Not eating

I have a baby bp from petco that I got about a few weeks ago and it has never tried to strike me or a pinky. Its very frustrating it seems kinda scared of the food or just not interested, I don't know I just thought someone might have good advice for me.

it is very common for young snakes to not want to eat, specially if they are shoved into a new enviroment, they are very stressed, and the last thing they are thinking about is eating, frustrating, i know... i think the best you can do is try to make the snake as comfortable as possible, they can go a couple of weeks without eating, and be fine, try to wiggle the pinky and see if maybe she'll strike, don't try to feed her everyday cause this will just up to the stress of the snake, wait a week, and then try again =] hope this helps, keep us updated when she eats

Can u explain your setup?

Your temps?

Because if it does not feel secure or the temps are not right it will cause it to not eat.

I would not hold him until after he eats for you.

Thanks:) I'll keep you posted but It seems to me she is comfortable I've tried frozen and live both didnt work. This thursday it will be a week since I last tried so I'll give it another try, maybe she'll be hungry enough tomorrow.

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Originally Posted by LisBad

Thanks:) I'll keep you posted but It seems to me she is comfortable I've tried frozen and live both didnt work. This thursday it will be a week since I last tried so I'll give it another try, maybe she'll be hungry enough tomorrow.

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Well if ur temps are not right could lead to other probs other then not eating

I just posted pic of my baby BP feeding tonight for the first time. I got mine from Petco also. We have had it almost 3 weeks and I was getting worried about it not feeding. I got one of those all inclusive snake kits. Had probs with keeping the temps up. Also they told me at Petco to never feed in the cage it lives in, so we were moving it to another tank. All of it is bull. Tonight mine ate for the first time. I went and got a UTH but put it on the side of the tank instead of underneath. Brought the temp up to 90. I also quit trying to feed it the f/t fuzzies, somebody on here said to try hoppers, (judge the size of the f/t by the largest part of the girth of your BP. We defrosted the hopper and made sure it was warmed up good..then we slowly removed the hide from over the snake. We dangled the hopper, making no sudden movements with it. My BP didnt even strike, it just took it gently from the tongs and sucked it down. Do not hold for at least 48 hours is what I was told.

IMO it was the temp that was prob and stressing the snake with trying to get it to feed. GOOD LUCK

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Originally Posted by LisBad

I have a baby bp from petco that I got about a few weeks ago and it has never tried to strike me or a pinky. Its very frustrating it seems kinda scared of the food or just not interested, I don't know I just thought someone might have good advice for me.

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When you say "pinky", is it a rat pinky or a mouse pinky? Because if it's a mouse pinky, it's way too small, and that's why it's not interested. If you're trying rat pinkies, it could be the fact that it has no fur, color, etc. Sometimes they won't strike prey that can't walk or shuffle on its own, either. Please, explain your prey item a little better so we can help you. :)

^I've been trying to feed the baby BP live baby mice, has no fur, can barely walk.
But I also tried frozen when I first got the snake because I thought maybe he was already used to them, since petco doesn't support live feedings.
As of today its been a week since I last tried to feed him and I had no luck, I tried a pinky and fuzzy, (I don't know if that's what everyone calls them.)
I really think this snake has never eaten and doesn't know how...maybe it was taken from it's mother to soon I don't if that's possible but it's a very small snake so...it makes me wonder.
And also petco doen't take care of it's snakes at ALL maybe that's part of the problem.
When I bought the snake the so called "reptile specialist" was scared of it and I had to get it out.

i am having this exact same problem. i am trying to feed frozen but thawed mice. i have been having my snake for a little over 3 weeks now. petco feeds on thrusdays, and i purchased the snake on a wednesday, so it has almost been a week since it has eaten when i got it home. i then waited 2 weeks before trying to feed, so it has been total 3 weeks since the snake has eaten. my attempts were unsuccessful, so i waited another week and will be trying again tonight. my python simply seems scared of the food.

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Originally Posted by thsoccer3

i am having this exact same problem. i am trying to feed frozen but thawed mice. i have been having my snake for a little over 3 weeks now. petco feeds on thrusdays, and i purchased the snake on a wednesday, so it has almost been a week since it has eaten when i got it home. i then waited 2 weeks before trying to feed, so it has been total 3 weeks since the snake has eaten. my attempts were unsuccessful, so i waited another week and will be trying again tonight. my python simply seems scared of the food.

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How are u feeding?

Whats ur cage setup/temps?

This is a normal problem with BPs, they are picky eaters and they can go a long time without eating. I highly doubt that yours "doesn't know how to eat." It sounds like your BP is not comfortable in it's enclosure and is probably stressed. You still haven't mentioned a single thing about your temps/set up, so I really think that is where the problem is. After it gets comfortable in its new home, he'll eat. I've never in my life heard of one that doesn't know how.

As the other members have mentioned........the temperatures are critical for maintaining a healthy ball python. The hot side should be somewhere around 90 degrees. A degree or two either way won't hurt. The cool side should be upper 70's to low 80's. Also, you want your humidity to be around 50 to 60%. A little higher when they are in shed.

Once this environment is achieved then you should have a successful feeding. I would recommend to start with a live fuzzy or hopper mouse. Once you have had 3 successful feedings with live prey then you can switch to frozen thawed. When feeding here is what I recommend. Place the fuzzy or hopper in with your snake at nighttime as ball pythons are nocturnal. Turn off all your lights in your bedroom. You will know when your ball python has got their food as you will hear the mouse sqeak. Once this happens your good to turn on your room lights to watch the feeding if you like as they are in feeding mode.

This is all my $0.02. Good Luck and keep us updated!!

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Originally Posted by Reptile King

Once this environment is achieved then you should have a successful feeding. I would recommend to start with a live fuzzy or hopper mouse. Once you have had 3 successful feedings with live prey then you can switch to frozen thawed. When feeding here is what I recommend. Place the fuzzy or hopper in with your snake at nighttime as ball pythons are nocturnal. Turn off all your lights in your bedroom. You will know when your ball python has got their food as you will hear the mouse sqeak. Once this happens your good to turn on your room lights to watch the feeding if you like as they are in feeding mode.

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I'm pretty sure Petco only feeds f/t, so they might have a better chance using that instead of live.

That's a good point Seak. I've never purchased a ball python from Petco so I'm not real familiar with how they feed. I've always bought mine from a breeder. Also, mine have never eaten when I bought them. That's why I recommended to start with live prey.

i actually got Pypes to eat last night. only a few hours after i posted saying he won't eat! i had him for 3 weeks, and he was obviously nice and comfortable...

i took him out of the cage, put him in a large rubbermaid container with tall enough sides so i could watch without a lid, and dropped a live hopper about 4 inches from his nose...

i then went inside to get the camera, and when i came back outside about litterally 30 seconds later, Pypes was constricting the mouse.... and it took a total of about 20 minutes for it to disappear. i was soooo happy! i have some amazing pictures of my new normal baby ball Pypes. as soon as i learn how to post them, i will...

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Originally Posted by thsoccer3

i actually got Pypes to eat last night. only a few hours after i posted saying he won't eat! i had him for 3 weeks, and he was obviously nice and comfortable...

i took him out of the cage, put him in a large rubbermaid container with tall enough sides so i could watch without a lid, and dropped a live hopper about 4 inches from his nose...

i then went inside to get the camera, and when i came back outside about litterally 30 seconds later, Pypes was constricting the mouse.... and it took a total of about 20 minutes for it to disappear. i was soooo happy! i have some amazing pictures of my new normal baby ball Pypes. as soon as i learn how to post them, i will...

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That's AWESOME! Can't wait for pics!

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e2...eta/snake1.jpg

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e208/muzeta/snake.jpg

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e2.../moto_0175.jpg

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e2.../moto_0187.jpg

Well I'm making some process with my Peanut :) (thats the snakes name) I fed him tonight. For the past few weeks he wouldnt even look at a mouse, every time I tried to feed him he'd just run from it. But tonight I thought I'd help him out a little I held peanut with one hand and the baby mouse in the other and he just opened his mouth for me to let me drop it in, it was really weird he wouldnt eat it any other way.
I really think this was his first time eating ever because it seemed to me he didnt know how to swallow I had to encourge him by petting him...my snake loves me btw or hes just used to me Idk.

that's weird.. the snake should be born knowing how to eat.. it is instinct. i can tell you this i can't wait until monday night to feed again!! it was awesome to watch the constricting and all live for the first time!