Baby Ball wont eat

Hello all new here.Anyways I went to the Reptile show here in Indiana today.I wasnt going to get anything I have 3 cornsnakes and lizards as it is but,my youngest daughter insisted on a baby ball.The lady told me it was a non feeder thats why it was $10.00 Of course my little one felt sorry so I took it in.

I seen vids on assit feeding.This guy is skinny.What other tips can you give me so I can save this guys life?This is my first ball too.I have him in a 55 gal thats divided with a UTH of course 2 hides one on hot end and one on cold.Water bowl and a couple limbs for him to play.With him being skinny how long should I wait to try anything on feeding?Im sure hes stressed after what hes been through.Any help tips anything would be great.Thanks

A 55 gal is way too big. Get him set up in a small 6-12 qt Rubbermaid type tub. Have you tried a live hopper mouse? A good pic would help determine whether assist feeding is even necessary at this point...

That cage is way to big, I would start him out in a 12 or 16 quart tub. Big tanks stresses them out and stress means that they won't eat. It is very important to provide the proper temperatures. What are you using to regulate the UTH? And what are you using to measure temperatures/humidity?

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I would wait a week to let him get settled in before I tried to feed him. After a week, I would try a live mouse hopper or live rat pup.

For a small baby like that, I will go for the 6-12 qt tub. Smaller spaces = more security to a baby ball (Or balls in general). They're only $2-5 at Walmart.
Also, darkening the enclosure w/ a sheet or something will calm it down as well.

Try feeding live first to try jump starting a feeding response. But I would wait a little bit before trying so he gets some time to adjust to his new surroundings.

She was selling it because it wasn't eating? That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard of and an awful business practice. Most QUALITY breeders will only consider selling an animal if it's healthy and feeding consistently.


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Originally Posted by KatStoverReptiles

She was selling it because it wasn't eating? That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard of and an awful business practice. Most QUALITY breeders will only consider selling an animal if it's healthy and feeding consistently.


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Yes I know I felt sorry for the snake too.I didnt realize the 55 divided was to large being 12 x 22.5 I have plenty of tubs I can use.I also run dimmers that Ive used for the past year for my temps on the UTH been working great for my corns.

I havent tried feeding yet only been home about an hour an a half with him so far.I will move him to one of the shoebox tubs I have now.Thanks for the info so far everyone.

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Originally Posted by KatStoverReptiles

She was selling it because it wasn't eating? That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard of and an awful business practice. Most QUALITY breeders will only consider selling an animal if it's healthy and feeding consistently.


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It's almost as irresponsible as someone impulsively buying an admitted non-feeding baby when they have no idea what they're doing. But at least the buyers intentions were good, which is more than can be said for the seller. They really must have needed the 10 bucks...:rolleyes:

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Originally Posted by sho220

It's almost as irresponsible as someone impulsively buying an admitted non-feeding baby when they have no idea what they're doing. But at least the buyers intentions were good, which is more than can be said for the seller. They really must have needed the 10 bucks...:rolleyes:

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WOW another one of these guys :rolleyes: anyways like I said I went there not planing on buying anything me needed the 10 bucks thats funny.Felt sorry for it they acting like they were done messing with.Why not try to save it.Guess Ill search for another forum I hate people like this.Thanks for the help guys later.

I would strongly replace the dimmer with a thermostat.

Here are 2 good thermostats

Hydrofarm, cheap but effective

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000NZZG3S

Herpstat, best of the best

http://spyderrobotics.com/

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Originally Posted by pOsSuM72

WOW another one of these guys :rolleyes: anyways like I said I went there not planing on buying anything me needed the 10 bucks thats funny.Felt sorry for it they acting like they were done messing with.Why not try to save it.Guess Ill search for another forum I hate people like this.Thanks for the help guys later.

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Really didn't mean to offend, and like I said, your intentions are good...but it's kind of like buying a puppy at a puppy mill pet store...it just validates what they're doing...I guess if you're good with supporting irresponsible breeders...

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Originally Posted by sho220

Really didn't mean to offend, and like I said, your intentions are good...but it's kind of like buying a puppy at a puppy mill pet store...it just validates what they're doing...I guess if you're good with supporting irresponsible breeders...

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Yeah sorry for jumping off like that somethings just get under my skin ;)
I guess getting older does that to a guy:P
Like I said if I went there to get one not ever having a ball I would of went to the guy that had a tub of them for 15.00 for a first ball.Anyways just want to help this little guy and my daughter being 7 ahhh daddy we need to help him lol its hard to say no.Actually I have corn snakes they dont bother me at all I think its the size of Pythons heads that scare me a little.Hopefully I lose that fear now :D

Heres 2 pics I dont have a camera so phone pics is all I could get.If anyone needs a different pic let me know.Thanks again.

http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h2...e/CAM00045.jpg


http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h2...e/CAM00048.jpg

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Originally Posted by pOsSuM72

Yeah sorry for jumping off like that somethings just get under my skin ;)
I guess getting older does that to a guy:P

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No problem...I have a bad habit of coming across like a jack@&$ sometimes. :)

I was expecting a hatchling that has never eaten...but he looks a bit older?? The wrinkling, saggy skin is not a good sign...definitely underweight and probably dehydrated. I would definitely get him into a smaller enclosure, put him somewhere quiet and give him a few days to chill and then try a hopper mouse.

A trip to the vet may also be in your future...did the seller give you any information about where this guy came from? Was he hatched locally or is he an import? From what I understand, internal parasites may sometimes cause feeding issues, which is why I mention the trip to the vet.

They actually had 2 like this another guy snagged the other.She said it was from their clutch they just wouldn't eat.Me thinking I could get it to eat eventually I hope.He did drink some water I seen a little while ago.When I try a Hopper should I just put it in the viv with him?On my corns I use separate tubs to feed them.Just curious which is best for balls.

It's best to feed balls in their enclosures since they are known to be picky eaters. It's also less stressful for them.

You might also try putting some aspen bedding in the tub. I don't know why, but sometimes it helps with non-feeders...

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I put aspen in that's what I use for my other snakes.Should I try live or F/T I use F/T on my others just wondering if live would make him snag it?

I'm kinda nervous about live though if it wont eat it could be bite.Just asking someone with experience.He seems fine so far he's been drinking and moving around,besides his weight just hoping he eats and go from there.Thanks again for all the help.

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Originally Posted by pOsSuM72

I put aspen in that's what I use for my other snakes.Should I try live or F/T I use F/T on my others just wondering if live would make him snag it?

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Offer him a live hopper mouse. The movement will typically incite a feeding response, and the hopper is too small/young to be able to harm your BP in the short time it would be in there. I doubt a BP that small could even take a rodent that would be old/big enough to hurt him.

Well I dropped in a hopper just awhile ago covered the tub with a towel.Checked back on him 30 mins later and nothing.I then picked the hopper up by its tail held it over the ball and BAM suckers are fast,he rolled that hopper up quick.So far so good hope he does ok.Just glad he ate.


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Originally Posted by pOsSuM72

Well I dropped in a hopper just awhile ago covered the tub with a towel.Checked back on him 30 mins later and nothing.I then picked the hopper up by its tail held it over the ball and BAM suckers are fast,he rolled that hopper up quick.So far so good hope he does ok.Just glad he ate.


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Glad to hear! Hopefully he gets back up to weight for you :)

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Originally Posted by pOsSuM72

Well I dropped in a hopper just awhile ago covered the tub with a towel.Checked back on him 30 mins later and nothing.I then picked the hopper up by its tail held it over the ball and BAM suckers are fast,he rolled that hopper up quick.So far so good hope he does ok.Just glad he ate.


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Glad to hear he ate for you. Always a relief when you get a stubborn one to eat! :)

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Originally Posted by pOsSuM72

Well I dropped in a hopper just awhile ago covered the tub with a towel.Checked back on him 30 mins later and nothing.I then picked the hopper up by its tail held it over the ball and BAM suckers are fast,he rolled that hopper up quick.So far so good hope he does ok.Just glad he ate.

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This is why I always recommend tongs for feeding, if you are going to hold the prey. Imagine that strike at 1000g when, say, his aim is a little off... :O

Congratulations on getting him to eat!

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Originally Posted by Annarose15

This is why I always recommend tongs for feeding, if you are going to hold the prey. Imagine that strike at 1000g when, say, his aim is a little off... :O

Congratulations on getting him to eat!

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Thanks and yes tongs will be used in the future for sure :)

Well this morning was day 5 after eating and I found the mouse all nasty laying by his hide.After he ate I left him be only changed water.Temps and humidity is all right.I guess a trip to the vet is going to happen ASAP.

Did he regurge the mouse, or was it never eaten in the first place?

He regurged it I guess he had it in him for almost 5 days.I've never had one do this its new to me.I'm really freaking out now.

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So now you need to handle the regurge.
Wait 2 weeks before trying to feed anything. Feed a very very small meal, wait 2 more weeks, same very small meal, wait a week bump prey size a bit, wait a week if he keeps all that down back to normal prey.
This is all assuming he doesn't regurge again. If he does the cycle starts all over.
Now you need to Try and find out why The regurge happened. Double check everything from temps to equipment.


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Can you tell us the exact temps?

yes please giive more details on the setup ball pyhtons like warmer temps than corns so might regurged due to being too cool for him to digest the prey.
I also gently feel the snakes belly for any hard spots might have a hard yolk or belly isssue that shows up from time to time with soem snake hatchlings.

I use a UTH so the probe reads 88 to 91 under is hot side hide. I use a dimmer so my temps read that no lower or higher there.Cool side is at 75 to 80.Humidity stays around 64 give or take a few.I noticed the past few days he would just lay out in the open on the cool side.Since last night hes been in the hide on the hot side,thats where I found the nasty looking hopper.It was laying right outside the hole to the hide.

Another question after I wait 2 weeks should I try a fuzzy?Smaller meal maybe I dont know just wondering.Thanks again.