My ball python won't eat! Help please!

So I recently got a Pastel ball python hatchling on Thursday at around 9:30am which is about 5 days ago. On the first time I got him, I held him a little before transferring him to his tank and he peed on me then pooped. After that I left him alone I tried feeding him and he wouldn't eat. So I left him alone but today I handled him and I understand all pythons get stressed but he doesn't show any stress AT ALL. He's incredibly relaxed and he's never balled up. Very dormant in the day then gets active in the evening. He doesn't seem stressed at all so I tried feeding him and he wouldn't eat either. He pooped on Thursday so I'm sure I can wait a week but he is so relaxed and acclimated that I don't understand why he won't eat. I'm really paranoid over him so I'm absolutely terrified over this

How much does he weigh?
How big is his tank?
What are you trying to feed him?
What was he eating before you got him?

There's lots of reasons a BP won't eat. It's typically recommended you let them sit in their enclosure for a week with no handling before trying to feed him. Just because it looks calm doesn't mean it is. It's a small snake in a new place - it's definitely scared.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I haven't weighed him yet but he's in a 20 gallon tank, I'm trying to feed him medium mice the same as the breeder feeds. His temperature is 88 in his warmest side and 66 on the cool side with hides and everything. He was eating before and the breeder was planning on switching him to large mice

An hatching that does not eat is a sign of stress, stop all handling and do this to a T https://ball-pythons.net/forums/show...-hatchling-101

Your husbandry is also part of the problem.

Are the mice live or frozen/thawed?



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

He's not a hatchling entirely. The breeder says he is but he's got about a few months to him and a good length. As for Aspen bedding I have eco earth coco bedding, I'm not sure if it will have the same effect

- - - Updated - - -

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by BPGator

Are the mice live or frozen/thawed?



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

---

Theyre frozen/thawed

66 is WAY too cold and potentially dangerous for a cool side temp. You generally don't want it any lower than 75 but 78-80 is ideal.

You should take some time and read all of the DIY and Care sheets here.

20 gallon is a large space for a couple of month old snake. You should have 2 of the Reptile Basics hides, 1 on each side and then the temps should 80 on one side and 90 on the other.

That's just the starting point. Do not attempt to feed for a few days and leave it alone.

You should leave him alone for a week and do some more research. Be sure you get the cool side to 75-80 degrees Fahrenheit and the hot spot to 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Let him get use to his surroundings. And after that week try feeding him be sure not to handle him. Especially before feeding him. They need time. And after feeding wait at least 24 hours for handling.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thankyou, I got his coolsidd to 80 degrees and I'm leaving him alone. It wouldn't be harmful to him that he didn't eat would it.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Sadiru

Thankyou, I got his coolsidd to 80 degrees and I'm leaving him alone. It wouldn't be harmful to him that he didn't eat would it.

---

As long as he is a few months old
and if he is not losing weight he should be fine.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by EvilKitty

If he is a few months old he should be fine. Just wait a little more.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

---

Yes and no age has nothing to do with it, weight does, a few month old maintenance fed animal (which some breeder do) need to get on food ASAP for his new owner.

Size varies drastically between animals and how they are fed you can have a 150 grams 6 months old animal like you can have a 800 grams 6 months old animal.


This animal could be very small and in an inappropriate enclosure so saying it will be fine is not true.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Deborah

Yes and no age has nothing to do with it, weight does, a few month old maintenance fed animal (which some breeder do) need to get on food ASAP for his new owner.

Size varies drastically between animals and how they are fed you can have a 150 grams 6 months old animal like you can have a 800 grams 6 months old animal.


This animal could be very small and in an inappropriate enclosure so saying it will be fine is not true.

---

I went back and fix it after realizing my mistake


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Sadiru

So I recently got a Pastel ball python hatchling on Thursday at around 9:30am which is about 5 days ago. On the first time I got him, I held him a little before transferring him to his tank and he peed on me then pooped. After that I left him alone I tried feeding him and he wouldn't eat. So I left him alone but today I handled him and I understand all pythons get stressed but he doesn't show any stress AT ALL. He's incredibly relaxed and he's never balled up. Very dormant in the day then gets active in the evening. He doesn't seem stressed at all so I tried feeding him and he wouldn't eat either. He pooped on Thursday so I'm sure I can wait a week but he is so relaxed and acclimated that I don't understand why he won't eat. I'm really paranoid over him so I'm absolutely terrified over this

---

Ok, you need to do some homework, like yesterday. You've got a lot to learn and your snake is the one who will suffer if you don't get things right asap.

READ the stickies about husbandry and FOLLOW what they say.
Make sure your equipment is correct, your temps and humidity are correct, your setup is correct, etc...
I hope you're not running heat without a thermostat.

...and leave the animal alone to adjust. You'll have 30 years with this snake if you do things right...
...or you'll have some serious problems and some serious vet bills if you don't get things right asap.

Thanks everyone for your advice, I read up on his husbandry and got everything to ensure he's happy and I've left him alone without much traffic today. But a few hours my girlfriend opened the screen too of his enclosure when I wasn't there because he was hiding in the hide and she was concerned he escaped. I'm not sure if that affected him too much but right now he's currently balled up inside his hide.

At 4:30 now he's up and active and searching around his enclosure. His temperature is constant and so is his humidity. Is this because he's stressed because I've kept any traffic from going through and it's only me and my girlfriend home so it's been pretty easy. Any suggestions?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Sadiru

At 4:30 now he's up and active and searching around his enclosure. His temperature is constant and so is his humidity. Is this because he's stressed because I've kept any traffic from going through and it's only me and my girlfriend home so it's been pretty easy. Any suggestions?

---

If he is active during the day your husbandry is likely of, hides that are not tight enough, enclosure too big etc.

How big is that BP (weight or size compare to you hand)

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Deborah

If he is active during the day your husbandry is likely of, hides that are not tight enough, enclosure too big etc.

How big is that BP (weight or size compare to you hand)

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

---

Hes about the length of my arm. A little less than 2ft

I hope I did not confuse you yesterday it was my mistake. I have a question for you have you weight him or got his weight from the breeder?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk