Feeding questions?

[Maggie9178]

My son (who is 12) and I recently "adopted" a 2 1/2 year old female ball python.
She's wonderful, so friendly! I'm psyched about my son's interest in potentially collecting snakes! I'm down for the ride to learn how to care.
We brought her home Christmas eve, and her previous owner stated she ate, and has no problem feeding at all. She must have eaten, because a few days ago there was feces.
Her previous owner stated he feeds her every Tuesday, with no issue.
Well so far, we have had issues. She hasn't eaten. So I guess I'm questioning when should I start to worry? Or am I being a worry wart already? I'm trying to do all the research possible, as is he, even before we decided to adopt a snake.
Any advice is greatly appreciated!

[Eric Alan]

Rather than reinvent the wheel, here is a good post on this exact subject: https://jkrballstreetjournal.com/201...-eating-again/. I hope it helps!

Best regards,
Eric

EDIT: And another: http://ballpythonbreeder.com/2014/08...thon-appetite/.

[Yzmasmom]

Generally, leave new snakes along for an entire week - aside from water changes and spot cleaning - even skipping the first weeks' meal.

After a week, try feeding the way the previous owners did - same prey, same size, same method, (ex: rat, small, frozen/thawed.)

If it refuses, leave it alone and try again the following week. (Offering too often when they refuse causes stress.)

Once she has taken at least 3 successful and consecutive meals, wait 48 hours after the last meal and you can begin to handle her.

[Maggie9178]

Very helpful, thank you!
She opened her mouth to tonight's frozen rat, but then moved away so I gave her some space and left the room.
I would like to feed live rats, however in Ohio pet stores do not sell rats anymore (I work for a major chain) so I've been feeding her the frozen rat pups that her previous owner fed her.

[zina10]

whoa.

Rat pups to a 2 1/2 year old ?

That seems way to small of a meal. Either the food is to small, or the snake has been somewhat stunted due to not feeding enough/big enough.

Can you post pictures of the snake and the set up ? Your temps ?

First you have to get your husbandry spot on. Heat, humidity and VERY importantly...privacy. Not to big of a space, not to open. Hides.
Then the snake should be left alone (no handling, other then emergency) UNTIL it eats. It needs to calm down after the stress of moving. A snake that doesn't feel safe, will not eat.

There is no problem feeding frozen thawed. I prefer it, for the safety of my snakes and to prevent internal/external parasites to be transferred to my snakes. Other people prefer live. But since you cannot get live, frozen thawed is not the problem. Make sure the meal is completely thawed out and WARM enough.

Offer the food, and then leave it with him in privacy (dark, in the hide) Don't watch.

But like others said, for now, give him at least a solid week without handling and in an enclosure with some privacy.

Please post pictures, rat pups is what I feed hatchlings (babies). He might be small, though, if the former owner didn't feed enough..

[Maggie9178]

I'm at work until 9:30, but after I get home I'll post pictures of the set up.
With that being said, please be kind with your words if I have a few things off, or not up to standard, I'm learning. And I have a few extra tanks if I need to change anything, or if the one she has isn't adequate.
Her warm side of her tank reads 85-87°, cold side never seems drops below 74, we also use digital probe like thermometers for each side, they're left in the terrarium 24/7. Humidity seems to fluctuate between 56-58%. That's one I'm actually struggling with maintaining a steady humidity. So I'll be purchasing the "monsoon mister" set up to use. It has a timer on it to turn on after so many hours, most for however many minutes/ seconds you set it too, and hopefully that will help make it more steady.
The bag of rats I was given, one bag says pups, the other bag says weaning? The weaning rats look a tad bigger, I've tried giving her one of those too with no luck. But I do believe we sell large adult size rats at my work, should I try that too once my husbandry is just right? I'm so scared she's going to starve.
We have not been holding her since her first unsuccessful feeding, only when necessary (like filling/cleaning her water bowl that she likes to wrap around).
Also, the previous owner also used a snake rack indeed of a terrarium set up, could that be another reason she's having such a hard time adjusting?
Thank you all so much for your help so far!

[zina10]

We all started out sometime, so do not worry about that...the fact you are here to learn shows how much you care!

First of all..Ball Pythons can go off feeding for a long time and still be alright. So no worries there.

Once we see pictures of her, we can help you with the food size. It all depends on how much the former owner fed and how big the snake is.

If the snake was used to a rack/tub and is now in a cage, that can certainly explain her reluctancy to eat. That is a big change for her. There is a lot you can do to make a tank more private, though.you can use black contact paper (or other paper) on the outside of the tank to black out the sides and back. Then cover the top with foil for added privacy from above. That will also help with humidity. I don't think you will need a mister. That might end up stressing the snake out even more with that coming on every few hours.

You should be able to get the humidity up with the right substrate and keeping the top covered. As well as using the right heat source. Lights dry out the air as well as stress a snake that was used to more privacy.

You will get it all figured out. If the snake is healthy, she can go a long time without eating and still be just fine. You will have many more years with that beautiful creature. Just tweak the setup and the rest will work out ☺️

[Coluber42]

First of all, your snake is not going to starve that quickly. If she is skinny/under fed obviously she has less reserves, but even still, they are built to go long periods without eating and their metabolism in between meals is very low. Not eating while she adjusts is probably more stressful for you than for her.

Your temperatures sound a bit on the low side, but your humidity is fine. Insulating the tank on three sides with cardboard, foam, whatever, will probably help and will make her feel more secure, too.

If she was in a rack before and now she's in a tank, that could be one reason she's having a hard time adjusting. There is basically nothing in her environment that is the least bit familiar to her, at all. When I add so much as one new hide, my ball python will barely go near it for days or even a few weeks; it takes ages before he'll actually go into it. And that's when everything else doesn't change!
And in a rack, she has probably never had so much chance to see the world outside her enclosure through the glass, either. So there's just a TON of new stimuli.
If you know what kind of bowl, hide, substrate, etc, she had at her old home, you can try giving her those (in addition to what she has now - it's pretty hard to clutter up a BP cage too much) even if you plan on changing them later. You can also cover the front of the tank with cardboard so she can't see out. You don't have to leave it that way forever, just until she's more used to her new environment.

And especially make sure the tank is covered and she can't see you when you're feeding her. You can still peek around the edges. But a BP is pretty vulnerable when it's eating, so if it thinks any potential predators are watching, it won't eat. Some snakes prefer to be left alone in the dark with their food; with others that won't work because they only register it as food if it is 100 degrees and moving, so you pretty much have to warm it and then wiggle it o the end of tongs.

There's lots of good info on this site; just be patient and don't freak out.

[Maggie9178]

What's everyone's suggestion on substrate? I am currently using the shredded alpine bedding, but I also have a terrarium liner at home too. What helps the best with humidity?

[zina10]

Grow It Coco Coir mix is great for holding humidity.
Also doesn't usually harbor any wood mites or creepy crawlys.

There is a company that markets it for reptiles as well, but you pay some more for the name. Basically it is "coco" substrate. A mix of the thicker pieces and fiber/dirt. If you get only the "dirt" it compacts a lot more and it won't hold humidity as long.

ReptiChip is another brand name for the same stuff. You don't want just the coarse or just the loose stuff. The "mix" is best..

The cage shouldn't also be so humid that the sides stay wet. You want a nice humidity but only need to crank it "way" up when the snake goes into shed. That is when you can mist such a substrate a little heavier and it will provide high humidity for a few days. You don't want the bottom wet all the time and all over, or you could then invite "scale rot".