Still not eating/shedding?

My 3 month old ball python has eaten fine in the past. But he didn't eat last Friday and he didn't eat yesterday. I did the same thing I always do, I feed him at night and I turn off all the lights. Then I let the hopper thaw out for 20 minutes before warming it with a hair dryer for a few minutes. I offered him two last Friday at the same time. He didn't take either of them. Then yesterday, I offered them both one at a time and he still didn't eat them.
I know he's still trying to shed, so I'm assuming that's what's going on. But it's taking him a long time for him to even start. Even if the humidity has been between 70-80%, he still hasn't shed. But I don't know what else could be keeping him from eating.
Should I still try feeding him next Friday? What else could keep him from eating? Also, does it really take this long for him to shed?

Anything helps

How long has he been in the process of shedding?

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Originally Posted by SquirmyPug

How long has he been in the process of shedding?

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Oh boy, I'd say almost a month. His eyes have been clear but he, himself, looks very dull and rainbow-like in the light. I've heard their eyes clear up eventually, but I don't think I've seen him in blue yet. I check with the light and everything, and yet, his eyes are never cloudy or blue

When was the last time he shed? I wouldn't think it would go on that long and you haven't even seen pieces of shed skin anywhere.

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Originally Posted by SquirmyPug

When was the last time he shed? I wouldn't think it would go on that long and you haven't even seen pieces of shed skin anywhere.

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Sometime before I even adopted him. He's never shed with me in all the time I've had him. He has a few pieces of lose skin on his head, but that's the only thing that's gotten close to his shed

Please provide your set up info, including the number of hides and where, size of your tank and what type, etc. Pics are preferred. Also list your temps, how are you keeping up humidity, etc. The more experienced posters will find that info useful. I am still learning and based on the info you provided, even I don't have a full picture.

Fyi, shedding should not take a month. One week is common for babies but two weeks is normal. Four weeks with no sign of any shed is strange and alarming.

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Originally Posted by Cheesenugget

Please provide your set up info, including the number of hides and where, size of your tank and what type, etc. Pics are preferred. Also list your temps, how are you keeping up humidity, etc. The more experienced posters will find that info useful. I am still learning and based on the info you provided, even I don't have a full picture.

Fyi, shedding should not take a month. One week is common for babies but two weeks is normal. Four weeks with no sign of any shed is strange and alarming.

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He has two hides. He has a rock hide on the cool side and two branches of fake leaves on the hot side. The size of my terrarium is 20 gallons. The temps right next to the terrarium wall on the cool side is 75 degrees, but his cool hide itself is 77-78 degrees. His hot side temps are always between 88-91 degrees. I check his temps with a temp gun. I keep his humidity up by placing damp towels on the mesh cover, but leaving some opening for air circulation. If it's still too low, I leave a damp cloth next to his water bowl, which keeps his humidity over 70%. I don't know how to post pictures on here, so I apologize that I can't provide any.

Hope this info helps.

Ok, so first of all, he needs two real hides. Some fake plants as cover are not enough. Usually works best if the hot and cool hides are exactly the same. This keeps them from choosing a hide they like over temperature. Second, your temp on the cool side is boarder line dangerously low - 75 is the ambient it sounds like. Anything below 75 and they can start having issues with digestion and respiratory infections.

The gradient should be 78-80*F cool and 88-90*F hot in the hides with an ambient temp 80-82*F.

Putting damp towels in the tank can lead to the bedding molding, and the towel itself. It would be better to put damp sphagnum moss on / in shallow plastic bowls that keep the moisture out of the substrate. Also, if it has been a month he may not actually be in shed - what morph is he? Some are washed out or dull like ghosts. Also if he is not eating he will not shed.

He is probably not eating because your husbandry is off and he is either too cold, too exposed, or a combination of both. Cover three sides of the tank with dark paper (on the outside), get correct hides, cover 2/3 or slightly more of the lid with foil or plexiglass, and get some good substrate for humidity or sphagnum moss.

You can also give him a third hide that is a moist hide - this is a hide like a rock den, terra cotta flower pot, or something else that you put damp (not dripping) sphagnum moss into. I keep mine on the warm side so that moss isn't chilly.

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Originally Posted by Crowfingers

Ok, so first of all, he needs two real hides. Some fake plants as cover are not enough. Usually works best if the hot and cool hides are exactly the same. This keeps them from choosing a hide they like over temperature. Second, your temp on the cool side is boarder line dangerously low - 75 is the ambient it sounds like. Anything below 75 and they can start having issues with digestion and respiratory infections.

The gradient should be 78-80*F cool and 88-90*F hot in the hides with an ambient temp 80-82*F.

Putting damp towels in the tank can lead to the bedding molding, and the towel itself. It would be better to put damp sphagnum moss on / in shallow plastic bowls that keep the moisture out of the substrate. Also, if it has been a month he may not actually be in shed - what morph is he? Some are washed out or dull like ghosts. Also if he is not eating he will not shed.

He is probably not eating because your husbandry is off and he is either too cold, too exposed, or a combination of both. Cover three sides of the tank with dark paper (on the outside), get correct hides, cover 2/3 or slightly more of the lid with foil or plexiglass, and get some good substrate for humidity or sphagnum moss.

You can also give him a third hide that is a moist hide - this is a hide like a rock den, terra cotta flower pot, or something else that you put damp (not dripping) sphagnum moss into. I keep mine on the warm side so that moss isn't chilly.

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Mate, the towels are not IN the terrarium, they are COVERING the mesh top. And I did cover the top with foil, but it raised the temps too high. Maybe I'll cover the cool top side with foil to raise the temps. Plus, the only thing that's in the terrarium close to a towel is a washcloth. His substrate is cypress mulch. I'll make a trip here soon to get him another rock hide.
Where can I find shagnum moss? Is it reusable? Or do you have to dispose of it at a certain point?

I have paper covering his terrarium sides, so I'll get black construction paper when I can. Thank you for the info:)

Ah, good. cypress mulch is resistant to molding and good for humidity. Sphagnum moss is reusable to a point - once it has been soaked and dried out several times it starts to break down and you can def tell - it smells funky. If the tank is already covered, switching to black shouldn't make too much difference. Sorry if I missed where you said any of that.

I'd try and just get the temps set and get some food in him. Shed should come along in his own time.

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Originally Posted by Crowfingers

Ah, good. cypress mulch is resistant to molding and good for humidity. Sphagnum moss is reusable to a point - once it has been soaked and dried out several times it starts to break down and you can def tell - it smells funky. If the tank is already covered, switching to black shouldn't make too much difference. Sorry if I missed where you said any of that.

I'd try and just get the temps set and get some food in him. Shed should come along in his own time.

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I will certainly do so. I'll probably cover half the mesh top with tin foil. I'll get some moss here soon. I know there's some at petsmart, but does it matter which brand the moss is??

No worries. I got a lot going on, so it's easy to miss where I say stuff XD I'll make a trip to petsmart here soon though; that's where I got his hides. I'll get him another small rock hide- same as his cool side one. Thanks again for the help, I really appreciate it:D

Re moss: I buy mine at plant nurseries/florist shops...I don't think the moss sold in pet stores is organic either, just more expensive because they can get away with
it, hoping you don't know where else to buy it. ;)

I read thru this but without seeing your snake, it's really hard to know what's going on...if he failed to shed, or what? Snakes going into a shed cycle often refuse
food, but you'd have seen his eyes cloud up, then clear...and they don't take this long (a month!?) to shed once they go clear.

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

Re moss: I buy mine at plant nurseries/florist shops...I don't think the moss sold in pet stores is organic either, just more expensive because they can get away with
it, hoping you don't know where else to buy it. ;)

I read thru this but without seeing your snake, it's really hard to know what's going on...if he failed to shed, or what? Snakes going into a shed cycle often refuse
food, but you'd have seen his eyes cloud up, then clear...and they don't take this long (a month!?) to shed once they go clear.

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Honestly, I don't know where else to buy it. I don't even think they have plant nurseries and flourist shops in my town. Even if they do, it'd be quite a ways. The only thing I can really do is go off by what I have in my town, since I have limits with my car and time.

I don't even know if he's gone in blue. I've never seen his eyes completely blue before. Then again, he's been going through on and off phases where he WILL eat, but either he doesn't eat enough or he doesn't eat at all. Lord knows what else I'm doing wrong, I tell ya

Sphagnum moss: http://www.reptilebasics.com/substrate You can also buy it off Amazon.

Don't let your frustration win...you can do this.

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

Sphagnum moss: http://www.reptilebasics.com/substrate You can also buy it off Amazon.

Don't let your frustration win...you can do this.

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Thank you so darn much, Bogertophis- this really helps:D But since the product is out of stock, I got an idea of what to look for and I found this on Amazon.

https://www.amazon.com/besgrow-Zeala...08059513&psc=1

Will this do?

How are you offering the mice to him? On tongs or are you just laying them in the cage?

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Originally Posted by WhompingWillow

How are you offering the mice to him? On tongs or are you just laying them in the cage?

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I always leave them there after shaking it a bit to show him it's there. He never strikes and he always ate it when I left it for him
But even when I shook it, he seemed about as interested in it as he was when I leave it there, but he went away quicker

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Originally Posted by Traceur

Thank you so darn much, Bogertophis- this really helps:D But since the product is out of stock, I got an idea of what to look for and I found this on Amazon.

https://www.amazon.com/besgrow-Zeala...08059513&psc=1

Will this do?

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Not sure about that specific product: the moss I always buy comes loose in bags, not compressed, & it's green...so if you try that, let us know how you like it?
I'd assume it will work, there are many products/brands of moss. BTW, you do NOT WANT "peat moss"...be sure it's sphagnum. Sustainably harvested is a plus.

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

Not sure about that specific product: the moss I always buy comes loose in bags, not compressed, & it's green...so if you try that, let us know how you like it?
I'd assume it will work, there are many products/brands of moss. BTW, you do NOT WANT "peat moss"...be sure it's sphagnum. Sustainably harvested is a plus.

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I checked and it's sphagnum New Zealand moss. I also looked further into the reviews and Q&A. It's safe for geckos, so I'm assuming it's also good for snakes and other reptiles.

Down side is it has a possibility of bringing gnats. Are they dangerous to the snake??

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Originally Posted by Traceur

I checked and it's sphagnum New Zealand moss. I also looked further into the reviews and Q&A. It's safe for geckos, so I'm assuming it's also good for snakes and other reptiles.

Down side is it has a possibility of bringing gnats. Are they dangerous to the snake??

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Gnats are utterly harmless, a minor annoyance at the worst. Safe for geckos = safe for snakes, :gj:

I usually get the zoo med new zealand moss - because I can usually get a three pack from amazon. One pack lasts me about 3 months (I go through it faster in the winter). What you got looks to be about the same

https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon....L._SL1500_.jpg

As for feeding, how are you warming the prey? I thaw mine in the fridge overnight then toss in warm water in a baggie until its about 102* and dangle it in front of him on tongs. If he's going to eat he takes it withing 30-45 seconds. I will also toss the thawed rat on top of his cage while heating the water so that the rat smell peaks his interest. Sometimes I have to brain the rat (literally cut through the skull and expose the brain) to get him interested if he's fasted for a while - this is more common in the winter when he stops eating for a month or two.

He won't touch the rat if it's wet. He used to, but now if the bag leaks I have to dry the rat off or he turns up his nose

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

Gnats are utterly harmless, a minor annoyance at the worst. Safe for geckos = safe for snakes, :gj:

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How wonderful:D Happy to hear it!
Ill order some right now:)

Thank you!

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Originally Posted by Crowfingers

As for feeding, how are you warming the prey? I thaw mine in the fridge overnight then toss in warm water in a baggie until its about 102* and dangle it in front of him on tongs. If he's going to eat he takes it withing 30-45 seconds. I will also toss the thawed rat on top of his cage while heating the water so that the rat smell peaks his interest. Sometimes I have to brain the rat (literally cut through the skull and expose the brain) to get him interested if he's fasted for a while - this is more common in the winter when he stops eating for a month or two.

He won't touch the rat if it's wet. He used to, but now if the bag leaks I have to dry the rat off or he turns up his nose

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I let it sit out of the freezer for about 30 minutes before taking one out and thawing it in hot water for 20 minutes. Then I heat it up for a couple of minutes with a hair dryer. He always takes it that way when I leave it for him- hence why I'm concerned he hasn't eaten anything

One other question, since it sounds like he's been eating regularly - how my does he weigh? I know your first post says he's three months old - so I'm assuming he's less than 200g.

I'd try braining the rat next time you feed- skip the next day he's supposed to, make him wait for 5 or so days past his usual feed day. That will also give him time to adjust to the new hides and moss since any change can throw them for a loop. Try making sure that he gets a good sense of the rat too, maybe let it thaw for an hour on top of his cage to "pre-scent" the room.

Also just a suggestion, record the gender of his meals and if he refuses them or not, after a few years I've found that mine refuses male rats far more often and has only refused a female rat twice in the past 15 months.

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Originally Posted by Crowfingers

...Also just a suggestion, record the gender of his meals and if he refuses them or not, after a few years I've found that mine refuses
male rats far more often and has only refused a female rat twice in the past 15 months.

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Now THAT'S really interesting...as a breeder of rodents, I'm well aware that the males have more odor, but I've never noticed any snakes showing a marked preference
as to gender. I no longer have BPs though...I wish I'd thought of that when I did.