BP Won't Eat

Okay, so I just recently (yesterday) got my first BP. She's a normal morph and she's about 4 months old. I bought her from PetSmart and she seems to be healthy. No wheezing or sneezing, no abnormal weight speculations or anything. I am concerned that she won't eat though. They gave me record that shows she hasn't eaten for 3 weeks, which is how long they had her I do believe. I'm not sure what to do if she won't eat next week either. Suggestions?

You need to leave your BP alone (NO handling) for a week before offering food, you got your animal yesterday and already tried to feed without giving it a chance to acclimate to it's new surrendering so it's no surprise.

Make sure your husbandry is optimal based on the animal's size, anything such as too big of hides, too big of enclosure wrong temps may lead to refusal, wait a week again NO handling and offer a live appropriately size prey in the enclosure.

I didn't offer her food. The store offered it to her. Their normal feeding days at PetSmart are Wednesdays. I got her on Thursday. They also feed frozen though and idk what the breeder that they got her from fed. So next week I am going to try feeding live.

I advise to make sure your husbandry is on point first and foremost. And leave your new BP alone for a week, no handling.

Have you studied the caresheets and stickies on this forum? If your setup follows what these stickies suggest, then feeding shouldn't be a problem. If you took advice from the employees at the store, your setup is probably lacking.

The snake probably didn't eat at PetSmart because their husbandry is awful. They aren't set up to keep animals there, they are set up to move animals as quickly as possible for profit.

Also, why would you try live? Offering F/T is the preferred method and offering live should only happen if you've exhausted other options first.

So, to recap: make sure your husbandry is on point, no handling for at least a week, and offer next Thursday (I highly suggest F/T unless you plan to offer live forever).

I was planning to offer live because I know that there are some snakes who will refuse f/t. I don't mind feeding live if that's what she'll eat. I know the precautions that I have to take when feeding live, because I know of the dangers that it can present. I haven't handled her since I put her in her terrarium yesterday. It's a 20 gal tank, but it is lacking a little. Next week when I get paid I'm going to pick up a few more things to make it less open. Temp is right on, but it is a bit humid right now so I'm trying to get that under control. I've got a fan on constantly to try and get the humidity level down.

It might calm your nerves about it a bit if you'd like to post a picture of the snake to get an assessment of whether or not the snake is too skinny. If the snake isn't significantly underweight, it can go a very long time before not eating becomes a problem in and of itself. Just leave the new snake alone for a while in a good setup, offer it the same thing as it was eating before, and chances are you won't have any problems with it eating.

What are you running for equipment?

How are you heating the enclosure? Are your heat sources regulated with a thermostat?
How are you measuring temps/humidity? Where are you measuring your temps?

- - - Updated - - -

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Kcl

It might calm your nerves about it a bit if you'd like to post a picture of the snake to get an assessment of whether or not the snake is too skinny. If the snake isn't significantly underweight, it can go a very long time before not eating becomes a problem in and of itself. Just leave the new snake alone for a while in a good setup, offer it the same thing as it was eating before, and chances are you won't have any problems with it eating.

---

I agree. I would also suggest a few pics of the enclosure. The more we know, the more we can help you and your new snake.

https://ball-pythons.net/gallery//showimage

For the life of me I cannot figure out how to post a pic , so here is the link.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by LivingDeadGirl

https://ball-pythons.net/gallery//showimage

For the life of me I cannot figure out how to post a pic , so here is the link.

---

You can post pics by downloading Tapatalk on your phone 🙌

Sent from my VIE-L29 using Tapatalk

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...304e5f8dcb.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...d50fa6d343.jpg

The stuff in the tank is everything that came in the Zoo Med 20gal terrarium that I bought.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by LivingDeadGirl

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...304e5f8dcb.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...d50fa6d343.jpg

The stuff in the tank is everything that came in the Zoo Med 20gal terrarium that I bought.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

---

Looks a bit too sparse to be hones ... maybe post all the info you can as I don't see many clues in the photos apart from what looks like a stick on plastic thermometer at the TOP of the tank ... those thermometers are basically useless and serve no real purpose in my opinion .

I'd read all the caresheets you can find as suggested by somebody already , it could certainly do with at least one more hide in there and any chance of sticking black paper or something on three sides of the tank ?

Also , maybe put some twigs and branches in there along side some fake , plastic foliage or pieces of dried bark .... it's just too open looking to make a young Royal feel secure .

What size bulb is used for heating and is it regulated by a thermostat ??

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Considering the enclosure size, hide, animal size inaccurate thermometer simply do this to a T https://ball-pythons.net/forums/show...-hatchling-101

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Zincubus

Looks a bit too sparse to be hones ... maybe post all the info you can as I don't see many clues in the photos apart from what looks like a stick on plastic thermometer at the TOP of the tank ... those thermometers are basically useless and serve no real purpose in my opinion .

I'd read all the caresheets you can find as suggested by somebody already , it could certainly do with at least one more hide in there and any chance of sticking black paper or something on three sides of the tank ?

Also , maybe put some twigs and branches in there along side some fake , plastic foliage or pieces of dried bark .... it's just too open looking to make a young Royal feel secure .

What size bulb is used for heating and is it regulated by a thermostat ??

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

---

It's got a 100 watt bulb in it but it's a daylight bulb. The kit itself came with a heating pad and not a lamp. It is regulated by a thermometer and the temp is pretty even. 90-100 during the day and 75-85 at night. As for it being open, I put what I had in the tank. When I get paid I'm gonna get some more stuff to put in there as well.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by LivingDeadGirl

It's got a 100 watt bulb in it but it's a daylight bulb. The kit itself came with a heating pad and not a lamp. It is regulated by a thermometer and the temp is pretty even. 90-100 during the day and 75-85 at night. As for it being open, I put what I had in the tank. When I get paid I'm gonna get some more stuff to put in there as well.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

---

please take Deborah's advice.

1) 90-100 is too hot, by far
2) a thermometer does no regulate heat, a thermostat does
3) the open ended half log is an inappropriate hide, it doesn't provide adequate security.

along with the link Deborah has provided, please read these as well

http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showthread.php?30763-BP-Husbandry-FAQs

https://ball-pythons.net/forums/showthread.php?127203-Ball-Python-(Python-regius)-Caresheet

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by DennisM

please take Deborah's advice.

1) 90-100 is too hot, by far
2) a thermometer does no regulate heat, a thermostat does
3) the open ended half log is an inappropriate hide, it doesn't provide adequate security.

along with the link Deborah has provided, please read these as well

http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showthread.php?30763-BP-Husbandry-FAQs

https://ball-pythons.net/forums/showthread.php?127203-Ball-Python-(Python-regius)-Caresheet

---

https://ball-pythons.net/forums/show...Husbandry-FAQs

https://ball-pythons.net/forums/show...ius)-Caresheet

Part of the reason it's so hot is because I live in Indiana and it's already really hot right now. On top of that, my A/C is currently broke until at least Monday. It will be quite a bit cooler once it's fixed. And as I stated earlier, I currently only have in the tank what was provided in the kit. I will be purchasing more things to put in the terrarium when I get paid.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Also, what y'all are seeing isn't a thermometer or thermostat. It's a hygrometer. The thermometer/thermostat is on the other side of the tank.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by LivingDeadGirl

Part of the reason it's so hot is because I live in Indiana and it's already really hot right now. On top of that, my A/C is currently broke until at least Monday. It will be quite a bit cooler once it's fixed. And as I stated earlier, I currently only have in the tank what was provided in the kit. I will be purchasing more things to put in the terrarium when I get paid.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

---

OK, so it's really hot in Indiana right now and the AC is broken. are you still running the heat lamp? I live in South Florida and it's really hot, like it is in Indiana right now, 300 days a year. I don't provide AC or supplemental heat in the snake room under those conditions. Your BP will be better off at 80-85 than at 100 which is a dangerous temp.

again, read the links Deborah and I have provided. we're not trying to give you a hard time, we're trying to get you off to a good start with your new BP. There's also a sticky somewhere on this site with instruction on setting up a glass tank like the one you have.

https://ball-pythons.net/forums/show...With-Pictures!

- - - Updated - - -

also, the snake looks fine. i don't think there's any concern about it's weight.

I don't have a heat lamp. All I have is a daylight lamp to mimic the sun. I am running a UTH though, so I guess I should turn that off? I'm still not sure how to get my humidity down though? I've got a fan going to circulate air in hopes of that bringing the humidity levels down.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by LivingDeadGirl

I don't have a heat lamp. All I have is a daylight lamp to mimic the sun.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

---

which gives off heat. turn it off for now. the BP doesn't need this even if the AC was working. contrary to what may seem intuitive for a cold blooded animal, excess heat is far more dangerous to your snake than lower than ideal temps. A BP kept at ambient in the low 80's will thrive. a BP subjected to regular temps in the the 90-100 range will not.

Unless your heat sources are regulated by a thermostat they should be unplugged.

You are running way too hot for your BP. The ambient temps where you are will be sufficient for now, rather than too hot and potentially dangerous.
As I suspected, you bought what came at the store and/or what was suggested by the employee. Unfortunately, most of it is inadequate for a ball python.

You really need to read the links provided by Deborah and Dennis and follow them. If you choose not to, you're looking at a stressed, unhealthy animal which will probably give you fits when it comes to feeding (or refusals most likely). Getting the proper equipment and setup will cost you a few more bucks, but it'll be cheaper than vet visits. Not to mention will benefit you and your snake.

I also think you are confused. A thermometer measures the temp. A thermostat regulates the heating device. I seriously doubt the kit came with a thermostat, but I suppose I could be wrong. If there is not a thermostat unplug the heat mat ASAP

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by LivingDeadGirl

I don't have a heat lamp. All I have is a daylight lamp to mimic the sun. I am running a UTH though, so I guess I should turn that off? I'm still not sure how to get my humidity down though? I've got a fan going to circulate air in hopes of that bringing the humidity levels down.

---

What is your humidity at that you need to bring it down? 60-80% is ideal, and a little bit higher than that is okay if there's adequate ventilation. What you want to avoid is a stagnant, warm, wet environment as it promotes bacterial and fungal growth.

........

Got my girl to eat today! She just didn't want f/t, she wanted live.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk