New adult ball python not eating - losing weight.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by B.P.'s 4me

Thank you for that, good to know. :-) Also, a quick question regarding the "car ride" treatment. Aprox. how long after the car ride might I try feeding him again - or could I expect that he might be out of his hide and "hunting" rather than spending most of this time hiding as he is now. Thank you for your help, I really appreciate it. :)

---

I usually wait anywhere between 3 to 7 days before offering.

Hopefully a combination of all those things will work if not, it is still a good size male and I would not be overly worried.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by B.P.'s 4me

... or could I expect that he might be out of his hide and "hunting" rather than spending most of this time hiding as he is now. Thank you for your help, I really appreciate it. :)

---

BP's that are "out hunting" are generally stressed, & NOT actually hunting. BPs are ambush-predators, & most prefer to grab prey that appears to be cluelessly passing by their "hide"; it's also generally a turn-off if the prey appears too bold & appears to come AT them, so avoid that mistake too. Wild rodents don't "volunteer" to be dinner. ;) A BP that is roaming their cage will seldom accept dinner, because instinctively they feel too exposed to their own potential predators. Wait until evening, lower the lights, don't be too obvious with your presence, and if you see his face looking out of his hide, it's a good time to try feeding him.

I bought 2 adult ball pythons and it took the pastel about 3 months before he would eat anything, stressing me out. I did end up trying to jump start him a bit at the end of 3 months (because it was more than 10 years ago and the advice was different back then. I wouldn't do that now.) But after that he was the solid eater and the other ball python slowed down his eating.

So I wouldn't fret too much.

It might also be worth asking the previous owner if you still have contact with her what her temps were, enclosure size. Sometimes people keep higher temps or a different enclosure size from what the snake is used to. I usually disclose the enclosure size, the humidity and temps at point of sale along with lineage, etc to help the new owner and also check the enclosure they are supposed to go in via pictures. (To avoid resellers... and people who say, but I'm getting a UTH next week).

If you can get that information, it might ease the transition? Some ball pythons, in my experience can be a bit fussy. Like one hates aspen, though I've had him from birth. He always kicks it to the side, which caused his RSI--once his RSI was cured, he was back to eating--he kicked aside the forest Floor too, but that doesn't have dust. Another doesn't like the forest floor and prefers the aspen. *eyeroll* And another is fussier than the rest on humidity. ONLY when the humidity goes back up to the range she likes, does she eat. So it might help to get that info if you didn't ask in the first place. I'm gradually going to see if I can move them to bioactive set ups though. So given the options, it's not bad to ask and double check.