Yet another problem feeder thread

Hi! I'm new here, and I joined because I am having a first. In my 15 years of keeping balls, I've never had a problem feeder until now. I bought a guy around 250 grams two weeks ago. He was obviously eating for his breeder, as he pooped a week after having him. I took him home on 4/11, and he hasn't eaten since then. I know this can be normal, but the breeder told me that the snake was an aggressive feeder. I setup his tank in the living room with a lot of cat and kid traffic. He has plenty of places to hide, but could this be stressing him out causing him to not want to feed?

He ate live mice before I bought him. I tried him on live, and f/t three times now a week after having him. Nothing. He'll come up to boop the mouse, but beyond that, he isn't interested. Should I move his enclosure? Should I try a small rat? Help! I'm pulling my hair out.

Welcome!!! Glad you joined!

You said he was eating live mice for the breeder, so this would be what I would stick to until he does eat. Once he's eating again regularly, maybe 5 consecutive meals, you could try switching to F/T if that's your preference.

I wouldn't sweat him not eating just yet. The move, the high traffic room, etc... may just take some acclimating. If it were me, I would wait a week and try feeding him whatever prey item he had been eating for the breeder.

If he doesn't eat the next few offerings just monitor his weight and go from there.

Pictures of the setup would be helpful just to get an idea, though new smells along with the traffic could easily be added stress.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by craigafrechette

Welcome!!! Glad you joined!

You said he was eating live mice for the breeder, so this would be what I would stick to until he does eat. Once he's eating again regularly, maybe 5 consecutive meals, you could try switching to F/T if that's your preference.

I wouldn't sweat him not eating just yet. The move, the high traffic room, etc... may just take some acclimating. If it were me, I would wait a week and try feeding him whatever prey item he had been eating for the breeder.

If he doesn't eat the next few offerings just monitor his weight and go from there.

---

Okay. I was trying him about every two to three days. I'll lay off of him for a week and try again.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Neal

Pictures of the setup would be helpful just to get an idea, though new smells along with the traffic could easily be added stress.

---

I will take some today and post them up.

Here is his setup. I stuck the lamp inside, because I built the hood not accounting for it. lol

https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...%2FMubM8Ql.jpg

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by ringorock

Here is his setup. I stuck the lamp inside, because I built the hood not accounting for it. lol

https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...%2FMubM8Ql.jpg

---

That is a dangerous set up! Your snake will end up getting a nasty burn or worse, it could be killed. Move that lamp outside the enclosure immediately.

What are your temps, hot side and cold side? Humidity? Are you using an under tank heat mat and if so is it regulated by a thermostat?

Your husbandry must be corrected first!

I stopped using the light as soon as I saw him go for it. The tank has an under tank mat. The clay pot on the right is where the heat is. The clay pot on the left is the cool hide. This isn't usually how my enclosures are, but I was desperate with this one. Normally, I just have a water bowl and one warm hide- no light.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by ringorock

I stopped using the light as soon as I saw him go for it. The tank has an under tank mat. The clay pot on the right is where the heat is. The clay pot on the left is the cool hide. This isn't usually how my enclosures are, but I was desperate with this one. Normally, I just have a water bowl and one warm hide- no light.

---

Is the heat mat controlled by a thermostat? If not unplug it immediately and get a thermostat; without one it's a burn hazard.

The bare minimum your snake should have is a thermostat controlled warm side with a hide, a cool side with a hide and a water bowl. You can use paper towel for bedding. Humidity should be between 50-60% and should be bumped up during shed. Humid hides can also be used to aid in shedding. Warm side should be between 88-92 and the cold side should be around 80-82 degrees; the snake will thermoregulate its body temp.

Until you fix your husbandry you will continue to having feeding issues.

PHEW!!! I'm glad you got the light out of there!!! HUGE NO-NO!!!

I second the question of the UTH on a thermostat as well. Extremely dangerous and possibly fatal for your snake.

Also, I see a few issues with your hides as well. Your little BP is probably stronger than you think and could (and eventually probably will) knock those pots off the base that they're resting on. This could either cause the snake to be trapped underneath or possibly the pot could fall on the snake squishing and possibly injuring or killing your snake. Those hides are also HUHGE for a BP that size. They prefer something tight, snug and secure.

Lastly, it's tough to tell in the pic, but that water bowl looks pretty big and possibly too full which could pose a drowning threat to your snake.

I just got back into keeping snakes recently after taking many years away. I got started about 20 years ago, and a lot has changed since then. It used to be as easy as keep them enclosed, keep them warm, keep them fed and watered and clean the poops and pee when they go. But the hobby has come a LONG way since then. We have a wealth of information at our fingertips thanks to this forum and the internet as a whole.

Not trying to hurt your feelings here, but it seems to me like you could use a bit of a refresher course. You made several "newbie" no-nos with your setup there, just from what we can see. I suggest reading some of the stickies on this forum and getting your set-up(s) and husbandry on point. It will only help you and the snakes.

Good luck, we are here if you have any questions.

Oh and how are you measuring temps and humidity?

Yea, I was trying to make this a "living room" piece and then I went full retard to try to get him to eat. My other balls are setup fine, so I am might just move him over with the group. sigh Thanks!

I think you can make this a "living room piece" with just a few adjustments.

I think I am going to move him with my other snakes. I don't have a thermostat or climate measure here. I just didn't want to move him too much, as I wasn't sure if that would affect his future attempts to eat. Should I go ahead and do it?

I think location is secondary until the husbandry is correct. Ultimately, it's your call where the enclosure stays. I see no problem with it being in that room as long as the cats aren't messing with it.

But first and foremost, getting the temps, humidity, etc... in check should be priority number one.

ALL heating elements, (UTH, heat lamps, CHE) NEED to be regulated to prevent serious burns and even death.
A digital thermometer with a probe and a hygrometer are a must, and an infrared temp gun is a great tool as well.

My two cents would be to get that stuff situated first to prevent any injuries or illnesses developing.
Deciding where the enclosure ends up could probably be secondary until the other issues are resolved.

It will be in the animal's best interest to resolve the issues asap, and will save you headaches and vet bills in the long run. Improper husbandry is often the first reason a snake will refuse food. Once the husbandry is dialed in, then the routine eating usually follows. BPs are, however, known to randomly go off food occasionally and will change their eating habits with the seasons as well.

Moving it to my snake room would give it access to the thermostat in there, but even then, I'm not sure if it is a sure shot that it will prevent burns. I use thermostats with single prongs, and the prong goes up to the highest tank, so it a shoot in the dark for the tanks below it. The pads that I use are 8 watts, and I've never had them go above 90. Sure, one can malfunction, but I imagine that if a bottom row malfunctions, the thermostat won't save it anyway. Am I right, or is there a better way to do this?

It is a small room so, I have a little heater with a thermostat on it to control the temp when it is a bit cool. I use a digital humidity/temp monitor for the entire room that I use for my chickens, but I don't monitor the humidity or temp inside the tanks. No one else have problems with eating.

But I'd really like your opinion on a better setup with the thermostats. How do you manage yours with only a single prong, or do you use multi prong setups?