My snake won't eat, help!!!

Well I got my 6-month old Ball Python 2 weeks ago and I have him in a 10-gallon glass aquarium. I got the snake from a breeder near me, he is captive breed and an established eater. Anyhow, I bought a bunch of frozen mice from Big Cheese Rodents, I thawed a couple out last night in warm water (inside a zip lock bag), and then went to feed my snake.. He just looked around at the mice, put his face up to it, sniffed it, touched it with his head, and did nothing else. I left 2 mice in his cage overnight thinking maybe he wanted to eat them in the dark, but that didn't do anything, the mice were still there this morning.. now, for the last few days, the snake has not come out of his hide box. I noticed last night that his eyes are sort of grayed out looking, maybe he is about to shed? Do these snakes usually NOT eat before a shed? Do they usually stay in their hides for a while before they shed?

I am just concerned that he didn't eat, and also concerned that if he is going to shed, my low humidity is going to be a problem. I am only able to maintain about 30-40% humidity in his cage with this overhead heat lamp and screen lid. I do mist his cage everyday but that only raises the humifity about 10% for only a short time until the lamp dries everything up again..

when should I try feeding him again? is this normal?

Do these snakes usually NOT eat before a shed? Do they usually stay in their hides for a while before they shed?


Yes and Yes

Yes, you will notice a big decrease in their activity before a shed. That's always my first indication. Then sometimes you'll see a pink belly, and the blue eyes. It's a personal and snake preference as to whether you offer food during a shed or not. I have a baby who's completely blue, but he ate last night no problem. In fact the majority of mine do eat in shed. Although I have one girl, who I don't even bother with if she's in shed since she almost never eats.

If your snake hasn't eaten, make sure your temps are correct, two hides (one on each side), and reduce any handling. If everything is ok otherwise, then just wait until the shed is finished and try again next week. :D

I am afraid he isn't going to be able to shed the right way with my low humidity 30-40%

I can't keep the humidity higher than this in that glass tank and I don't want to move him right now becasue it might make him very uneasy..

I am running about 90-94 degrees on the hot side, and around 75-80 on the cool side..

You can always try adding a humid hide to the enclosure. A small plastic container with a entry hole. Add in some damp (not dripping!) paper towels, or moss. Voila! That should help.

If the shed doesn't go well, then just be prepared to soak the snake afterward. Again get a small plastic container, fill with tepid water to about half way up the snake. Put the snake in, and close the container. Put the container back into the enclosure. Leave for 1 hour. Then gently wipe off the shed. Repeat the next day until all of the shed is off.

Oh and try and bump up those cool side temps. Try not to let it drop below 80. I have to use a space heater in my house.

:D

what's tepid water?

what if you don't wipe off all the shed, is it dangerous to the snake to have old shed on him?

Not hot, not cold. Lukewarm.

You really want to get off as much shed as possible. Retained eyecaps can cause damage if they're retained for awhile. You can also have circulatory issue if have shed that completely encircles the snake. It's best to get all the shed off. It's really not hard. Try the humid hide and soaking and you'll be fine. ;)

well just an update, last night I took the snake out of the cage, he hasn't come out of his hide for almost a week now, even at night I don't see him come out. But anyhow, I took him out and his eyes look black again, and he did not shed, so maybe he doesn't have to shed now? I don't know what the deal is, last week his eyes were like a hazed over blueish/gray, now they are normal black again. Anyhow, I put a little tub of water with a lid INSIDE his hide today. I cut a hole in the lid so he can go INTO the water if he wants. Otherwise he can just sit ONTOP of the lid in his hide ABOVE the water. As you know I am having a problem keeping my humidity above 35%. Well this morning, I look in his cage, and he was INSIDE the water containing which is INSIDE his hide.. so I guess he likes soaking in there. I also caught him drinking water the other night too...


anyhow, how often should I change this water in his hide that he is just laying in?

and when should I try feeding him again since it looks like he isn't going to shed now? he hasn't eaten for over 2 weeks now and I am getting concerned.. (he never ate for me, only ate at the breeders when I picked him up) I am trying to give him frozen/thawed and the breeder was feeding him live/just killed.. could this be why?

Dude have you done any research about ball pythons or snakes in general?

If he was in blue...he is going to shed. Their eyes go back to a "normal" color prior to shedding maybe 1-3 days after that point and they will shed...be patient.....don't keep trying to feed him leave him alone and keep the humidity up above %70 till he sheds...then try feeding heim again...

He is still in the process of shedding, their eyes clear up right before the shed. Keep misting him until he sheds, I would also wait to feed him until he has shed. Dont panic, everything will be fine. I have several ball pythons that wont eat during their shed process, but as soon as its over they are ready to start eating again.

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Originally Posted by squale

..... Anyhow, I put a little tub of water with a lid INSIDE his hide today.....

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Please explain this. If your hide is big enough to fit both a little tub of water and your snake.......it is probably too big. In order for ball pythons to feel secure, they generally need a hide that they can touch all sides and feel 'snug'. If you do have a too large of a hide, it can be one of the reasons that your snake is not feeding.

You do not need to have a hide/tub of water in the cage. A water bowl for drinking yes, but not an extra one that doubles as a hide. It's possible he just likes that hide better. Soaking is only needed if the shed is incomplete. As the others have said, the actually shedding occurs approximately 2 days after their eyes clear up. Some take a little longer, but just be patient.

the question no one has answered for you yet... how often to change the water...

the answer is daily.

it's hard being a newbie snake owner (i know i am one as well). we keep wondering if we are doing things right and worried we are going to kill the snake.

mostly importantly... if you temps are right, humidity is right, hides are small enough and you have at least two in there (one cool side, one warm side) - then your snake will start to eat.

here's what my breeder suggested when i brought dexter home:

"if you want to change to f/t - then let dexter have 3 or 4 live feedings, in his enclosure (not in a feeding box outside of his enclosure) and get settled in well before changing his food or habits."

so that's what i did and he's feeding great. never missed a meal and is eager to eat when i bring the mouse in for him. i've chosen to stay with live, but it's a personal choice really.

the other "problem" here is you are using a light to heat the tank. if you change to a UTH (under tank heating) which you can pick up at any pet store, and cover your screen lid 1/2 way with a nice warm towel or even saran wrap... your humidity will rise up. moving your water dish to the warm side, creates more evaporation, and this will also increase your humidity.

i hope some of these suggestions assist you.

in light,
aleesha

oh okay, I was not aware of that, I thought the eyes turned blue because the skin over the eyes was flaking off, and I figured once the shed was all gone, the normal eyes would come back. Can they see good when their eyes are that blueish color?

well maybe it's good he is laying in that container full of water with a lid on it now that I put in his hide.. I just wonder how often I need to clean that water if he is laying in it all day, I don't want him to get a bacteria infection or anything you know..

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Originally Posted by squale

Can they see good when their eyes are that blueish color?

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No, they are basically blind for the entire shedding process. But that doesn't matter much, because they don't have particularly good vision anyway.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by squale

well maybe it's good he is laying in that container full of water with a lid on it now that I put in his hide.

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There's actually nothing good about that at all. Excessive soaking can lead to fungal infections under the belly scales known as scale rot. Better to have a dry flakey shed than to have your ball python spending too much time soaking. I've also seen ball pythons drown by spending excessive amounts of time in containers of water with lids on top.

-adam

about the hide, picture a little clear plastic container with water in it, then a lid with a hole cut in it. Then I take a green plastic flower pot, turn it upside down and put it OVER the entire plastic water container. There is a hole cut in the green flower pot, so the snake goes into the green flower pot and can either lay ONTOP of the plastic container lid or go INSIDE the plastic container which is filled with water. Since my AP cage hasn't come yet, I figured this is the best way to increase the humidity for him. Otherwise I can't keep the humidity steadily above 35% even with misting the cage a couple times a day. But I think the hide is too big, he can't touch all sides and there is a lot of headroom in the hide, probably about 6 inches high inside..

Quote:

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Originally Posted by squale

about the hide, picture a little clear plastic container with water in it, then a lid with a hole cut in it. Then I take a green plastic flower pot, turn it upside down and put it OVER the entire plastic water container. There is a hole cut in the green flower pot, so the snake goes into the green flower pot and can either lay ONTOP of the plastic container lid or go INSIDE the plastic container which is filled with water. Since my AP cage hasn't come yet, I figured this is the best way to increase the humidity for him. Otherwise I can't keep the humidity steadily above 35% even with misting the cage a couple times a day. But I think the hide is too big, he can't touch all sides and there is a lot of headroom in the hide, probably about 6 inches high inside..

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Yup, containers with lids with holes cut in them ... a buddy of mine lost 6 ball pythons before he figured out that sometimes they panic and cannot figure out how to get out of the container and drown inside. I've been doing this a long time and seen a lot of things ... I'm not kidding you.

You're right, your hide is way to big if you can fit anything inside it besides your ball python .... and now, by putting a soaking container inside the hide you've taken away your snakes ability to choose a dry secure place to hide.

-adam

Quote:

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Originally Posted by squale

I thought the eyes turned blue because the skin over the eyes was flaking off

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Their eyes turn blue because of the fluid between the eyes and the eyecaps that are about ready to come off.

well I got home after work yesterday and he has shed in his water container hide. Then I thawed out a weenling mice in hot water and he ate it right up no problems. Now he is back in his hide digesting I suppose. How long should I wait before holding him? I have had him for 2 weeks now and last night was the first time I fed him.

48 hrs after feeding :)