Change in behavior has me concerned

Hey! I apologize for making another thread, but I'm a little concerned and don't know if this behavior is normal, or what the change means.

So, my BP hadn't eaten for a month and a half, but she was a docile snake and very laid back. On Sunday she finally took 2 tiny pinkies, and then yesterday (Monday) I bought fuzzies. She immediately took a fuzzy mouse, then crawled back into her hide and poked her head out like she was waiting for more prey. I offered a second fuzzy mouse, and she ate that one as well. I didn't want to overfeed her despite her initial hunger strike, so I didn't offer her another.

But since yesterday afternoon she hasn't moved a bit. She is in her hide box with her head and neck poked out in an 'S' position, once again like she's waiting for more prey to come across her path. :P Each time I walk by the tank, however, she is very alert to the movement (and she hasn't been like that before). I opened the cage to mist it down, and she looked around with sudden movements and flicked her tongue.

Basically, opening the cage since I fed her, or movement outside the cage, causes her to be very alert and look around with sudden head movements to where the motion comes from. What does it mean? Should I offer more food? Is she still hungry? It also makes me a little timid to hold her tomorrow once the 48 hour post-feeding has passed, because I don't want her to strike me out of hunger or association with the cage opening meaning food. I've never been nervous about handling her until now.

How much does she weigh? It could be that you are under-feeding her. Or she could just be hungry after not eating for so long.

It's normal, she's probably still hungry though. If you go to handle her, just tap her on the head with an empty paper towel roll or something. If she's in hunger mode it will snap her out of it. :)

whats the age of the snake i would assume that feeding pinkies (rats or mouse?) that its less then 100g but most bps around that size tcan take rat pups if your feeding mice switch to rats they are bigger (an adult mouse is abut the size of a rat pup) i think that you may want to offer bigger prey

I don't know her weight. I don't have a scale. She's pretty small, and when I got her from PetsMart they couldn't prove she had eaten. And then it took her nearly 2 months after having her before she ate from me, and she got skinny. But after 2 pinkies, then learning here that I need to up to fuzzies, and feeding her 2 fuzzies (which are as big as the biggest part of her, if not a little bigger), I didn't want to overfeed her, even though she hadn't eaten in a long time.

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Originally Posted by LGray23

It's normal, she's probably still hungry though. If you go to handle her, just tap her on the head with an empty paper towel roll or something. If she's in hunger mode it will snap her out of it. :)

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Haha, ok. I'll try that! :)

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Originally Posted by LGray23

It's normal, she's probably still hungry though. If you go to handle her, just tap her on the head with an empty paper towel roll or something. If she's in hunger mode it will snap her out of it. :)

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LMAO!! That's classic. You're AWESOME!! :bow:

Tried to reach my hand in and she perked up and looked like she was ready to pounce. :P

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Originally Posted by theJuju

I don't know her weight. I don't have a scale. She's pretty small, and when I got her from PetsMart they couldn't prove she had eaten. And then it took her nearly 2 months after having her before she ate from me, and she got skinny. But after 2 pinkies, then learning here that I need to up to fuzzies, and feeding her 2 fuzzies (which are as big as the biggest part of her, if not a little bigger), I didn't want to overfeed her, even though she hadn't eaten in a long time.

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Fuzzy mice are bigger around than your ball python? I've never seen a ball python that skinny. Pics? :O

That would be an extreamly skinny ball. Perhaps a fuzzy rat to a hatchling ball but........ My hatchlings go from hoppers to adult mice very quickly.


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Pics please? Petsmart is very stupid when it comes to ball pythons, she may be very underweight.

Well, I was gonna take pics to show how skinny she was, but she's fattened up since I looked at her before feeding yesterday afternoon. She's had 2 fuzzies in her since then, and offered a third tonight, which she snatched in less than a second. She's still in a coiled "S" position, poking out from her rock, though, waiting for still more. Any movement gets her instant attention. I was hoping she'd appear more full after a third fuzzy.

These are fuzzy mice, she's not full, and most likely still hungry...

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Originally Posted by LGray23

These are fuzzy mice, she's not full, and most likely still hungry...

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Yup. :gj:

Here is a photo of her I just took. She was pretty pissed I removed her hide rock for a photo. :P She's significantly bigger since the 2 fuzzies yesterday and 1 an hour ago.
http://img840.imageshack.us/img840/5...1115215634.jpg

And then a fuzzy. Arctic Mice brand.
http://img802.imageshack.us/img802/1...1115215815.jpg

EDIT: Her eating a fuzzy yesterday, for more size comparison.
http://a3.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot...76148630_n.jpg

Get that girl a rat fuzzie asap, she is so skinny! Mice fuzzies will not do it. Does she have stuck shed too?

I doubt she's significantly bigger. She does look like she needs a little tlc. Definately has had some shedding issues. But she looks like she could go for a small adult mouse no problem. Unless I'm just miss sizing her by the pic.


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Yeah, she is in rough shape! Skinny, dehydrated and a stuck shed. She needs RAT fuzzies and to be put on a proper feeding schedule.

You should also read this link below!
http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...hed-No-problem.

I don't think PetsMart here sells rats. I initially fed her 2 pinkies after her 1.5 month feeding hiatus, came here and found out they were too small, so got fuzzies. The next size up is small mice, Arctice Mice brand. Then medium, then large. The small mice looked way too big when I opened the box up to look at them. But there are no rats at PetsMart, and IDK where to get them.

Could I feed her one or two more fuzzies? I have 3 left and don't want them to go to waste.

And ya, I was an ignorant new owner until I found this site. I didn't even know she had went into shed until she came out from hiding and was only half shed. I've regulated humidity and temp since then, but may need to try the tub soak that's a sticky in the husbandry forum (I think) once she digests food. I'm trying to get educated, though. :)

Edit: How can you tell is she dehydrated? I always make sure she has plenty of fresh water and have watched her drink many times, cause I think it's neat to see.

Dehydrated balls often look/feel wrinkly, but its hard to tell with a dark pic, especially when they have a bad shed and skinny. But that is my guess from what I can tell.

Definitely use up the fuzzies, it won't hurt her. And judging by her size, she shouldn't have any problem with small adult mice if you can't find rats. I'd give her a few days to digest, though. Set up a 5 day feeding schedule. I would call local mom & pop pet shops for feeders. Most of them carry rats and feeders at such places are usually a LOT cheaper. To give you an idea, I have never paid more than $0.25 a piece for fuzzies the size you got. I bet you paid more than $10 for a box of 6 of them, huh? PetSmart is a rip off.

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Originally Posted by theJuju

I don't think PetsMart here sells rats. I initially fed her 2 pinkies after her 1.5 month feeding hiatus, came here and found out they were too small, so got fuzzies. The next size up is small mice, Arctice Mice brand. Then medium, then large. The small mice looked way too big when I opened the box up to look at them. But there are no rats at PetsMart, and IDK where to get them.

Could I feed her one or two more fuzzies? I have 3 left and don't want them to go to waste.

And ya, I was an ignorant new owner until I found this site. I didn't even know she had went into shed until she came out from hiding and was only half shed. I've regulated humidity and temp since then, but may need to try the tub soak that's a sticky in the husbandry forum (I think) once she digests food. I'm trying to get educated, though. :)

Edit: How can you tell is she dehydrated? I always make sure she has plenty of fresh water and have watched her drink many times, cause I think it's neat to see.

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Someone feel free to correct me but I'm 99% sure he's referring to the way her skin is wrinkly. She can be drinking tons of water, but like the skinny issue, it'll be a slower fix, with time and TLC (and proper care) she will get better. :)

The best and cheapest way I've found to buy prey is to find a reptile expo or convention near you. It's almost a positively sure bet that at least one or two people will be selling every type of prey item. It's a great option if you can't order them online, and you buy in bulk so you won't have to keep spending $5 for ONE prey item every week. ;) If you can order online, http://www.rodentpro.com is a great website to order from.

Keep feeding her the fuzzies, something is better than nothing right now. Just make efforts to get some appropriate size rat feeders for your little girl and get her on a 5 day feeding schedule, it'll help her put the weight she needs back on and fill her up more. :gj: And keep asking questions, reading the forums and checking caresheets on this website, it's an excellent place to get educated! Lots of helpful people.

Okay, thank you all so much! So just for clarification, instead of feeding her a 4th even if she looks likes she wants more, I should now start a regular 5 day schedule since she's finally eating and wait 5 days before offering one or two more fuzzies? (Until I get rats, that is! :) )

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Originally Posted by theJuju

Okay, thank you all so much! So just for clarification, instead of feeding her a 4th even if she looks likes she wants more, I should now start a regular 5 day schedule since she's finally eating and wait 5 days before offering one or two more fuzzies? (Until I get rats, that is! :) )

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That's probably a good idea, since she hasn't been eating for 2 months and she is rather skinny, overfeeding can be just as bad as underfeeding. I'd offer 3 fuzzies every 5 days, since she can obviously wants them and will keep them down. That's just my amateur opinion though, might wanna get a second one. I've never owned a baby/young snake so I'm not super familiar with their feeding habits, both mine were acquired when when they were between 1-2 years old. Might wanna give her a good 30 minute soak in lukewarm water to help with that stuck shed too after she digests, that'll help hydrate her too, and it'll probably feel good. :)

http://lexingtonreptileexpo.com/default.aspx is a reptile expo I found near you (Knoxville, TN), and they say their next show is on the 20th. I'd go check them out. :)

No that schedule sounds fine. If you can't find rats the small mice will be fine as well. I'd have her on. 1 small mouse or 1 rat fuzzy every 5 days. Keep moving up size as she gets bigger. I think as she keeps eating and you maintain correct husbandry you'll Start seeing some really great changes in her.


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Originally Posted by xFenrir

That's probably a good idea, since she hasn't been eating for 2 months and she is rather skinny, overfeeding can be just as bad as underfeeding. I'd offer 3 fuzzies every 5 days, since she can obviously wants them and will keep them down. That's just my amateur opinion though, might wanna get a second one. I've never owned a baby/young snake so I'm not super familiar with their feeding habits, both mine were acquired when when they were between 1-2 years old. Might wanna give her a good 30 minute soak in lukewarm water to help with that stuck shed too after she digests, that'll help hydrate her too, and it'll probably feel good. :)

http://lexingtonreptileexpo.com/default.aspx is a reptile expo I found near you (Knoxville, TN), and they say their next show is on the 20th. I'd go check them out. :)

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Yup, sounds good to me. :gj:

My only difference in opinion is the soaking to remove a bad shed. You can do that, it is tried and true, but I prefer the damp pillowcase method as it is less stressful. To do this take a pillowcase and get it damp with warm water (not dripping, wring it out good) and put a damp towel or two in it as well. Insert snake and tie off the end. Place this on the warm side of your snake's cage cage for an hour or so.

Also you'll want to keep the humidity up in your cage from now on to avoid any more stuck sheds. Normal humidity should be kept between 60-70% and closer to 80% during shedding. Accomplishing this is as simple as misting your snake's cage periodically. Another good idea is giving them a hide filled with damp sphagnum moss. If humidity is still a problem and you're using a tank with a screen lid, you can cover 3/4 of the top with a damp towel. This helps too. In case you've never seen a snake going into shed, their colors will become very drab, their eyes will turn grey/blue and overall look crummy. This is normal. They will look like this for a week or so and then clear up for a day or two and then shed.