New here, want some help

Well I just got my first bp a few days ago (Sunday) from a petsmart as a gift. The lady at the store gave me the snakes feeding chart etc. it gets fed each Monday, problem is, it hasn't eaten anything offered since before dec 3 when the store got it. I know bp's go through off feelings, but I'm worried because it hasn't eaten in so long. The snake seems fine, not skinny at all. I'm not too worried in general, but I really would like to see the snake eat during the 14 day guarantee that the store provides. So far the snake has seemed interested, but not gone after the frozen thawed mouse. I tried wiggling it with tongs for about 5-10 mins, then left it in over night, and nothing.

Hes in a temporary plastic bin till he's eating well. Heat pad under the tank, paper towel substrate for now till eating, warm and cool hides, water dish, and a humid hide(plastic bowl thing with a hole in the lid filled with moist peat moss) and some fake plants.

Should i I try feeding in a smaller tank? Could I try leaving another mouse overnight possibly in his hide tonight, or is it better just to wait till next week? Should I be turning off the heat mat at night, or should I leave it on? (I have been leaving it on because my room a bit cool). And most importantly, what are some things I can do to help get my snake to eat?

First its not unusual for them to not eat with you at first. Your snake is probably pretty stressed out in its new environment. Wait a week without handing it. Give it some time to calm down and get used it its new home. If he/she continues to refuse properly heated frozen/thawed rodents you can try live.

Also in case you don't already have one you should have some way of controlling the heat output of your heat mat. Whether its a lamp dimmer from home depot or a thermostat. Its a pretty important tool to use as under tank heater burns on ball pythons are fairly common. You also need a good way of monitoring the temperature of your enclosure both on the hotspot and on the cool side. Infrared temperature guns are a great tool, or a lot of people use the dual temperature accurite thermometer from walmart.

1. Heat mat needs a thermostat so you can set it and forget it. Leaving it on can cause it to overheat and cause burns on the snake. Hyrdrofarm makes one for $40. There is a thread on here recently made about a rheostat which is much cheaper.

2. I'd wait a week, let the little guy settle. Some people do not. But he needs temps and security.

3. Thermometer, accurite from walmart for $12 is most recommended on the site.

4. Feed inside his enclosure.

I'd get your enclosure set up proper this week and worry about feeding toward Mondayish. A bp that young shouldn't be striking so it's most likely temps and security.


:welcome: to the site. :-)

I would get his temps and humidity spot on and then leave him alone for about a week and then try to feed. Don't hold him and just let him be. How big is he? I would also weigh him.

Ok thank you all for your help!

Ill unplug the heat mat for the night then, I've got an extra thermostat at my girlfriends so I'll get that tomorrow. The ambient temps are about 78-82 and the hot spot is about 90 (with it cooling down now) earlier the hot spot was about 95-98.

http://s1274.photobucket.com/user/da...tml?sort=3&o=3 I hope that link works to photobucket.

I think ink it may be starting the early processes of shedding too... Not sure.

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Originally Posted by Daniel.michelle

http://s1274.photobucket.com/user/da...tml?sort=3&o=3 I hope that link works to photobucket.

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Nope, but this one will:http://i1274.photobucket.com/albums/...ps03db6f79.jpg

You tried to link the entire Photobucket page, rather than just the image itself. :gj:

Oops lol thank you! I'm used to other forums and not photobucket.

I took my bp a while to eat. Sometimes they just need some time to get comfortable with new surroundings. I couldn't get her to eat for about a month and a half, but was reading not to worry because it's fairly common as long as they don't seem like they aren't showing any obvious signs of weight loss. After finally taking her first meal with me, she hasn't missed one since.

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Originally Posted by Daniel.michelle

Well I just got my first bp a few days ago (Sunday) from a petsmart as a gift. The lady at the store gave me the snakes feeding chart etc. it gets fed each Monday, problem is, it hasn't eaten anything offered since before dec 3 when the store got it. I know bp's go through off feelings, but I'm worried because it hasn't eaten in so long. The snake seems fine, not skinny at all. I'm not too worried in general, but I really would like to see the snake eat during the 14 day guarantee that the store provides. So far the snake has seemed interested, but not gone after the frozen thawed mouse. I tried wiggling it with tongs for about 5-10 mins, then left it in over night, and nothing.

Should i I try feeding in a smaller tank? Could I try leaving another mouse overnight possibly in his hide tonight, or is it better just to wait till next week? Should I be turning off the heat mat at night, or should I leave it on? (I have been leaving it on because my room a bit cool). And most importantly, what are some things I can do to help get my snake to eat?

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Yes, the stress of being relocated to the store and then to your house could be stress factors, but, since the snake didn't eat for PetSmart, there is also a good chance that the vendor who supplied the snake to PetSmart started it out on live mice or rats, and as I understand it, PetSmart only feeds frozen/thawed, which can require alot of patience, and technique in preparing the f/t feeders is the key. I would suggest offering an appropriately sized live prey item. Once your snake becomes a regular feeder on live prey, then start the process of converting to f/t, if you choose.

My baby GHI didn't eat for over 7 weeks after I got her. She was defensive but would never constrict. Get your temps/humidity right, let her be for at least a week and then try. If she doesn't take it wait another week or so and try again. My girl eventually ate and hasn't missed a meal since.

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Originally Posted by salt

Your snake is probably pretty stressed out in its new environment.

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Probably stressed from being at Petsmart more... lol OP, like most have pointed out, get the husbandry right and your snake should start eating for you. :welcome:

what Vypyrz times two...

said that is...

It's so weird feeding a snake... I'm used to my pets (lizards) devouring their food in seconds and being bottomless pits every single day. (I go through mice and rats like crazy!

So so far no luck still. I'm not sure how I feel still... I'm thinking I'm gonna go get my money back, then get one from my local monthly expo that has been eating right. I'd be fine if my snake had eaten at the store, but according to their chart he hasn't, and even though it's not skinny, it still worries me.

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Originally Posted by Daniel.michelle

It's so weird feeding a snake... I'm used to my pets (lizards) devouring their food in seconds and being bottomless pits every single day. (I go through mice and rats like crazy!

So so far no luck still. I'm not sure how I feel still... I'm thinking I'm gonna go get my money back, then get one from my local monthly expo that has been eating right. I'd be fine if my snake had eaten at the store, but according to their chart he hasn't, and even though it's not skinny, it still worries me.

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They can go months without eating and not lose much if any weight. Let her settle for at least a week without handling her and only open her cage to refill water If you have to. once she settles in she should be fine. Like I said it took my baby GHI 7 weeks before she ate with me. Now she LOVES to eat.

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Originally Posted by Johnk

They can go months without eating and not lose much if any weight. Let her settle for at least a week without handling her and only open her cage to refill water If you have to. once she settles in she should be fine. Like I said it took my baby GHI 7 weeks before she ate with me. Now she LOVES to eat.

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in addition..... No problems unless alot of weight loss is evident especially with this time of year.

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Originally Posted by xXBASSXx777

in addition..... No problems unless alot of weight loss is evident especially with this time of year.

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Exactly. As long as they have energy they're fine. she'll eat when she feels safe and comfortable.

She's definetly getting ready to shed, I've left her alone since Tuesday, I just opened the tub up to check on her, her eyes are milky blueish. That would explain the lack of eating lol. How long about will it take her to shed? And how long after that till I can try feeding her again.

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Originally Posted by Daniel.michelle

She's definetly getting ready to shed, I've left her alone since Tuesday, I just opened the tub up to check on her, her eyes are milky blueish. That would explain the lack of eating lol. How long about will it take her to shed? And how long after that till I can try feeding her again.

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Every snake is different. Some will eat as soon as they go out of blue and haven't shed yet (usually shed within 2 days after color returns to their eyes) and others seem to wait until they fully shed before they want to eat. I would try feeding every week to 10 days. That's what I did and my ghi eventually took a small fuzzy mouse. After that I've fed her every 3-4 days and she hasn't skipped a meal since. They're such a docile species that they need to feel safe and secure before they will eat. Once they figure out you're not going to eat them they seem to relax a lot.

Great news! It's done shedding! It seems much more active now. Finally used to being here and setup good I guess. Should I wait till tonight to feed or should I now? (Lol patience is a virtue I don't have.)

also, every snake shed I've seen is a long tube of shed keeping the snake shape, however, mine is all balled up like it was clenched in someone's fist. Is that normal or something to keep an eye on?

[IMG]http://i1274.photobucket.com/albums/...ps5a306049.jpg[/IMG]

Normal, I've never had mine all nice and mint hahaha. They pretty much just find something to catch it on, and slide the old skin right off, or something like that:rolleyes:

Well, he/she still isn't eating. It's being far more active though, so that is good. I went in to try feeding again just a bit ago(no dice) and saw that it finally pooped. It doesn't look the healthiest... Considering it hasn't eaten since before December 3rd, that has been in the poor guy/girl for over a month... Maybe now with that out of its system it will start to get hungry again...

[IMG]http://i1274.photobucket.com/albums/...ps5de669eb.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i1274.photobucket.com/albums/...ps00064a4f.jpg[/IMG]