Need Help! Worried about my baby ball python

So my little baby i bought from a local pet shop, turned out to have not even shed or eaten before he got shipped. As i don't have alot of experience with babies, i just thought he looked cool. I didn't realize he was pinkish in color because he hadn't had his first shed....

ANYWAYS...a couple things i need to learn

I have offered food twice, with no luck. I've tried everything i can think of, using tongs to dangle the f/t mouse, putting him in a little box with it closed and leaving him there for a bit. i am clueless, and heartbroken. this has been going on for two weeks.

On the plus side, i've been keeping track of his weight, he was 65g last week, down to 63 now (he pooped a little, no idea what he would have pooped tho, since he hasn't eaten)

He drinks water regularly. His setup is near perfect, 90 degree hotspot, ambient air of 85, cool side of 81. i use a thermostat to make sure nothing gets too hot or too cold.

He has shed once, and doesn't mind being handled.

Main issues i need help with

1. He wont eat, its been two weeks (this coming friday will be 3) what do i do?

2. He is CONSTANTLY trying to escape his cage. Someone commented on another post that my hides may have been too big, so i got some smaller ones, he can still get in and out of them easy, but they are small enough all of his sides are touching the hide. Are some BPs just more active than others? or is mine freaking out?


Any help is greatly appreciated.

1) Try feeding a live hopper mouse in his enclosure. I'll give you $5 if he doesn't eat it ;)

2) Roaming at night, especially with young ones, are fairly normal...plus the fact that he hasn't eaten...he's hungry! They roam when they're hungry usually. Is he roaming during the day?

day...night, it doesn't matter. pretty much anytime i look in his cage he is roaming around. ill try a live mouse in a few days.

Well that sounds like stress. Can you describe your set up in as much detail as possible? Pictures would help also...

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Originally Posted by LGray23

Well that sounds like stress. Can you describe your set up in as much detail as possible? Pictures would help also...

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I sure can. 15 gallon long, with UTH regulated by hyrdrofarm thermostat. repti-bark chips for bedding, two identical hides (cut out portions of a deli snack tray, sanitized and all sharp edges melted down smooth) a couple fake plants, a nice heavy water dish, a lamp (low wattage, for night time viewing only, haven't really used it) and a little bit of moss to help with humidty and snugness in his hides.

His tank is in a large closet, low traffic area, good air exchange without being near an a/c vent. gets ambient light from the window.

Temps as of right now are 89 hotspot, 84 ambient air, 80 cool side.
humidity is 62%.

someone please tell me what im doing wrong so i can fix it. a live mouse isn't really an option until wednesday, i've got 6 frozen medium size mice, and 6 frozen large mice tho. closest pet store is about an hour and a half.
pics
http://i47.tinypic.com/71782c.jpg

http://i45.tinypic.com/30254p4.jpg

Very odd, because that seems like a very suitable set up. As for trying f/t again, try heating the head up with a hair dryer right before attempting to feed. Are you feeding in the enclosure? If not, I strongly suggest you try it.

Toss a live mouse hopper in there and watch this feeding issue become a non-issue in about 3 minutes.

Getting them started on live doesn't mean you can't switch them over to F/T later on. But, you need to get him started first.

P.S. Any pet shop that would sell a ball python that young and unstarted, is uninformed at best, and down right shady at worst. Either way, I would never darken their door again.

i'll try the hair dryer tip. thanks for your compliment on my setup, that means alot. i was worried maybe i had something wrong. i've tried to do as much research as possible.

keep your fingers crossed, if he eats, you'll probably hear me screaming with joy from wherever you are =)

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Originally Posted by Chained

i'll try the hair dryer tip.

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Are you completely opposed to feeding live?

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Originally Posted by Slim

Are you completely opposed to feeding live?

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no, but it would be impractical right now. i live about an hour an a half from the closest pet store, and i have no place to store extra mice/rats. i'll do it if i have to, to get him eating, but i would prefer f/t just for the accessibility, and the safety of it. (dead mice cant bite)

Don't worry too much yet. I have a few 3 week olds that are still 65 grams since they are being stubborn about eating.

Try a mouse hopper. Bigger than a fuzzy but smaller than a just weaned mouse. As long as it is no bigger than barely wider than your snake is wide. Or a bit smaller.

I'd try this every couple nights until he decides to take it. Only start getting worried if he goes another 2 weeks without eating. Then you'll need to consider starting him by assist feeding him a thawed or pre killed fuzzy mouse.


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Snakes, Jeeps, Dragons, Nature, & Knives.. Makes my world go-round!

Many breeders, even ones who sell baby ball pythons as F/T eaters, have to start them out on live. Good luck.

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Originally Posted by Chained

no, but it would be impractical right now. i live about an hour an a half from the closest pet store, and i have no place to store extra mice/rats. i'll do it if i have to, to get him eating, but i would prefer f/t just for the accessibility, and the safety of it. (dead mice cant bite)

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Ok, I missed this..

Most hatchlings are started on live because they respond to the movement and it triggers their feeding response..

To get him to start on FT and not have to switch him, you might have to assist feed him a couple times.

Sometimes the bag trick too. Put the proper sized FT rodent in a small paper bag, put the snake in with it, clip the end shut and lay it in the tank overnight.


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Snakes, Jeeps, Dragons, Nature, & Knives.. Makes my world go-round!

so, since it WAS getting rather close to 3 weeks, and i was getting frustrated, i did a semi-assist feed after watching several videos on it. i call it semi assist, because rather than me putting it down his throat, i really only had to open his mouth and get the mouse near it, once the mouse got close to his mouth, he clamped shut on it right away, and even started swallowing while i was still holding him. i immediately placed him back in his cage, closed everything up, and put a towel over the front. heres hoping he keeps it down :D

Some of mine like it nice and dark when I go in to feed. As it is hard to see in the dark i keep my chameleons light and only feed mine in the evening. This might help next time you feed. Dont freak out my cinnie came to me on its one month old day and didnt feed for me for the first 3 weeks. Went live and she took it inside of 30 seconds. She is also one that wont feed unless its pretty dark but she went F/T the very next feeding. Be sure to only offer food on a schedule typically about once a week and your little guy should come around soon.

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Originally Posted by Chained

so, since it WAS getting rather close to 3 weeks, and i was getting frustrated, i did a semi-assist feed after watching several videos on it. i call it semi assist, because rather than me putting it down his throat, i really only had to open his mouth and get the mouse near it, once the mouse got close to his mouth, he clamped shut on it right away, and even started swallowing while i was still holding him. i immediately placed him back in his cage, closed everything up, and put a towel over the front. heres hoping he keeps it down :D

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That's basically it. You don't even need to open the snakes mouth to assist feed. You just press the head of the rodent against the front of the snakes mouth and the lower lip a bit. Where the snake sticks it's tongue out. It should just open up. Then you put the head in. You really shouldn't have to stuff it down the throat. That's stressful. Then quickly put the snake down and it should swallow.

Those are the instructions I usually give so it sounds like you have taught yourself pretty well.

Now just wait about 4 days, and offer it a meal. It's more likely to take it on its own since you've gotten it's digestive system going. It should be hungry.

Good luck with the little guy and keep us posted!


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Snakes, Jeeps, Dragons, Nature, & Knives.. Makes my world go-round!

Thanks for all of the help everyone, as always this forum has helped me tremendously. Sam (the baby) is acting much more like a normal BP as of last night. staying in his hides more, came out once to drink some water, then went right back in. i'm gonna give him a few days to digest and then it's back to babying him :)

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Originally Posted by Chained

Thanks for all of the help everyone, as always this forum has helped me tremendously. Sam (the baby) is acting much more like a normal BP as of last night. staying in his hides more, came out once to drink some water, then went right back in. i'm gonna give him a few days to digest and then it's back to babying him :)

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Since he hasn't truly eaten on his own yet, I would not handle him again until he has at least two or three times. You don't want to stress/distract him until he's established, and one semi-assist doesn't count as an established feeder.