BP is trying to escape at night and won't eat?

I just got my baby last week. Everything has been going fine until today. He hasn't been in his hide all day and has been on the cold side of his tank all day. I thought he might be hungry but he wouldn't eat, so I left the mouse in with him. Now, a few hours later, he still hasn't eaten it and has started trying to escape, which he has never done. His hot side is 93 degrees and his cold is 80 and his tank is longer than he is. He only has a hide on the hot side and I'm planning on getting another this weekend for the cold side.

To me it sounds like he is stressed. Is the 93° subtrate temp or bottom of tank temp? Have you handled him at all? What type of enclosure is he in? Any other husbandry details would be helpful as well.

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I think 80 might be a little cool also, maybe bump that up to 85. We need to know your humidity levels also. If the tank is bigger than he is it good be taht he doesn't feel secure (BPs prefer small spaces or areas where they can feel snuggled by hides). Maybe add some fake plants or more hides if the tank is too big.

It's the bottom of the tank temp. And I had him out for a few minutes this morning but not long at all. He's in a Ball-Python tank I got from the pet store, I'm not sure what size, but it's specifically for Ball-Pythons. He doesn't have much in his tank. Just a water bowl, a log tunnel, and his hide. The substrate is Aspen shavings.

The humidity is 57%. I'm going to the pet store this weekend to get another hide and maybe a bigger water bowl. I was thinking about getting some fake plants and extra things to make him more secure, and now that you mention it I'll make sure to.

Are you feeding live?
Also yeah, more hides/clutter the better.

They do not like open spaces.

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Originally Posted by Slytherin_python

He's in a Ball-Python tank I got from the pet store, I'm not sure what size, but it's specifically for Ball-Pythons.

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Can you post a picture of this tank?

No, frozen/thawed. When I woke up this morning the mouse was still there but he was finally in his hide. Right now he's poked his head out of his hide, probably to see what the morning rush was about out in the hallway.

I don't think I can because I'm using my iPhone. I tried to get the url for the photo but it wouldn't work. I dug out the various papers that came with the tank and it is 20 gallons long. His water is on the cold side, the log tunnel is in the middle, and his hide is on the hot side.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Slytherin_python

It's the bottom of the tank temp. And I had him out for a few minutes this morning but not long at all. He's in a Ball-Python tank I got from the pet store, I'm not sure what size, but it's specifically for Ball-Pythons. He doesn't have much in his tank. Just a water bowl, a log tunnel, and his hide. The substrate is Aspen shavings.

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No its not, there isn't one made. :rofl::rofl::rofl:

Husbandry.....
What are you using for heat?
How are you regulating it?
What is the temperature UNDER the substrate?
What are you using to take the temperature?


BTW.....FYI..... 80 degree cool side is fine and NOT too cold.

For heat I'm using an under-tank heater and a lamp on the top. I accidentally hit reply when I was finished lol. Anyways, I'm not sure what the temperature is under the substrate, but the temp on the hot side is regulated by a heating device/monitor thing. I don't know what it's called.

Granted it could be be husbandry related . I know if I was out checking out my new house and huge multi limbed monster was eye ballin me I would Probably run for my life .Until i understood it was no threat . Has he ate for you before ?

I have found, if the snake does not want to eat and there is a rodent in the cage, live or dead, the snake will try to "escape" from the rodent.

Assuming your warm and cool side temps are on point, cluttering the enclosure with hides and stuff definitely helps a ball python feel secure and eat... The more enclosed and hidden they feel, the better and more consistent their feeding response, I have found.

I was recently a fairly new owner and was having issues of an active snake. It is very important to know EXACTLY what is happening with the husbandry of your snake. I have a 20 gallon tank that has a UTH controlled by a thermostat and I have a thermometer sitting inside the tank over top of the UTH to monitor what the substrate temp is. I keep mine sitting at 90 on the hot side. We also have another thermometer in the middle of the tank to see what the ambient temp is which I try to keep at 80. Having a temperature gun has been very helpful as well to measure the cool side of the tank and for spot checks.

As for feeding...do you have a schedule of it's previous eating habits? This is important. We feed every Sunday as were the instructions from the pet store. She knows when it's feeding day and she is always hungry and aware that day. I swear she knows Sunday = feed day.

If I were you I would read the stuck post re how to set up a tank and follow those instructions to a T. Good luck. Once you have your tank 100% and your feeding schedule in place your snake will be happy and it will make your life easier as an owner.

Haha, I'm guessing I'd run for my life too. And no, I just got him last week. He's from the pet store. They told me to feed him on Tuesday which was yesterday.

His temperatures and humidity is pretty much on the dot, going by everything that people have told me. His tank does seem to me like it's pretty barren with just water bowl, hide, and log tunnel. I'm definitely going to get two more hides this weekend and some fake plants. Maybe some extra little things as well.

Right now he's hiding under his log tunnel and I just removed the mouse which has been untouched and despised of it. I was guessing to maybe wait until next Tuesday to feed him, because I'm going to be adding new things to his tank on Saturday or Sunday and I've heard that if you add new things you should wait a few days before feeding.

In the meantime, you can put other stuff in there for him to hide in. Cardboard boxes, tubes, upside down plastic container with an entrance cut in it, etc. He doesn't care if it wasn't sold as an official reptile product. ;) But what makes a little critter more scared than anything is being out in the open with no cover - anything bigger and faster could just swoop in and snap him up, and there are lots of hungry mouths in the world that would happily slurp up a defenseless little snake.

I know it's hard, but be patient. Let him settle in, figure out that no one is going to eat him, find a routine. He won't starve in a week or three; if he's left alone with peace and quiet, good temp's and humidity, and cozy hiding places, he should settle down. The forum is full of various things you can try to get him to eat. But it might take him longer than you think to feel safe and comfortable enough.

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Originally Posted by Slytherin_python

His temperatures and humidity is pretty much on the dot, going by everything that people have told me.

the temp on the hot side is regulated by a heating device/monitor thing. I don't know what it's called

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Unless I missed it, probably not.
The surface temperature that your snake can touch shouldn't be over 95 degrees and that is pushing the higher limit.
Where is the probe located?

http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h1...psp2koldrd.jpg

He seems WAY more relaxed now that I've pretty much left him alone all day other than removing the mouse earlier. He isn't trying to escape at all and is currently in his hide.

the probe is just outside the hide (which is on the warm side)

tried frozen thaw in a dark room i found my picky eater does best when given a frozen thaw mouse/rat when i put her in a separate cage in a dark room with no activity whatsoever.

someone else suggested splitting the head of the rodent

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Originally Posted by Slytherin_python

He seems WAY more relaxed now that I've pretty much left him alone all day other than removing the mouse earlier. He isn't trying to escape at all and is currently in his hide.

the probe is just outside the hide (which is on the warm side)

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Is it directly on the floor?

Please don't leave the mouse with your bp unattended it can do damage to your snake if he were to get hungry. I have seen horrific pictures where this has happened.

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Originally Posted by DellaF

Please don't leave the mouse with your bp unattended it can do damage to your snake if he were to get hungry. I have seen horrific pictures where this has happened.

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They were feeding f/t? I don't see any immediate danger from leaving it unattended.

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The mouse was Frozen/thawed, I'm not going to try feeding live. Also, an update, I've added a bunch of new things. Two more hides, a bigger water bowl since his was very small, a branch-like thing pretty much just for clutter since they aren't really climbers, and a bunch of fake plants. I also had a friend come over who knows a lot about Ball-Pythons and they helped me get the temperatures right. So now his tank is cluttered enough for security and everything humidity and heat/cold wise is great. Thanks for all of your help everyone!! I'll try feeding sometime next week so he can have some time to get used to all of his new hides and such.