 6quart or 15quart tub at target, walmart, home depot.. any store that has storage stuff, for about $5-$10. I am very confident that the reason she is not eating is a combination of your temps being off, too big of an enclosure, and feeding a prey item that is too small.

If you can move her to a small tub setup, get her temps to 80* on the cool side and 90* on the hot side, and leave her alone for an entire week, I am willing to bet she would take a live hopper mouse with no hesitation.

give it a try :)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Kaorte

She is most definitely a hatchling, and hatchlings are started on fuzzy mice and move on to small adult mice by the time they are ready to be taken home as pets.

I highly recommend getting a smaller enclosure for at least a month or two until you get her feeding regularly. A young ball python like this can go a little while without food, but they will approach starvation much sooner than an adult snake.
You can get a 6quart or 15quart tub at target, walmart, home depot.. any store that has storage stuff, for about $5-$10. I am very confident that the reason she is not eating is a combination of your temps being off, too big of an enclosure, and feeding a prey item that is too small.

If you can move her to a small tub setup, get her temps to 80* on the cool side and 90* on the hot side, and leave her alone for an entire week, I am willing to bet she would take a live hopper mouse with no hesitation.

give it a try :)

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*Sighs* I do have a dirty 10 gallon. It has clips to lock the top, and I have not done the foil treatment with it. You're suggesting I clean it, put in a water bowl, blanket the sides, move my hygrotherm and lamps, move my snake, move some substrate. And not bother her for a week. And then give her a live fuzzy. And this will make her eat?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Kaorte

She is most definitely a hatchling, and hatchlings are started on fuzzy mice and move on to small adult mice by the time they are ready to be taken home as pets.

I highly recommend getting a smaller enclosure for at least a month or two until you get her feeding regularly. A young ball python like this can go a little while without food, but they will approach starvation much sooner than an adult snake.
You can get a 6quart or 15quart tub at target, walmart, home depot.. any store that has storage stuff, for about $5-$10. I am very confident that the reason she is not eating is a combination of your temps being off, too big of an enclosure, and feeding a prey item that is too small.

If you can move her to a small tub setup, get her temps to 80* on the cool side and 90* on the hot side, and leave her alone for an entire week, I am willing to bet she would take a live hopper mouse with no hesitation.

give it a try :)

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How soon until they starve. She's been with me since November 23rd and has not eaten.

Hey, you came here for help. You are obviously concerned for the little one, so why wouldn't you want to do everything you could to make her eat by herself? Maybe I am wrong, but it sounds a little like you are trying to avoid making any changes to your current setup as if they are a nuisance.

A ten gallon wouldn't be a bad idea. If you can, I would try and get some smaller hides too. maybe a small cardboard box (no tape) or a plastic bowl with an entrance cut out. I used to use plastic take out boxes for hides when I was in school and short on cash.

Try a live hopper (one step up from a fuzzy). I've seen babies completely disinterested in food simply because it was too small. If you are going to get a meal in her, better make it count.


There is no set number of days until an animal starves, but a month isn't going to hurt her. I'd say you'd be stepping into the danger zone somewhere after 2 months. I believe these changes will help her become a more confident feeder.


Do you offer food in or out of her enclosure?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Kaorte

Hey, you came here for help. You are obviously concerned for the little one, so why wouldn't you want to do everything you could to make her eat by herself? Maybe I am wrong, but it sounds a little like you are trying to avoid making any changes to your current setup as if they are a nuisance.

A ten gallon wouldn't be a bad idea. If you can, I would try and get some smaller hides too. maybe a small cardboard box (no tape) or a plastic bowl with an entrance cut out. I used to use plastic take out boxes for hides when I was in school and short on cash.

Try a live hopper (one step up from a fuzzy). I've seen babies completely disinterested in food simply because it was too small. If you are going to get a meal in her, better make it count.


There is no set number of days until an animal starves, but a month isn't going to hurt her. I'd say you'd be stepping into the danger zone somewhere after 2 months. I believe these changes will help her become a more confident feeder.


Do you offer food in or out of her enclosure?

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No, it's just that I am sad I don't have money to make anyone happy, myself or my snake...

I've tried feeding her in and out.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Tes95

No, it's just that I am sad I don't have money to make anyone happy, myself or my snake...

I've tried feeding her in and out.

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Don't be sad, its sounds like you have all the resources you need to make some adjustments. Just some time and elbow grease ;) and a little more patience.

This is a very common experience for most new snake owners. I messed up my setup big time. Invested a couple hundred in a nice setup only to find I bought all the wrong things. Thankfully, the users on this site gave me some great advice and one of them even sent me some used equipment for a great price.

Don't give up, you haven't explored all your options just yet.