Need some feeding advice

[NYDragon]

Hi! I got a baby pastel ball python about 4 weeks ago. And he has yet to eat for me. I know balls are notorious for being fussy but since he is so young I'm nervous about him not eating anything. I've tried mice (fuzzies and sm mice) and rat pups, all f/t. I've left him overnight with them in his cage and in a covered deli. I even tried to assist feed which I didn't really want to do but even so, he just sat there with it in his mouth for 10 mins and then spit it out. He's in a 10g. Temps are 92 on the hot side and 80-84 on the cool end. Humidity is anywhere from 45 to 70 depending on when I mist it or change the substrate. He on cypress mulch, two identical hides. I've got 3 sides and the top partly covered. I measure with an Acurite thermometer and have a uth with thermostat. I think I covered everything If not, let me know.

I'm just worried cause he is a pretty tiny guy. I'm pretty sure he's hungry bc he's cruisin the tank every night. According to the breeder, he was eating f/t (hopefully they were telling me the truth ) so I would really really not want to give live if possible. Thanks for any advice anyone could give me!

[Sammy412]

If he hasn't eaten in 4 weeks, he needs to eat. Some babies take f/t, some do not. Some will, then won't, then will again. I would offer a live rat pup. Also, not sure what size living quarters you have, but balls prefer small spaces. I usually start my babies out in shoeboxes. You may have to move him to something smaller to feed him, so he can't hide from the food. It's OK to leave a rat pup in overnight.

[Alexandra V]

It sounds like you're doing everything right and that he's hungry. Maybe you just need to try pre-scenting the room to get him into feeding mode?

I usually do this by thawing out the prey and then warming it up with a hair dryer in the same room as the tank, because it really releases the scent well. My bp has never gone off feed, but ever since I started warming the mice up with the hair dryer, he goes berzerk about his food.

Let me know how he does!

[AkHerps]

You need to try live if blowdrying the f/t to heat it up doesn't work.

After maybe 5 live feeds you can try switching to f/t, but you don't want to starve babies, you can do that with an adult, force them to get hungry enough to try and take f/t, but this can be very bad with young snakes.

People say babies won't starve themselves, but they will if they do not see f/t as edible food.

[NYDragon]

Ok, well after the failed assist-feeding attempt I had left the rat pup in with him. I just blow dried the rat pup for 5 mins and put it and the bp in a small deli and wrapped that in a towel. All he did was strike at me/rat pup as I put it in the deli but I think it was a defensive strike How many days should I wait to offer food again if he doesn't take it tonight? Just my luck, he'll be a bp that insists on live food. That's the only thing I've ever dreaded with owning snakes lol

[NYDragon]

You need to try live if blowdrying the f/t to heat it up doesn't work.

After maybe 5 live feeds you can try switching to f/t, but you don't want to starve babies, you can do that with an adult, force them to get hungry enough to try and take f/t, but this can be very bad with young snakes.

People say babies won't starve themselves, but they will if they do not see f/t as edible food.

That's what I'm nervous about. His hunger strike has gone on to long. My GB King has gone about 4 weeks without eating too but I'm not too concerned about her. She's not growing like a baby is. These snakes are going to give me an ulcer!

[zina10]

That's what I'm nervous about. His hunger strike has gone on to long. My GB King has gone about 4 weeks without eating too but I'm not too concerned about her. She's not growing like a baby is. These snakes are going to give me an ulcer!

I have gotten some pretty stubborn snakes to eat. I think one of your problems might be that you move him to eat. First you handle him by putting him in a deli cup, then you are sticking the food item with him, where he knows he cannot get away from it, if need be.

Basically he is stressed and doesn't feel safe. He will not eat unless he feels safe, I've always found that to be a big factor.

I would leave him alone for a few days, no trying to feed, esp. not assist feed. After that wait for a time when he is in his hide, in the evening before he starts cruising. Then put a live rat fuzzy or pup in the opening of his hide and LEAVE. Let him find his food and eat where he feels safe. Make sure there are no distractions.

About not wanting to feed live, I understand. But right now its about the snake, you got him and you are responsible for him. You have to do what is right for him, he can't do it for himself. Hopefully, once he is eating well, you can work on switching him back to F/T.

Good luck !

[NYDragon]

Put a live rat fuzzy or pup in the opening of his hide and LEAVE. Let him find his food and eat where he feels safe. Make sure there are no distractions.

I did try this also but with a f/t and a prekilled (and a bloody prekilled at that). I left it there overnight with him again. He just pushes it out of the way and then goes to cruisin around I wake up in the morning just to find the rat pushed to the side of the hide a bit.

I will feed live if I have to. I wouldn't let him suffer, trust me I just thought I would go through all the tricks first before I went to live. I just hope that if I give him a live rat pup he eats it. For his sake and mine I had to have the guys at the store kill the rat pups for me. Not easy being a vegetarian snake owner but I'll do what I have to lol

[zina10]

The problem with that is that such small food items pre-killed or frozen thawed, cool VERY quickly. And if you heat them up to hot, well, its a problem too.
Unless he takes them pretty much immediately, they will be cold within minutes.

Try live for now, then you can work your way up to FT

[don15681]

a hatchling that strikes usually eats. and I never had a snake that strikes not eat. the ones that shy away are the ones hard sometimes to get started. get him to eat live for you first after your snake ate 3 times, then give him a freshly killed rodent that he ate 3 times live. this is a step between live and f/t. after he ate them a few times, move on to f/t. you might have to use tweeters and do the mouse dance. when snakes eat they look for movement, smell, and heat from the rodent. some snakes don't require all 3. also a 10 gallon tank is pretty big, when most breeders keep them in 6 qt tubs. I would go to walmart, by a 6 qt sterilite shoe box they are 94 cents. place a few air holes in it, paper towel and a water bowl in it. place the tub 1/3 on the heat, then you need to recheck heat in 6 qt tub. place snake and lid on the tub. offer live every 3 days. good luck don