new ball python didn't switch to rats but stopped eating

Hello Everyone,
I would like to ask for some advice with my very first ball python! I have her for 2 month, she is probably 8 month old, or at least told to be. She is around 270 grams. About my husbandary: I keep her in a terrarium with UTH and infrared light both on thermostats 7/24. The warm side is 31-33 C and cool side is 25-29 C. She always use only her hide on the warm side, never goes to hides on the cool side. The humidity is varying 40-70 %, last week she shed perfectly one piece. I handle her only very few occasions, when I need to check or when she is wondering around and wants to come out on her own.
I started to feed her 2 weeks after I got her, and I was happy that she accepted fresh killed mouse, as the breeder kept her on live. I feed her 4 times, 3 hoppers and a big adult. Then I decided to switch her to rats to create me problems... :weirdfaceI offerd her dead rats the size as an adult mouse and she refused it 4 times allready for a month now. ( ok, one time she started to go to shed the next day, the other time defecated) I always tried to smell the rat with mouse and heat up, and wiggle it in front of her. She is a bit interested, but don't stike. When she refused the rat, than I offered the mouse, too that I used for smelling, but also not eating. Now, I start to worry, that I made it wrong and she will not even eat mouse! I haven't seen a lot pythons, but I'm afraid she is skinny, what you think?
What would you do in my place, try to insist on rats or try to offer her mice again? Or try to buy asf rat?
Thank you for any opinion or advice!

Try giving her a live one. It will suck to have to "restart" in a sense of getting her to f/t but as soon as she starts eating rats you can continue to pre-kill then move on to f/t.

I'm not sure if this is a thing or not that others may have experienced but my guy likes females. I tried feeding him male mice/rats and he went on strike until I offered a female. Also maybe consider the time of day that you're feeding her? Try later in the evening or in different lighting.

Thank you so much for the recommendations!
I gave her a live female rat yesterday.First She was very upset When the rat touched her huffing and puffing. Then She slowly turned back and neared the rat with S neck. I was praying to strike She really seemed todoing that. Then chaged her mind and fleeing all over the cage seemed to try to escape. So it was a month without eating and She is tiny. Maybe I try a live mouse Next week. She might be afraid of rats. Or maybe She doesnt like somethingin the husbandary - Im not experienced, I can not tell. Any further comments are very much appreciated!

My bp was afraid of mice that had their eyes open. Get a live rat pup (eyes closed) and just put it in the tub with your bp. I guarentee if your bp's hungry it will eat it within the hour

Thank you for the advice! I have noticed, that the rat bit her, not only touched her, I have seen little pink spots. Luckily its not bad, but can be seen in a white skin. I will try to get a closed eyed rat, it won't be easy, the shops sell here only weaned rats.
She is very active nowdays, I think because of hungry. Do you think that something can be off with the husbandary? She is in her hide on the warm spot during the day, and out 17-22 h and wandering on the cooler side. She seems to searching for a way out, as she spends alot of time vertically on the glass. I tried to put several hides on the cool side, but she never once went inside. Please look at the terrarium in my gallery and tell me what you think.

Looks fine to me, humidity might be off becuase it's such a big terrarium. Just try to find the fuzzy rat. Look for reptile expos etc near you. If you are really worried about your terrarium, switch Temporaraly to a tub. Tubs are really cheap at Walmart.

Hello,

I would like to update: I left 2 closed eyed rat in the terrarium last night, (scented with an ASF rat) and I found them live in the morning. The snake was too busy with trying to get out of the enclosure. She more and more behaves like a maniac, climbing glass and thermostat probe since she is not eating. What do you think to give up turning her to rats? She is not eating for 1,5 moths and seems to me slightly thinner. What should I do? It is better to eat mouse then nothing isn't it? By me she ate dead mice before. I'm thinking on giving her a live mouse tomorrow just to be sure to go back to eating mode. I also have a live ASF and several in the fridge. and lots of frozen rats, too.

I will also try to put her in a smaller tub, but it takes for me some weeks to get the ordered heat mat and things.

Thanks for any input!

Helló

Lássuk, tudok segíteni. Az én magyar nem olyan jó, szólj, ha megérted.

Két hónap nem hosszú ideig nem eszik. Próbálok több, mint hetente stresszt okozhat. Ha a kígyó nem eszik, tedd el, és várjon legalább hét napig. Kígyók gyors hónapokig, nem probléma. Freeze a baba patkányok, akkor lehet újra, ha még friss, ha fagyott.

Megváltoztatása a környezet is okozhat stresszt. Ami miatt nem eszik. Akkor lett volna, hogy a két hónap, igen? Várjon egy-két hétig, és nem kezelési egyáltalán. Ezután próbálja meg újra baba patkány. Kölyökkutya? Nem, nem egészen szó.

Próbáld ki, hogy a beteg, tudom, hogy nehéz.

remélem ez segít

oh!- Mivel az aktív is lehet a jele, a stressz. Ő egy új otthon, úgyhogy neki megnyugodni. Túl ideges enni.

Try putting you bp in a plastic tub (a flatter one with not a lot of height) with just paper towel in it and then the live rats (eyes closed so it can't hurt ur bp) then cover the container with a towel. Maker sure to put holes in the tub.

Just a thought. Op has had the snake for two months. Has fed four times in two weeks, not counting the refusals. That's quite a bit of food for a bp, so some refusals right now are well, okay. So it's eaten four times, and from what I can tell, 2 or three refusals. That's a lot of commotion for a bp who is really still just settling in.

I think we should just leave the snake alone for a week with no handling. And space out the feedings a bit more.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Kokorobosoi

Helló

Lássuk, tudok segíteni. Az én magyar nem olyan jó, szólj, ha megérted.

Két hónap nem hosszú ideig nem eszik. Próbálok több, mint hetente stresszt okozhat. Ha a kígyó nem eszik, tedd el, és várjon legalább hét napig. Kígyók gyors hónapokig, nem probléma. Freeze a baba patkányok, akkor lehet újra, ha még friss, ha fagyott.

Megváltoztatása a környezet is okozhat stresszt. Ami miatt nem eszik. Akkor lett volna, hogy a két hónap, igen? Várjon egy-két hétig, és nem kezelési egyáltalán. Ezután próbálja meg újra baba patkány. Kölyökkutya? Nem, nem egészen szó.

Próbáld ki, hogy a beteg, tudom, hogy nehéz.

remélem ez segít

oh!- Mivel az aktív is lehet a jele, a stressz. Ő egy új otthon, úgyhogy neki megnyugodni. Túl ideges enni.

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No comprende. LOL

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Kokorobosoi

Just a thought. Op has had the snake for two months. Has fed four times in two weeks, not counting the refusals. That's quite a bit of food for a bp, so some refusals right now are well, okay. So it's eaten four times, and from what I can tell, 2 or three refusals. That's a lot of commotion for a bp who is really still just settling in.

I think we should just leave the snake alone for a week with no handling. And space out the feedings a bit more.

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This ^^^

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Kokorobosoi

Helló

Lássuk, tudok segíteni. Az én magyar nem olyan jó, szólj, ha megérted.

Két hónap nem hosszú ideig nem eszik. Próbálok több, mint hetente stresszt okozhat. Ha a kígyó nem eszik, tedd el, és várjon legalább hét napig. Kígyók gyors hónapokig, nem probléma. Freeze a baba patkányok, akkor lehet újra, ha még friss, ha fagyott.

Megváltoztatása a környezet is okozhat stresszt. Ami miatt nem eszik. Akkor lett volna, hogy a két hónap, igen? Várjon egy-két hétig, és nem kezelési egyáltalán. Ezután próbálja meg újra baba patkány. Kölyökkutya? Nem, nem egészen szó.

Próbáld ki, hogy a beteg, tudom, hogy nehéz.

remélem ez segít

oh!- Mivel az aktív is lehet a jele, a stressz. Ő egy új otthon, úgyhogy neki megnyugodni. Túl ideges enni.

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Kedves Kokorobosoi!


Köszönöm szépen a magyar választ! Nem mindenhol értem pontosan, mire gondolsz, de nagyra értékelem, hogy az anyanyelvemen írtál! Ha nem bánod, visszatérnék az angolra, bár nem megy tökéletesen, de hogy a többiek is követni tudják.


In the first month I had my snake she ate 4 mouse with no problem. She was active only when hungry, after digesting. Then I offered only rats every 5-7 days, and she refused all. She became more and more active since then, and yes, I would say she seems to be stressed now. The reason I see for stress is she spends the whole day under her warm hide. She never went her cooler hides, I'm afraid she does't termoregulates properly.


Do you mean try to give her rat again the next week?

Yeah, wait a week. Snakes can fast for months. Sorry for the English, my phone keeps deleting my Hungarian lol. Auto correct hates me and I give up.

I feed every week, but my picky girl gets fed every two weeks simply to prompt a better feeding response.

I would just leave her alone for this next week. It's pretty normal for a bp to just stay in their hide for days. I haven't actually seen my pastel in about four days. I know she comes out at night, so I'm not worried.

How are you measuring your temperatures? What are you using for substrate? Mit hasnalsz alata?

Ok, thanks for the answeres! I will let her be for a week! A smaller tub is under preparation for her, too.

I have 2 digital thermometers. The probe is inside the warmer hide, where she is always in, its 30-32,5 C. The other probe is on the cool side on the ground, its 26-28 C. I also have infrared temp gun, it measures little bit different temperatures, sometimes a little higher, like 34-35 C on the hot spot, but if I measure the snakes temperature, its just 29 C like always.
I use coconut husk for bedding. Yeah it is lot of work to keep the humidity in this tall terrarium, but I manage. its varying: 40-80 %. She shed in one piece, so I think it should be ok. I also put some moss inside her hiding place recently. I also covered most of the front of the terrarium some days ago. She seems to be a little less restless since.

Hi, it's good news!

My snake finally ate a rat! It was simple, I jut put a small rat in, watched until I was sure it won't bite my snake, then turned off the lights and left the room. 20 min. later when I came in, only the hind legs could be seen from the rat! I'm sooo happy! I was on the edge to give up and try mouse again!
I don't know, what was the key factor to accept rat, but sure she became more calmer lately. I covered most of the front of the terrarium which surely helped. I also raised temps a little, 1-2 C, and made a little more stable. And sure she was hungry :-)

Thanks everyone shared his/her thoughts!

What do you mean left until you knew it couldn't bite your bp? Like after she coiled it or after she started swallowing? You should never leave live rats unattended. If you left after she struck and coiled she could of decided not to eat and unwrapped and if the rat was only stunned then could of woke up and became aggressive. Yes the odds of a bp doing that are probably very very slim but you can never be to safe with live prey. I'm happy that you have gotten her to eat but never leave until you 100% sure the prey is dead.

There are probably two keys to your success this time. Better duration between feedings and lights out. My refusals are always far lower if I wait until after dark and the animal is awake and alert.