Worried for my baby ball?

I just got a newer ball python, her name is Mie. She is probably a couple months old, supposedly only had a few feedings in her and she was rather small when I got her, only about 58 grams, however she hasn't eaten for me the last two weeks and I'm trying everything. I've switched up the sizes I've offered her, I've tried feeding her different times of night, I've put her in a smaller enclosure for a night to see if she felt more comfortable, I've tried just leaving the thawed mouse for a few hours in case she is shy, nothing. I do frozen/thawed, which she has always had, but nothing is working and I'm getting worried. I know they can go weeks without food, but I'm newer to snakes and she doesn't seem like she has much weight to lose in the first place. She's already dropped to 41 grams and is triangulated, but I'm not sure if live mice are the way to go? I've never done live before and I'm not sure what it entails? Any help would be appreciated!

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Originally Posted by Meredithm115

I just got a newer ball python, her name is Mie. She is probably a couple months old, supposedly only had a few feedings in her and she was rather small when I got her, only about 58 grams, however she hasn't eaten for me the last two weeks and I'm trying everything. I've switched up the sizes I've offered her, I've tried feeding her different times of night, I've put her in a smaller enclosure for a night to see if she felt more comfortable, I've tried just leaving the thawed mouse for a few hours in case she is shy, nothing. I do frozen/thawed, which she has always had, but nothing is working and I'm getting worried. I know they can go weeks without food, but I'm newer to snakes and she doesn't seem like she has much weight to lose in the first place. She's already dropped to 41 grams and is triangulated, but I'm not sure if live mice are the way to go? I've never done live before and I'm not sure what it entails? Any help would be appreciated!

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I know people are going to tell you on here to do all kind of stuff to make sure prey is warm and what not but in my opinion you should try a live mouse immediately.. If the snake isn't showing signs of being sick otherwise... That snake has lost almost 50% of its bodyweight and thats never good. What size tank are you keeping it in? As far as a live feeding goes, you buy the mouse and drop it in.. They will do the rest... You can just watch the mouse to make sure it doesn't bite into the snake and give it something to bite on but I have never run into this issue after MULTIPLE, MULTIPLE live feedings...

Knowing you had limited experience you should never have take on an animal so small, but what is done is done, however now it is VERY IMPORTANT that you do this https://ball-pythons.net/forums/show...-hatchling-101 to a T and I mean a T

Hatchling that are barely out of the eggs cannot and should not go out weeks without food with their new owner, it's a vicious circle and if you don't get them to eat for you soon as they arrive it only get worse.

And yes for an hatchling it is a lot of weight to lose considering they hatch at 45 to 65 grams on average.

She's in a 10 gallon right now, and I had her in a 3 gallon for a night when I attempted a smaller tank. I can try live, I'm just not sure what I will do if that doesn't work. I've seen videos of assist feeding but I've never done it before, so hopefully this will work. Someone told me to that offering her to many chances to feed within a week will just stress her out more? Any idea if there is truth to that? The last thing I want to do is stress her more!

I do have one snake I've had for about a year and I think she was about 3 months when I got her, and she is now almost a year old, but she was never a picky eater for me. I now realize that that young is too young, and I'll email who I got her from!

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Originally Posted by Meredithm115

She's in a 10 gallon right now, and I had her in a 3 gallon for a night when I attempted a smaller tank. I can try live, I'm just not sure what I will do if that doesn't work. I've seen videos of assist feeding but I've never done it before, so hopefully this will work. Someone told me to that offering her to many chances to feed within a week will just stress her out more? Any idea if there is truth to that? The last thing I want to do is stress her more!

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For starters do what Deborah said to a T and don't waver... And yes... Constantly dangling something in there he/she doesn't want is going to stress it out more... Get it in the set up Deb talked about and give it a couple days and try a live mouse...

I will! I just want her to be happy and healthy! Thanks so much guys!

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Originally Posted by Meredithm115

I do have one snake I've had for about a year and I think she was about 3 months when I got her, and she is now almost a year old, but she was never a picky eater for me. I now realize that that young is too young, and I'll email who I got her from!

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It's not too young... When they are kept in the right environment they eat like vacuums at that age... A breeder should never sell you an animal that is off food since it was hatched.. Setting you up to fail in my opinion. They should have a minimum of their first shed and three meals... When you change them from breeder racks to these big open tanks its stresses them out... I will be honest with you too.. Most breeders will tell you they are on FT and the more realistic scenarios is they aren't. I have had very little success with hatchlings and first meal(s)being FT.. Just because they are captive bred doesn't mean they come out used to frozen thawed rodents.. You have to get that snake up to a healthy weight before you even consider switching back..

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Originally Posted by Meredithm115

I will! I just want her to be happy and healthy! Thanks so much guys!

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Good deal! I know it will be hard to leave it alone as well but you have to. Get it in that set up and don't open until you drop a mouse in.. Keep us updated!

Baby girl ate! It took 20 mins and I had to remove her hide to get her to notice the mouse, but she ate! Not sure if I should wait a full week for next feed or just a 4-5 days because I want her to gain that weight back? Any suggestions?

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Originally Posted by Meredithm115

Baby girl ate! It took 20 mins and I had to remove her hide to get her to notice the mouse, but she ate! Not sure if I should wait a full week for next feed or just a 4-5 days because I want her to gain that weight back? Any suggestions?

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Yay! :dance:You cannot rush weight gain...they can only digest so fast, & will regurgitate & be UNABLE to eat for several weeks IF that happens (in other words, a set back!).

What size mouse did you feed? Best to wait NOT less than 5 days (if fuzzy) and 7 days is best (if a hopper). The bigger the prey, the longer digestion takes. Easy does it.

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Originally Posted by Meredithm115

Baby girl ate! It took 20 mins and I had to remove her hide to get her to notice the mouse, but she ate! Not sure if I should wait a full week for next feed or just a 4-5 days because I want her to gain that weight back? Any suggestions?

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Wow .. you got lucky ... removing the hide usually results in a no feed situation . Many Royals ( the majority I’d say ) will ONLY strike feed from under their hides .

I feed evenings, dim lighting, dangle a warm ( hairdryer) mouse /rat in front of the hide entrance - don’t blink ;)


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I fed a smaller fuzzy since she is so small, although she probably could have take a small hopper, I'll try that next week! I did try with the hide at first but she stayed tucked in it and simply did not want to come out to see the mouse and I was desperate enough that I quickly removed it and then the mouse disappeared 15 mins later! Thank you all for your help, hopefully this will start a trend and she will get back on track, quickly :)

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Originally Posted by Meredithm115

I fed a smaller fuzzy since she is so small, although she probably could have take a small hopper, I'll try that next week! I did try with the hide at first but she stayed tucked in it and simply did not want to come out to see the mouse and I was desperate enough that I quickly removed it and then the mouse disappeared 15 mins later! Thank you all for your help, hopefully this will start a trend and she will get back on track, quickly :)

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Was this a live feeding on a fuzzy rat? If the snake ate a live fuzzy rat I definitely would stick with rats.. Going to a hopper mouse would be going backwards.. Glad she ate. Did you get her in a smaller container?

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Originally Posted by Moose84

Was this a live feeding on a fuzzy rat? If the snake ate a live fuzzy rat I definitely would stick with rats.. Going to a hopper mouse would be going backwards.. Glad she ate. Did you get her in a smaller container?

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OP is talking about mice.

I've only ever fed F/T mice, but tried live this time bc I was desperate for her honest and she was only 41g. I've always been afraid to try rats bc someone told me a story of upping sizes too quickly, splitting their snakes side, and killing it :( so I'm a bit paranoid

And yes, put her in a 6qt with small hide and water!

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Originally Posted by Moose84

I know people are going to tell you on here to do all kind of stuff to make sure prey is warm and what not but in my opinion you should try a live mouse immediately.. If the snake isn't showing signs of being sick otherwise... That snake has lost almost 50% of its bodyweight and thats never good. What size tank are you keeping it in? As far as a live feeding goes, you buy the mouse and drop it in.. They will do the rest... You can just watch the mouse to make sure it doesn't bite into the snake and give it something to bite on but I have never run into this issue after MULTIPLE, MULTIPLE live feedings...

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Well moose looks like this worked like a charm!!

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Originally Posted by Meredithm115

I fed a smaller fuzzy since she is so small, although she probably could have take a small hopper, I'll try that next week! I did try with the hide at first but she stayed tucked in it and simply did not want to come out to see the mouse and I was desperate enough that I quickly removed it and then the mouse disappeared 15 mins later! Thank you all for your help, hopefully this will start a trend and she will get back on track, quickly :)

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Being a live mouse the it might have eventually entered the hide sniffing around. Next time, and I would stick to live for now, I would just wait it out and see if the mouse goes into the hide or maybe your snake will eventually come out. But moving the hide is usually a bad idea. It scares the snake and puts it into flight mode instead of eating mode. You lucked out. Most the time that will scare them enough to make them not eat. Patience is a virtue remember, so I would try to be patient and let nature work it's work. Next week I would feed in the evening in low light, which is perhaps what you did do.

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Originally Posted by Meredithm115

I've only ever fed F/T mice, but tried live this time bc I was desperate for her honest and she was only 41g. I've always been afraid to try rats bc someone told me a story of upping sizes too quickly, splitting their snakes side, and killing it :( so I'm a bit paranoid

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It's critical right now to keep this snake EATING, so you need to keep doing what has worked for now...no changes.

It would take a massively-oversized meal to "split a snake's side" & kill it...:O Not saying it's impossible, but either this was a tall tale designed to scare you, or else they
really shouldn't own pets (I'm assuming either massive ignorance about keeping snakes or a deliberate & cruel "experiment" to see what would happen if...)

If you stick to either the feeding charts onsite, or, don't feed any prey that's larger than the snake's widest part mid-body (a little less than is best) you'll have no problem.

But don't try changing to rats now...they smell and taste different so your snake may refuse them. Stick to mice for now, & live if needed. This snake needs to eat.