How long to wait before force feeding?

We just got baby ball python and the store we got it from gave us his feeding chart. The store had him 2 weeks and noted he didn't eat any of the times he was offered a pinkie. I got some pinkies and have tried to feed him twice and both times he has not eaten. I've read some forums on here where force feeding was recommended, but I'm not sure at what point that is recommended. My first thought is to switch him from the 55 gallon tank we got him to a smaller tank as I've read larger tanks can stress out baby BP's. Any other recommendations would be greatly appreciated.

How long have you had him? First stop offering food and let him settle in. At least a week with no handling, no feeding. Then try offering food but only once a week. Balls, even babies can go a LONG time with out eating. He needs to settle first. Continually offering food is stressful. A smaller tank could help or you could try making the 55 very cluttered.

Whats his weight.... and a 55galon is defiantly too big(if he isnt eating), try buying a 6qt lidded tub and use that till he gets bigger. Do not force feed especially being your first snake this causes more harm then benefits when it isnt needed to be done.

Pinkies are too small!

A 55 gallon is too big. Move him down to a 10 gallon with hide. Whenever receiving a new snake it is wise to leave it alone for 1-2 weeks before feeding. That means no handeling also. Assist feed should always be done before force. All depends on his overall look. If he is healthy looking and doesnt look skinny then could probably wait a little while before offering food. I would go a week inbetween feeding also. A lot of ball pythons are more enticed to take a live rodent over a dead one so i suggest finding a live rat and offering that first. If he still aint eating and looks skinny and unhealthy then assist feed him. Take a F/T pinky rat and rub the nose of it on the snakes mouth to open it. Take a pair of tongs and grab the rat by the head and slowly and carefully move the rat into the snakes throat. Then place snake back into enclosure. The trick here is that the rat gets stuck down in his throat to a point the ball python finally realizes he cant spit it up then starts taking it down on his own. Good luck!

If you have an hatchling on your hands then you need to provide proper husbandry.

Force feeding is not something recommended lightly and should only be done when all other options have been exhausted.

Assuming you have an hatchling you need to do the following.

Get a 6 quarts plastic tub (15 quarts at the very most)

Use aspen as bedding

Provide 1 or two PLASTIC flower pot saucer

Provide a hot side of 88 degrees.

Leave your BP alone for a week, NO HANDLING

Offer a live appropriately sized mouse (equal you BP's girth size)

55 gallons will not work with an hatchling even if cluttered a smaller tank will likely not be a better option either.

While adults can go off feed for a long time an hatchling should be VORACIOUS and should be eating.

Also pinkies if pinkie mice are also not appropriated for a BP.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by HVani

How long have you had him? First stop offering food and let him settle in. At least a week with no handling, no feeding. Then try offering food but only once a week. Balls, even babies can go a LONG time with out eating. He needs to settle first. Continually offering food is stressful. A smaller tank could help or you could try making the 55 very cluttered.

---

I got him last Thursday...it's now Monday. So no handling for 1 week then offer food again?

Not sure of his weight, but he's approximately 14" long. He doesn't look skinny, but this is my first BP and I'm not 100% sure if he should be thicker or not.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Deborah

If you have an hatchling on your hands then you need to provide proper husbandry.

Force feeding is not something recommended lightly and should only be done when all other options have been exhausted.

Assuming you have an hatchling you need to do the following.

Get a 6 quarts plastic tub (15 quarts at the very most)

Use aspen as bedding

Provide 1 or two PLASTIC flower pot saucer

Provide a hot side of 88 degrees.

Leave your BP alone for a week, NO HANDLING

Offer a live appropriately sized mouse (equal you BP's girth size)

55 gallons will not work with an hatchling even if cluttered a smaller tank will likely not be a better option either.

While adults can go off feed for a long time an hatchling should be VORACIOUS and should be eating.

Also pinkies if pinkie mice are also not appropriated for a BP.

---

What are the PLASTIC flower pot saucers for?

Confused by your statement: 55 gallons will not work with an hatchling even if cluttered a smaller tank will likely not be a better option either. 55 gallon will not work but a smaller on is not a better option???

If pinkies are not appropriate, what would you suggest? I've read a few articles that suggest crickets. He's about 14" long and thinner than a garden hose.

the pots would be used as hides. I'm assuming

Ball pythons don't eat crickets.

For a baby I would say hopper mice. Would be fine. Or rat pups if you can find them.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by macnmore

What are the PLASTIC flower pot saucers for?

Confused by your statement: 55 gallons will not work with an hatchling even if cluttered a smaller tank will likely not be a better option either. 55 gallon will not work but a smaller on is not a better option???

If pinkies are not appropriate, what would you suggest? I've read a few articles that suggest crickets. He's about 14" long and thinner than a garden hose.

---

This is why educating yourself on the animal before purchasing is good. We all do have questions, but even assuming a BP will eat a cricket? Go out and buy a 10gallon tank OR a 6qt shoe box (with locking lid) and use this till he reaches 400+g, then try him in the tank IF he eats fantastic, if not get a 15qt locking tub..... I say tubs because they are much cheaper and work as well if not better then glass tanks for overall necessities of a BP

Quote:

---

What are the PLASTIC flower pot saucers for?

Confused by your statement: 55 gallons will not work with an hatchling even if cluttered a smaller tank will likely not be a better option either. 55 gallon will not work but a smaller on is not a better option???

If pinkies are not appropriate, what would you suggest? I've read a few articles that suggest crickets. He's about 14" long and thinner than a garden hose.

---

Not where you have done your research but I would love to see those articles mentioning crickets for a BP.

Plastic flower pot saucers are for hides, I recommend using them to new owner which I assume you are.

55 gallons is WAY too big, cluttering it will not make a difference, you need to move your BP again to something cramped that will offer security at this size a 6 quarts tub is ideal, it provide the necessary security that is needed for an hatchling.

Pinkie Mice are not appropriated because they are colubrid food...WAY too small, no BP hatchlings even a runt would ever eat a pinkie mouse, they get started on hoppers and quickly move to adults , if not eating mice they eat rat crawlers however mice are much more enticing to BP which is why it would be my first choice to get this animal going.

Again, you need to offer a prey that is equal the girth size of your animal for now (no guessing, no weighing just eyeballing it).

Hatching need security, proper temps and properly sized food.

With new owners the number one reason why their animals do not eat is husbandry related which is the case here.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by CORBIN911

This is why educating yourself on the animal before purchasing is good. We all do have questions, but even assuming a BP will eat a cricket? Go out and buy a 10gallon tank OR a 6qt shoe box (with locking lid) and use this till he reaches 400+g, then try him in the tank IF he eats fantastic, if not get a 15qt locking tub..... I say tubs because they are much cheaper and work as well if not better then glass tanks for overall necessities of a BP

---

Mutliple sites mention BP's eating crickets...so I'm not sure what your comment "...but even assuming a BP will eat a cricket?" is supposed to mean.
http://exoticpets.about.com/od/pytho...ll-Pythons.htm

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by macnmore

Mutliple sites mention BP's eating crickets...so I'm not sure what your comment "...but even assuming a BP will eat a cricket?" is supposed to mean.
http://exoticpets.about.com/od/pytho...ll-Pythons.htm

---

Just go to show that people put to much faith in college degrees :rolleyes:, what an expert she is :rolleyes:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by macnmore

Mutliple sites mention BP's eating crickets...so I'm not sure what your comment "...but even assuming a BP will eat a cricket?" is supposed to mean.
http://exoticpets.about.com/od/pytho...ll-Pythons.htm

---

And that site is as useful as a colouring book. Not to be rude but some will eat large nice and maybe small rats IF they get that big... They can eat small rats at 600-800grams. So again please adequate research. Not off ask.com or yahoo :)

On this side there is a caresheet for ball pythons. Check it out. U should put your baby in a ten gallon tank. What type of heat are u useing and what are u keeping your heat and humidity at? Pinkies are way to small. Even a just hatched baby bp can eat a hopper or rat pup. Clutter up his cage and put a hide in there for him so he feels secure and leave him alone for a week before trying to feed him again. He will eat when he's ready. If u feel there's something wrong with him a vet trip won't hurt. I don't know where u got him from but major pet stores like pet smart and petco don't take very good care of their animals.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by jasonmcgilvrey83

I don't know where u got him from but major pet stores like pet smart and petco don't take very good care of their animals.

---

To be fair, there are smaller stores with "less than adequate" care as well. There is no reason to universally throw the big box stores under the bus, as there are plenty of caring people who work there and take good care of their animals. You can get both good and poor advice from anywhere - it doesn't matter what logo might be on their shirt (or what degree they might hold).

As a customer, it is your responsibility to have at least a small working knowledge before you walk in to a store and take home a new pet. That way you can spot those folks who are there because it's "just a job" and don't care enough to take it more seriously. This doesn't just apply to the pet industry, of course.

I have a 75w basking light and a 60w night light. In his enclosure there is a fake tree for him to climb up on to get closer to the heat source and right next to that is a small cave like structure for him to hide in. On the other side of the cage is his water bowl and a bunch of the plastic green leafy stuff for him to hide under. I put the thermometer at the top of the cage where his light is so I could make sure he wasn't getting too hot and it's around 86-88 degrees with the basking light. I plan on getting 2 more thermometers, one to put at the bottom of the cage on the hot side and ont the bottom of the cool side so I can better regulate his temperatures. I currently don't have anything in the cage to check humidity but will run to the pet store over lunch to get something for that. Any recommendations?

In getting him last Thursday, he was very reluctant to move around the cage but from when I got home yesterday till I went to bed he was non stop moving. He climbed up the tree, went to the opposite side and drank some water, went back to the tree, and so on. Made his way around the cage for 3-4 hours straight. Checked on him this morning and he was under the green leafy stuff on the cool side of the cage. He has yet to go under the cave structure though.

If the 75w is only getting it up to 88 degrees max, should I look at upping that to a 100w bulb? Are the stick on thermometers adequate? If he continues to move around the cage actively, should I still move him to a smaller cage is is that a sign he's getting comfortable with his surroundings?

I did do research before buying him, but like everything else, there are so many sights that contradict each other I tried to take the most common suggestions from each site. Of course actually having the snake has raised more questions than I thought about before getting him. If anyone thinks it would help, I can take some pictures of the snake and cage tonight so you guys can see my setup and make recommendations from that.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by macnmore

I have a 75w basking light and a 60w night light. In his enclosure there is a fake tree for him to climb up on to get closer to the heat source and right next to that is a small cave like structure for him to hide in. On the other side of the cage is his water bowl and a bunch of the plastic green leafy stuff for him to hide under. I put the thermometer at the top of the cage where his light is so I could make sure he wasn't getting too hot and it's around 86-88 degrees with the basking light. I plan on getting 2 more thermometers, one to put at the bottom of the cage on the hot side and ont the bottom of the cool side so I can better regulate his temperatures. I currently don't have anything in the cage to check humidity but will run to the pet store over lunch to get something for that. Any recommendations?

In getting him last Thursday, he was very reluctant to move around the cage but from when I got home yesterday till I went to bed he was non stop moving. He climbed up the tree, went to the opposite side and drank some water, went back to the tree, and so on. Made his way around the cage for 3-4 hours straight. Checked on him this morning and he was under the green leafy stuff on the cool side of the cage. He has yet to go under the cave structure though.

If the 75w is only getting it up to 88 degrees max, should I look at upping that to a 100w bulb? Are the stick on thermometers adequate? If he continues to move around the cage actively, should I still move him to a smaller cage is is that a sign he's getting comfortable with his surroundings?

I did do research before buying him, but like everything else, there are so many sights that contradict each other I tried to take the most common suggestions from each site. Of course actually having the snake has raised more questions than I thought about before getting him. If anyone thinks it would help, I can take some pictures of the snake and cage tonight so you guys can see my setup and make recommendations from that.

---

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Deborah

Get a 6 quarts plastic tub (15 quarts at the very most)

Use aspen as bedding

Provide 1 or two PLASTIC flower pot saucer

Provide a hot side of 88 degrees. (Heat pad plus t-stat or lamp dimmer.)

Leave your BP alone for a week, NO HANDLING

Offer a live appropriately sized mouse (equal you BP's girth size)

---

CAPS LOCK

or

Bold

may help for them to see the advice.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by CORBIN911

CAPS LOCK

or

Bold

may help for them to see the advice.

---

And being a smartass helps how???

You decline to even read any of the advice given. And ask a question with answers already given. Such as the same. Please read and research before buying things where there life depends on you. It's a simple to show when you ask question

1
2
3

You get answers to

1
2
3

Yet. Continue to ask them. If you ask for help and it's given please take it in not as for more answers

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by CORBIN911

You decline to even read any of the advice given. And ask a question with answers already given. Such as the same. Please read and research before buying things where there life depends on you. It's a simple to show when you ask question

1
2
3

You get answers to

1
2
3

Yet. Continue to ask them. If you ask for help and it's given please take it in not as for more answers

---

You're making a lot of assumptions here.
"You decline to even read any of the advice given" You have no idea what I've read...I have read everything everyone has posted on this thread and several more on this forum. Not only this forum but several other forums as well as watched several videos on Youtube to try and see how best to setup the snakes environment.

"And ask a question with answers already given" I'm pretty sure I didn't ask any of the same questions in that last post of mine. I was trying to describe my setup and ask a couple new questions I hadn't asked before. I asked for recommendations on a tool to measure humidity. Asked if the 75w was only getting it up to 88 degrees if I should go up to a 100w bulb. And the last question I asked was if him exploring his cage was a sign of him getting comfortable with his surroundings. I had NOT asked any of these 3 questions in prior posts...so am I to assume you haven't read any of the prior posts and are just going off the one post of Deborah's where she replied with a previous reply?

I'm trying to ask legitimate questions so I can best provide for and take care of the snake. It sounds like the cage he's currently in is too big for him, so I'm having my daughter clean out our 10 gallon tank so we can move him to a smaller habitat for now. Over lunch I picked up a hygrometer, 2 more thermometers, and 2 smaller hides. No one at my house messed with the snake yesterday and won't for 1 full week. Advice has been given and I'm doing what I can to adhere to it...so please don't make assumptions about me cause you don't know me. If you don't have anything positive to contribute to this thread I'd appreciate you just don't post anything.

A week doesn't matter tbh

Give him 0 attention for min 2-3 meals with. Minimum maintenance. Water/spot clean ect... And again Deborah gave you 100% what you need for your husbandry. Just a cut/dry version

Stick on thermometers are pretty much useless as they are very inaccurate. Get a temp gun or at least some digital thermometers with a probe. Also, ball pythons are not arboreal snakes (as much as the babies seem to wish they were). So providing him with an adequate 90 degree hot spot on the GROUND is necessary. This is also where you should be measuring your temps and not up by the light.

I agree with what the others have posted here. Smaller enclosure, nice and snug hides on both hot and cool side.

I would refrain from handling until he eats at least twice. Only offer food once every 5 days at most.

Moving around the cage actively is usually a sign of stress. A ball python is happy when it is hiding. Only coming out at night for a few hours.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by macnmore

Mutliple sites mention BP's eating crickets...so I'm not sure what your comment "...but even assuming a BP will eat a cricket?" is supposed to mean.
http://exoticpets.about.com/od/pytho...ll-Pythons.htm

---

never visit these sites again.