Help! One Month Old Baby Ball Python Won't Eat

Hi there! I've perused a ton of the threads but would love any advice/recommendations on my specific situation:

I have a 4 week old Blue Eyed Lucy who I'm having some difficulty getting to eat. We got our Coral Glow from the same breeder at the same age and had no trouble getting him to eat hoppers right off the bat but every snake is different, right?! Here are the details:

• Born on 4/19, first feed with a live fuzzy on 5/5 while still with the breeder
• Tried to feed a live fuzzy on 5/12 after he was home for 5 days, he wasn't interested and his behavior showed me that he was a little stressed about a separate feeding tub
• Tried to feed f/t fuzzy on 5/15, not interested
• All seems solid with husbandry: humidity at 65%, cool side is 78 degrees, warm side at 83 degrees, hides on both sides, UHT, using a plastic tub for the next couple of months so he can feel more secure
• Haven't held him or opened his tub much at all except to adjust things for temp/humidity during the first couple of days
• His behavior has been in line with what I expect over the last 3-4 days -- chilling during the day in his hide and active at night. He does seem interested in escaping at night but this has calmed down over the last 2 nights and he's been exploring his general tub instead of moving upwards exclusively.

I've read threads about letting him settle in after checking husbandry until it becomes dangerous for him not to eat, I just don't know when I need to be really worried and/or if there are any other things I can be doing. It's been 13 days since he last ate and I'm starting to worry about malnutrition at such a young age. I don't ever worry about our 12 year old male when he goes on hunger strike for months but it seems like this is a more dire situation given his age.

Any help is greatly, greatly appreciated! Snake parenting when your little one won't eat is hard!

I would bump up his warm side a bit. 83 is a little low.
Also, are you feeding live or f/t?

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Thanks! I'll try that. He's eaten a live fuzzy with the breeder. I tried a live fuzzy and then when that didn't work I tried a f/t 5 days later.

The breeder did you no favors by rehoming this snake so young. Most won't send one to a new home until after it has taken three consecutive meals.

Why are you moving the snake to feed it? Ball pythons can be shy feeders, babies doubly so until they are established. Feed it where it lives and don't bother with a separate tub for feeding. Put the fuzzy in the tub at dusk and don't check the snake again until morning; a live fuzzy isn't old enough to hurt your snake.

A little low? Warm side needs to be 90. Cold side 80. Do you have a thermostat to regulate temperatures? Ditch the separate feeding tub- those have proven to be counterproductive.

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Originally Posted by vivi

A little low? Warm side needs to be 90.

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A small tub for hatchlings can be difficult to get a proper gradient when the warm side is 90*F. Usually they're run at 78-80*F low and 86-87*F high.

Yeah, this is where I'm at now.

I'm starting to realize that now. We didn't get our other ball from him until he was 2 months old and didn't realize unfortunately.

And thank you, I will try that. I had read some things about feeding in a separate designated tub to prevent tank aggression so we've always done this with our other two balls but, as you mentioned, this one is much younger and it's probably very unsettling. I really appreciate the help!

Tank aggression due to feeding in the home enclosure is a myth. In fact, you are more likely to get bit if you feed your snake in a separate tub because it will associate being picked up with being fed, which is the last thing you want.

Keepers with a large collection feed in the enclosure for convenience.

Keepers who have giant snakes such as reticulated pythons, burmese pythons, or anacondas, feed in the enclosure to avoid ER visits.

Keepers who have venomous snakes feed in the enclosure to avoid trips to the ER or morgue.

I have a few adult retics that are 14-16 feet long. My biggest female is 100+ pounds. Every one of them is fed in the enclosure. None are enclosure aggressive.

Now, you are more than welcome to come to my place, pull any one of them out of the enclosure to feed it, and then put it back afterward. I just get all rights to the video footage because it's going on YouTube.

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Originally Posted by christineho

Hi there! I've perused a ton of the threads but would love any advice/recommendations on my specific situation:

I have a 4 week old Blue Eyed Lucy who I'm having some difficulty getting to eat. We got our Coral Glow from the same breeder at the same age and had no trouble getting him to eat hoppers right off the bat but every snake is different, right?! Here are the details:

• Born on 4/19, first feed with a live fuzzy on 5/5 while still with the breeder
• Tried to feed a live fuzzy on 5/12 after he was home for 5 days, he wasn't interested and his behavior showed me that he was a little stressed about a separate feeding tub
• Tried to feed f/t fuzzy on 5/15, not interested
• All seems solid with husbandry: humidity at 65%, cool side is 78 degrees, warm side at 83 degrees, hides on both sides, UHT, using a plastic tub for the next couple of months so he can feel more secure
• Haven't held him or opened his tub much at all except to adjust things for temp/humidity during the first couple of days
• His behavior has been in line with what I expect over the last 3-4 days -- chilling during the day in his hide and active at night. He does seem interested in escaping at night but this has calmed down over the last 2 nights and he's been exploring his general tub instead of moving upwards exclusively.

I've read threads about letting him settle in after checking husbandry until it becomes dangerous for him not to eat, I just don't know when I need to be really worried and/or if there are any other things I can be doing. It's been 13 days since he last ate and I'm starting to worry about malnutrition at such a young age. I don't ever worry about our 12 year old male when he goes on hunger strike for months but it seems like this is a more dire situation given his age.

Any help is greatly, greatly appreciated! Snake parenting when your little one won't eat is hard!

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I’ve sent you details of the hairdryer method ... by PM


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I missed the hatchling part- thanks bcr. I'm surprised the breeder rehomed you a BP that young.

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Originally Posted by bcr229

Tank aggression due to feeding in the home enclosure is a myth. In fact, you are more likely to get bit if you feed your snake in a separate tub because it will associate being picked up with being fed, which is the last thing you want.

Keepers with a large collection feed in the enclosure for convenience.

Keepers who have giant snakes such as reticulated pythons, burmese pythons, or anacondas, feed in the enclosure to avoid ER visits.

Keepers who have venomous snakes feed in the enclosure to avoid trips to the ER or morgue.

I have a few adult retics that are 14-16 feet long. My biggest female is 100+ pounds. Every one of them is fed in the enclosure. None are enclosure aggressive.

Now, you are more than welcome to come to my place, pull any one of them out of the enclosure to feed it, and then put it back afterward. I just get all rights to the video footage because it's going on YouTube.

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This is great info. I think I'll keep my arms intact and feed in the enclosure from now on :)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by bcr229

Tank aggression due to feeding in the home enclosure is a myth. In fact, you are more likely to get bit if you feed your snake in a separate tub because it will associate being picked up with being fed, which is the last thing you want.

Keepers with a large collection feed in the enclosure for convenience.

Keepers who have giant snakes such as reticulated pythons, burmese pythons, or anacondas, feed in the enclosure to avoid ER visits.

Keepers who have venomous snakes feed in the enclosure to avoid trips to the ER or morgue.

I have a few adult retics that are 14-16 feet long. My biggest female is 100+ pounds. Every one of them is fed in the enclosure. None are enclosure aggressive.

Now, you are more than welcome to come to my place, pull any one of them out of the enclosure to feed it, and then put it back afterward. I just get all rights to the video footage because it's going on YouTube.

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:rofl::rofl::rofl:

I couldn't agree more. Ditch the idea of feeding in a separate tub...the handling alone, before feeding a snake, can easily put them off feeding.

Psst: our snakes are wild animals that rely on their instincts to survive, & the only thing that picks them up in the wild is a predator about to EAT them! Not very appetizing if you're a frightened little snake, is it?

I've been keeping all kinds of snakes for decades, all fed where they live, & they're quite good at being handled without biting me. To avoid bites, you only need to understand how to communicate to a snake that it's not feeding time, using their best senses (which differs some among species, not all have heat sensing pits).

Quote:

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Originally Posted by bcr229

Tank aggression due to feeding in the home enclosure is a myth. In fact, you are more likely to get bit if you feed your snake in a separate tub because it will associate being picked up with being fed, which is the last thing you want.

Keepers with a large collection feed in the enclosure for convenience.

Keepers who have giant snakes such as reticulated pythons, burmese pythons, or anacondas, feed in the enclosure to avoid ER visits.

Keepers who have venomous snakes feed in the enclosure to avoid trips to the ER or morgue.

I have a few adult retics that are 14-16 feet long. My biggest female is 100+ pounds. Every one of them is fed in the enclosure. None are enclosure aggressive.

Now, you are more than welcome to come to my place, pull any one of them out of the enclosure to feed it, and then put it back afterward. I just get all rights to the video footage because it's going on YouTube.

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One of the best replies to date regarding seperate feeding tubs. :gj:

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Originally Posted by Craiga 01453

One of the best replies to date regarding seperate feeding tubs. :gj:

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Yes, I think I'll be quoting it...:D

Some snakes are scared & put off eating when handled...but THEN they grow UP, & there's a whole different issue, LOL> :snake2:

Let's face it that animal should have never been sold (too young, and not well established enough) but what is done is done.

DO this to a T and I mean a T no picking and choosing what you like or what is convenient.

https://ball-pythons.net/forums/show...-hatchling-101

An update: bumped the warm side up a couple of degrees and fed a live fuzzy in his enclosure -- he ate within 10 minutes! Thank y'all so much!

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Originally Posted by christineho

An update: bumped the warm side up a couple of degrees and fed a live fuzzy in his enclosure -- he ate within 10 minutes! Thank y'all so much!

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Congratulations! Now take it slow...don't be in any rush to handle this snake until AFTER he's eating regularly & without refusals for "a while". We normally say at least 3 meals, but this guy is so young, I'd recommend that you double it, because the breeder should have fed him 3 times ALSO, before allowing him to go to a new home. So pretend he's in "ICU" (intensive care unit) & I think he'll be fine. Hope so...:gj:

I've both bred snakes & acquired some that others bred...some just take some extra "TLC" (ie. care) to thrive. Keep an eye on those temperatures, it matters a lot for ball pythons.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

Congratulations! Now take it slow...don't be in any rush to handle this snake until AFTER he's eating regularly & without refusals for "a while". We normally say at least 3 meals, but this guy is so young, I'd recommend that you double it, because the breeder should have fed him 3 times ALSO, before allowing him to go to a new home. So pretend he's in "ICU" (intensive care unit) & I think he'll be fine. Hope so...:gj:

I've both bred snakes & acquired some that others bred...some just take some extra "TLC" (ie. care) to thrive. Keep an eye on those temperatures, it matters a lot for ball pythons.

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Absolutely! Going to let him settle in for at least 4-5 more feedings :)