1yr old ball python tricky transition to f/t food. Need advice/information

UPDATE: SUCCESS!!

I am over the moon right now! After trying again on Tuesday (a week after his tank was cleaned and I changed out the aspen for coconut fiber), he didn't want to eat the weaned rat I had for him. I found another reptile/pet store in the area, albeit a bit more of a drive, and asked for a rat pup and some gerbil and mouse bedding. While the gerbil bedding had just been replaced and wasn't scented all too much the mouse stuff was. This ended up pointless, however, because upon warming the rat with a hair dryer after thawing he ended up eating! He gave it a quick look over before ever so silently snapping at the rat and devouring it. I stood back so as to not scare him and he appears to have finished it off without issue!

After eating he was still pretty active for a while, though. He spent the next little while hovering at the glass and the top of the tank as he usually does before retreating to his cold hut to contently watch as I cleaned up.

I'm going to give him a couple weeks of following through with feedings hopefully just like this one. I will continue to update this thread.

For now, I'd just like to thank every one of you that has helped me with this problem. Thank you all for being so welcoming, supportive, and patient with a newbie like me.

Congrats! It's an amazing feeling when things finally work out.

UPDATE: Another win for the books!

My boy ate for the second week in a row! I am so happy! He put on a lot more of a show for me this time in his process.

I'll update this thread next week about the third feeding in a row, but then I'll let this thread rest.

Thanks again, everyone!

UPDATE: Week 3 is a success!

My boy was quite active tonight before I fed him, possibly in anticipation. This was great to see as he has been hiding away in his warm hide more than he had previously. I'm hoping he's just finally a little more content with his surroundings, unless anyone has anything else that may be the cause.

Either way, he (after seeming more jumpy than usual in my presence) decided to eat his rat. This time he inspected it for a while and placed his head on the neck of the rat repeatedly and gave it a thorough look-over. This was strange, and I wonder if he was just feeling for heat/movement? He then took the slowest bite I have ever seen a snake take of a meal. It was comically slow for a snake, and it seemed to be one side of his mouth at a time. Quite the difference from last week where he struck at it fast enough to give me a decent jump.

So I guess that concludes this tale. I sound like a broken record again, but thank you to everyone that helped me out. I hope this thread finds its way to someone else who might benefit from it and learn something just as I have.

Until next time,
DJKFOUR

Excellent news ... especially if he’s ‘drop feeding’ as well !!


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