How to go from force feeding>Assit Feeding>normal feeding!!

Ok So as some of you may know I got Lord Tyrion Dec 8th and he wouldn't eat no matter what. I tried all different tactics and last Thursday I started Assist feeding which led to a Force feeding(I saw a few video on You tube and made sure I knew what I was doing) It just came to it was almost 5 weeks and he hadn't eaten and he's still young and that's to long. I saw him about the tank today after 6pm and I decided to give him another feeding and he wouldn't take the frozen and again I had to force feed him. Now that he has two meals in him I can let him relax for a week and try again. What I have noticed is that My day bulb and night bulbs both from petco are 100W each. It stays very warm in my house and the radiator is right next to the dresser which his tank is on. THE AC is also behind it so during the Summer I had to get higher wattages to compensate for the AC always being on. Since then I've gotten A Zilla 1000 watt temp Controller and I have the day plugged in and not to go above 95F, If I set it to say 90 it shuts off. I'm also waiting for a Zilla Terrarium Hygrometer Thermometer which is coming tomorrow. I also ordered Zoo Med Repti Basking Spot Lamp 75W for the day(down from 100W) and Zoo Med Nocturnal Infrared Heat Lamp 50W(down from 100W) to help get better temps during the winter months. I will let him be till next sunday and then try again to get him to eat frozen mice. I don't want to have to keep force feeding him. Since he just ate on Sunday how long can he go with out eating two weeks max. Any suggestions as to how to get him to at least assist feeding from force feeding which hopefully lead to normal eating. I took some pics, they may be a bit blurry sorry about that. https://secure.petco.com/Shop/Product.aspx?SKU=481327 https://secure.petco.com/Shop/Product.aspx?SKU=864161 https://secure.petco.com/Shop/Product.aspx?SKU=1202944 https://secure.petco.com/Shop/Product.aspx?SKU=1238140 http://i1292.photobucket.com/albums/...ps394845dd.jpg http://i1292.photobucket.com/albums/...ps7f247f77.jpghttp://i1292.photobucket.com/albums/...psab4bc5ca.jpghttp://i1292.photobucket.com/albums/...ps7ee97fad.jpghttp://i1292.photobucket.com/albums/...psc141bd3a.jpghttp://i1292.photobucket.com/albums/...psfeec8e58.jpghttp://i1292.photobucket.com/albums/...psf4fcccc5.jpg

You might want to get 2 smaller identical hides. like these: http://www.reptilebasics.com/hide-boxes

Try covering 3 sides of the tank with something to make the BP more feel secure.

Did you ever try feeding live? Some BP's just won't eat frozen rodents.

I haven't tried Live feeding just yet, I have two more Mice left that are frozen I'd like to try that 1st. Last time I was at petco I saw they had live Mice but its hard to know which size is good for him. When I attempt to present his food now in the cage he to be lost for words runs from it, turns his head and goes into a ball. I think maybe I've been trying to much in the 5 weeks or so I have had him and I will give him a full week before I try again.

You should really have tried live before resorting to force feeding. Force feeding almost always causes issues that prolong the snakes unwillingness to eat.

You shouldn't offer more than once per week. Any more and you will probably cause more harm than good.

Force feeding should only be done as a last resort when every option has failed, you have a lot of thing here that are contributing to your feeding issues.

Force feeding and assist feeding can be very stressful and can lead to more issues down the road.

Here is what I would suggest

Get a 6 quarts plastic tub, a 6 inches flowerpot saucer, use some aspen bedding for substrate, provide a hot side of 86-88 degrees, leave your BP alone for a week (NO HANDLING until your BP has ate on it's own at least 3 times), offer a live mouse (in his tub)

Your issues are husbandry related, too big of an enclosure, hide that are not snug enough, temperature that are likely not adequate (dial thermometer are not accurate you need to switch to a digital thermometer or a temp gun) etc.

Optimal husbandry, animal kept warm and secure = feeding BP especially at that age.

Ty Y'all for the great advice. Here are a few more pics taken tonight> I will not be handling him for awhile until he gets on a regular eating habit!http://i1292.photobucket.com/albums/...ps438bb9eb.jpghttp://i1292.photobucket.com/albums/...ps51437154.jpg http://i1292.photobucket.com/albums/...ps400fabe5.jpg http://i1292.photobucket.com/albums/...psadab0362.jpg

I went on Petco.com and ordered two of these for his hides. Petco Reptile Cave Hideaway 9" L X 7" W X 3.5" H https://secure.petco.com/Shop/Product.aspx?SKU=1376756

I can almost guarantee you that he's not eating because of the set up (husbandry).
I personally would move him to a six quart tub as Deborah advised, and offer him live after a week of acclimating. I'd much rather lose my investment on a few f/t items than stress the animal out further by force feeding him.

Sent from my Samsung Note II using Tapatalk 2

That hide (I have seen those in person) is big enough for a 700+ gram snake. You're going to need to go even smaller. My first hides were cereal bowls. Worry about aesthetics later, just get your snake happy and comfortable and feeding. Run out to walmart and pick up some cheap plastic bowls for under a buck apiece.

Those hides are huge! I use them for my Boas & 1 4ft snake only fill half of it. If you have to you could just get some tiny cardboard boxes to use as a hide. Also I noticed in the last couple pics of the snake it looked like the eyes were dimpled in. that usually is caused by a humidity problem. I see you have a humidity guage in there but that type isnt verry acurate & it needs to be down by the thermometer to get reading where the snake actually is. You mentioned all the heat lamps youre using. They dry the air out more than it already is this time of year. You need to spray water inside the enclosure & put a damp towel over the open parts on the screen to raise humidity & hold it in.

I've always had issues trying to keep the humidity levels at a good rate. What I do is spray the tank a few times a day. I got my Digital Terrarium Thermometer Hygrometer today and Now I can get a more accurate readings. So far today I've been able to keep the Humidity level above 50%, it ranges from 50%-75%. That plus the Temperature Controller will help keep the levels I need. My next step is to wait for the new day and night bulbs (75W and 50W) which are coming Wednesday and then by the end of the week the two new hides I got. I know Y'all say they seem huge but they are the smallest I could find at a decent price. he's been ok he's been in his Hide(the large one for most of the time and I saw him moving around last night. For now I have the humidity probe set a little of center near the top, The probe for Temp controller is in the middle of that and the temp probe is off center to the right of that. I took some more pics of my set up. I got all my power strips neater.http://i1292.photobucket.com/albums/...ps4c4e6cf5.jpghttp://i1292.photobucket.com/albums/...ps19a5b594.jpghttp://i1292.photobucket.com/albums/...ps77d98ec3.jpg

You can't get cheaper than cereal bowls for a buck apiece! Seriously! Do him a favor, run to walmart or wherever and buy some plastic cereal bowls!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by BigCountry

I've always had issues trying to keep the humidity levels at a good rate. What I do is spray the tank a few times a day. I got my Digital Terrarium Thermometer Hygrometer today and Now I can get a more accurate readings. So far today I've been able to keep the Humidity level above 50%, it ranges from 50%-75%. That plus the Temperature Controller will help keep the levels I need. My next step is to wait for the new day and night bulbs (75W and 50W) which are coming Wednesday and then by the end of the week the two new hides I got. I know Y'all say they seem huge but they are the smallest I could find at a decent price. he's been ok he's been in his Hide(the large one for most of the time and I saw him moving around last night. For now I have the humidity probe set a little of center near the top, The probe for Temp controller is in the middle of that and the temp probe is off center to the right of that. I took some more pics of my set up. I got all my power strips neater.

---

Does this mean that your probes are near the top of the enclosure ?? If so, they should be near the floor of the cage, where the snake is.
Also, instead of messing around with a bunch of different day, and night heat bulbs, perhaps a ceramic heat bulb would simplify things.
It doesn't give off light, so it won't bother the snake. Plugged into a thermostat, it should keep your ambient temp good.

I would have to agree with every one else even baby BP's can go a long time without food you need a scale and monitor the snakes weight to determine if it has been to long since it ate by weight drop. If you are force or assist feeding it needs to be pinkies or fuzzys definitely nothing to big. Try live hoppers if the snake doesn't take those wait it out a lil while get all of your probes down on the snakes level so you know what temps the snake is getting. I can assure you although all of the information provided says your doing the wrong thing don't get discouraged every one here is trying to help. You do need to make your BP feel very secure to get it to eat and if moving it to a smaller tub with an UTH is not on your agenda at bare minimum clutter up the cage more fake plants from the craft section at walmart are cheap wash them well first but it will help your lil guy feel more secure and not so exposed also the cereal bowl idea is great another good one is the cheap disposable snack bowls in the baby section it may seem small but a lil guy like that likes his hide to be snug around it. Also for holding in the humidity and some of the heat layer foil over the larger open sections on the screen and then you can tape them but I recommend hot glue it is much safer than tape. Another thing you can try after letting him be for a week is to try dangling the mouse and if your BP doesn't take it try to put your f/t mouse on a lid and set it in the cage in front of the hide and walk away shut all the lights in your room off and check on him in an hour. Another thing we have found helpful when the little guys are refusing is to make it more tempting put a small hole in the mouse stomach so that some of the blood seeps out on its fur always works for our younger stubborn BP.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by BigCountry

I've always had issues trying to keep the humidity levels at a good rate. What I do is spray the tank a few times a day. I got my Digital Terrarium Thermometer Hygrometer today and Now I can get a more accurate readings. So far today I've been able to keep the Humidity level above 50%, it ranges from 50%-75%. That plus the Temperature Controller will help keep the levels I need. My next step is to wait for the new day and night bulbs (75W and 50W) which are coming Wednesday and then by the end of the week the two new hides I got. I know Y'all say they seem huge but they are the smallest I could find at a decent price. he's been ok he's been in his Hide(the large one for most of the time and I saw him moving around last night. For now I have the humidity probe set a little of center near the top, The probe for Temp controller is in the middle of that and the temp probe is off center to the right of that. I took some more pics of my set up. I got all my power strips neater.

---

If he isn't eating on his own, then he probably isn't feeling ok with his hide. Although I personally have not seen those hides that you ordered from petco, if all the other members are correct with what they are saying about their size, then they are definitely too big for your little guy and will probably not help him with feeling more secure. I use these hides from reptile basics; they aren't the most aesthetically pleasing but they give your ball python a very good sense of security and they aren't expensive. I have used them for my girl ever since I have gotten her and she has never had a single eating issue. Your little guy looks like he would fit well in the small hide boxes from what I can gather from your images:

http://www.reptilebasics.com/hide-boxes

Also, it might help if you move him into a smaller enclosure. I had my girl in a 6 qt. tub to start. Tubs may not look super pretty but they are inexpensive, come in many sizes, and work great at maintaining humidity. They also give a better sense of security than tanks for your ball python since they usually have a frosted appearance rather than being completely transparent. Hope this helps!

Ok So I have put the two identical new hides in, have the new lower bulbs. 75W for the day and 50W for the night and so far the temps seem much better. during the day they avg 90-92F and the humidity is much better too, I've been keeping it around 60%-75% by spraying a few times a day. I also have lowered the probes to near the bottom of the tank. He was out for a bit today investigating his new hides and so far he likes them. took more pics and he's in the night side hide now curled up like he should. Now granted these are a bit on the big side but they are smaller than what I had. moving him to a plastic tube is not practical, so I will just have to make the most of what I have. I will try to feed him Sunday night or Monday night. I do appreciate everyone's in-put! http://i1292.photobucket.com/albums/...ps05894f52.jpghttp://i1292.photobucket.com/albums/...psf94e7127.jpghttp://i1292.photobucket.com/albums/...ps93704a1d.jpghttp://i1292.photobucket.com/albums/...pse83e6fe2.jpghttp://i1292.photobucket.com/albums/...ps4ba12a60.jpg

let us know how hes doing and if he accepts the food when you offer

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Dark Lady Kat

let us know how hes doing and if he accepts the food when you offer

---

I went to check on him tonight and attempt to feed him and no go, His eyes are a bluefish color and he's in the process of a shed. So That will have to wait. For now I've been making sure the temps are good. I put a towel over the cage when I'm home to help with the humidly levels.

Well I've made progress, he finished his shed the other day and today I went to feed him and I only had to assist feed him, I put the mouse near his mouth and he opened up and took care of the rest. http://i1292.photobucket.com/albums/...ps0dfee47d.jpghttp://i1292.photobucket.com/albums/...ps81c56eae.jpghttp://i1292.photobucket.com/albums/...ps538ec19b.jpghttp://i1292.photobucket.com/albums/...ps606e78ab.jpg