Tips on stimulating feeding response

[hungba]

We've all read them online: Try pre-killed, try live, dip in chicken broth, brain it etc. etc. But what are some of the ways you would suggest I get this snake I have to eat?

I know you need to make sure that husbandry is right etc. but I really don't think that there is anything wrong as all my balls of that size are kept in the same rack and they are all kept the same with the same heating same substrate same waterbowls etc. and they all eat. This one is probably not eating because he is new, but then again its been about 2 weeks now.

The previous owner said he fed him on BOTH rats and mice. He would feed frozen thawed rats which he bred himself and froze at the right size. When he ran out, he would go out and buy live mice (because around these parts they don't often sell rats of that size) and feed that way for that week. He said he never had a problem with her feeding and I do believe him. We have mutual friends and he has had good reviews.

The snake is 788 grams, female. It is of course cold here but the room is so that the ambient is about 78 - 80F and the hot spot is 89 - 91 with flexwatt type heating.

I tried first a thawed rat which is smaller than what is usually fed to her, heated as usual and did the zombie dance with tongs, no interest. I did that again the following week, no luck. I called the guy and he said he will give me one of his rats to try live, so I tried live while closely monitoring it. She showed some interest (I think) but as soon as the rat moved she curled into a ball.

I never tried chicken broth, sounds kinda funky to me. Do you rise the rat in chicken broth and feed it wet? Do you dip the whole rodent? Or just say, the head?

When I used to keep corns, I got a lot of non feeders to eat with a trick whereby I would was the rodent in Ivory bar soap, and then wash all the soap until none is left on the rodent, but unfortunately I don't know if that works with balls and also they don't sell that brand of soap anymore here.

Also, does the smell of rodent urine increase or decrease the feeding response?

[KatStoverReptiles]

After 2 weeks, at that weight, I wouldn't be resorting to extreme measures quite yet. Monitor her weight, and when she's ready, she'll eat.

I know that doesn't put you at ease, but she's just had a very stressful experience (the move) and probably hasn't quite settled in yet.

Limit handling to cleaning only and keep offering only once week. Offering more often may stress her out more.

[kitedemon]

Time is my advise if the animal is not loosing weight and two weeks I'd just wait annother 2 before offering the weekly offering can stress them out. Pre scent the room and watch to see if the new addition is interested if it is offer if not skip and try in 3 weeks if it has not shown interest before that.

[hungba]

Time is my advise if the animal is not loosing weight and two weeks I'd just wait annother 2 before offering the weekly offering can stress them out. Pre scent the room and watch to see if the new addition is interested if it is offer if not skip and try in 3 weeks if it has not shown interest before that.

I do understand not to try extreme measures for a big snake so soon, but I thought extreme measures were like forcefeeding or assist feeding. I didn't think dipping in a little bit of chicken broth or feeding pre-killed or something like that would pose any threat to the snake if it worked and sped things along?

[RobNJ]

Sometimes the only thing you can do is wait until the snake wants to eat. Balls tend to no agree with our schedules more often than we like, but that's part of keeping them.