What is my ball python trying to tell me ??

[6037201]

So I got my male Mojave ball python last wendsday, he's my first snake too. Anyway, so I asked the staff when is the feeding schedule and what do you feed it? So he said its going to be on Saturday and small adult mice. So I was like great took him home. My hot side temp is at constant 90F, and cold side is low 80F but when it comes at night both temp is going to drop a little. I don't live somewhere that's super cold at night so the temps don't drop that much. And here is what I want to know, I ordered 50 packs of small adult mice online but the order doesn't get here until Thursday, but in the same time I don't wanna starve him so I went to petsmart bought him small rat. When I first time offered it to him, he wasn't interested and when I was trying to use rodent to touch his body he got real scared. So then I felt the rodent in the tub for half of hour see if he would eat it. But no so I had to throw it away(I didn't know you could leave it in there for over night waste of money for me lol). So I was like maybe he doesn't recognize the rat as food and it only eats mice, or probably hes under stress cuz I just got him not too long ago and the time I was feeding him was in afternoon maybe it wasn't late enough for him. So couple days after, I went to the reptile store to ask for advice, and the person was like we feed our snakes with both rat and mice just depends on the size, and he said that majority of ball pythons eat both of them its going to be rare if one only eats rat or mice. He also tells me that once its thawed throw it under the heat lamp for 5 mins to warm it up, and I showed him a picture of my snake and he was like "from the picture I could definity tell you he was eating really good" and if he continue not to eat for the next couple weeks bring him back. After that I was thinking maybe I should try again tonight, because I had this feeling he's gonna eat tonight. So I waited until 11pm thawed the rat and put it under the heat lamp, I wiggled in front of him and again he got scared and went back to hide. So I was like I'm just gonna leave it in there for over night since I know I could. So the next morning I woke up and it was gone! I was thrilled !!!! So here comes my question, is my ball python scared of me or he prefer me to leave the food in there so he could eat alone? So apparently, he eats both mice and rat and that's really good! because I don't have to switch him anyway. And here's a sidenote, everytime I pick him up he would make noises and buff up he obviously don't want me to pick him up.

[tttaylorrr]

WELCOME TO THE FORUM! lemme try and dissect this paragraph...

"So I got my male Mojave ball python last wendsday..."

"...So he said its going to be on Saturday"

for new snakes, you should give them 5 days to a week to adjust to their new environment. that means no feeding, no handling, minimal enclosure check-ups. my newest girl took almost 3 weeks to adjust and start eating.

"...and small adult mice."
"...so I went to petsmart bought him small rat."

there is a HUGE difference between the size of an adult mouse and a small rat. are you sure you have those sizes correct?

he said that majority of ball pythons eat both of them its going to be rare if one only eats rat or mice.

this is false. most keepers feed rats due to their higher nutrient content. every now and then we see a snake who's a "mouser" but most keepers will try and get them to switch over to rats.

He also tells me that once its thawed throw it under the heat lamp for 5 mins to warm it up, and I showed him a picture of my snake and he was like "from the picture I could definity tell you he was eating really good" and if he continue not to eat for the next couple weeks bring him back.

most people hit the head with a hairdryer to warm it up so the snake believes it's alive. also, if he was "eating really good" then i wouldn't worry about waiting for your feeders to come in.

So here comes my question, is my ball python scared of me or he prefer me to leave the food in there so he could eat alone?

he's probably still adjusting to his new environment. i'd give him more time to settle in (no handling), feed him in the next 5 to 7 days and you should start seeing strikes soon enough.

[JodanOrNoDan]

Make sure you check this caresheet out to make sure everything is the way it should be. As far as the "attitude" the snake is giving you, you need to leave him alone for a week and let him adjust to his new home. You bought a lot of mice. He is going to outgrow them before you can feed them all, so you are going to end up double feeding. It is much better for you to have the animal eating rats because they come in the right sizes and it is cheaper. If you feed that many mice, he may develop a preference and you are stuck feeding multiple mice for the next 30 years.

Ah.. Taylor beat me to it....

[Oxylepy]

Welcome to Ball Pythons, they're awkward.

First of all, it sounds like you're using a heat lamp. Consider upgrading to either heat tape or a heat mat. In either case you need a thermostat controlling it. Ball pythons don't bask.

Secondly, don't handle your snake for a week or so, ignore that it exists. I always tell people when they first get a snake to take any photo ops immediately when you get it home. Any checking on the snake can just be added to the stress of getting it home. After that, leave it alone. Don't even look at it, just look at your pictures of it. It needs to get used to its surroundings, and become comfortable. After this you introduce food.

As for feeding it, thaw it out however you like (personally I just let them warm to room temperature by leaving them out for a few hours), then warm the rodent up with your light for about 5 minutes, focus the light on its head if possible, as this suggests a spot for the snake to strike. Try not to bake the rodent by forgetting it.

[sneksNferts]

Are you putting the rodent in the cage or trying to feed from forceps? Mine used to run away from anything I tried to feed him from the hemostats. His first time feeding with me, I left the mouse overnight in front of whichever hide he was in at the time. When I got up in the morning, it was gone. The next few times I had to leave it in there but he'd come out a few minutes later and snatch it up. Now I just have to dangle it in front of him for a few seconds and he'll snap it right off the hemostat.

[6037201]

Yeah, I'm just gonna let him alone for a week. Since he ate and I'm happy about it. And yes, I'm sure about the small rat size because I can see there's small bulge in his belly. For the mice I ordered, I'm not sure because again it was online a web called BIGCHESSEFACOTRY. Because I'm first time snake keeper so I probably make mistakes and such. and for the high nutrition content of rat I mean since he eats both of them next time I would just order it again I guess, do you think I can feed mice and rat together so he grows bigger but in the same time I don't waste any mice. Together I mean two prey together is that too much for him to digest?

[6037201]

Welcome to Ball Pythons, they're awkward.

First of all, it sounds like you're using a heat lamp. Consider upgrading to either heat tape or a heat mat. In either case you need a thermostat controlling it. Ball pythons don't bask.

Secondly, don't handle your snake for a week or so, ignore that it exists. I always tell people when they first get a snake to take any photo ops immediately when you get it home. Any checking on the snake can just be added to the stress of getting it home. After that, leave it alone. Don't even look at it, just look at your pictures of it. It needs to get used to its surroundings, and become comfortable. After this you introduce food.

As for feeding it, thaw it out however you like (personally I just let them warm to room temperature by leaving them out for a few hours), then warm the rodent up with your light for about 5 minutes, focus the light on its head if possible, as this suggests a spot for the snake to strike. Try not to bake the rodent by forgetting it.

I have both undertank heating pad and a heat lamp.

[6037201]

Are you putting the rodent in the cage or trying to feed from forceps? Mine used to run away from anything I tried to feed him from the hemostats. His first time feeding with me, I left the mouse overnight in front of whichever hide he was in at the time. When I got up in the morning, it was gone. The next few times I had to leave it in there but he'd come out a few minutes later and snatch it up. Now I just have to dangle it in front of him for a few seconds and he'll snap it right off the hemostat.

I just grab the rat with forceps

[tttaylorrr]

I have both undertank heating pad and a heat lamp.

how do you regulate your heat sources? ALL sources of heat MUST be regulated by a thermoSTAT.

[6037201]

how do you regulate your heat sources? ALL sources of heat MUST be regulated by a thermoSTAT.

I have 2 thermostats in there, and also another one for humidity.