Normal Behavior ?

[Melluns07]

Good Morning Everyone,

I got my first ball python about 4 weeks ago. Below I am going to list all of the info before I state my concern:

BP: 95 grams 16" Baby, sex is unknown

Enclosure: 10 Gallon aquarium screen top with 1/3 covered in foil. Half Log hide on hot side and artificial plant hide w/ climbing branch wedged in (he loves this one) Tank is covered in a wrap and in a desk that has wood on both flanks.

Heating: 1 x 10 gallon Zilla UTH w/ Jump Start Digital Thermostat, 65 Watt Infrared Bulb (I only use this to lower humidity if it gets to high or to use for light to feed him at night, I live in Texas and it has been crazy humid this year)

Thermometers: 1 x Thermometer/Hydrometer Dual Analog, 1 x Digital Dual Thermometer/Hydrometer w/probe, 1 x Digital Thermometer w/probe for a total of 3 thermometers and 2 hydrometers.

Thermometer Placement: The dual analog is in the center of the tank about 3/4" of the way up. The Dual Digital probe is also in the center of the tank closer to the substrate with the wire running through the velcro on the dual analog to secure it. The probe for the thermostat has been taped to the glass underneath the substrate (I do not know why people say you should put the probe between the UTH and the glass, this will create a small pocket of air and will give a false reading as it will get hotter there, the glass will be the same temp as the UTH and it is more accurate) The probe to the final digital thermometer is just barely under the substrate surface in his hot hide to give me surface temps. I also have an IR temp gun that is CRAZY inaccurate (DO NOT GET THE NAT GEO BRAND)

Temperatures/Humidity: UTH Thermostat is set to 94 degrees giving me surface temps on his hot spot between 86-89 degrees, ambient air temps are 77-82 degrees, humidity ranges from 55-62% and 70% during shedding.

Concern: I got him 4 weeks ago on Thursday the 29th , by Saturday the first of July I could tell he was hungry and offered him a f/t 19 gram mouse and he took it instantly. He then started a shed right around the 2nd and finished it on the 14th. His shed was beautiful, all one piece the only problem was I found it a little too late and it was very dry and could not unroll it but it was all there and I only had to remove about 1/2" of stuck shed on his tail. I offered him food knowing he was probably very hungry and he would not eat. The following day I took him to the vet for just a routine check up and to make sure he is healthy, vet said all looked well. It is now the 21st...as of the following dates I have only gotten him to eat a pinky...and it was literally smaller than his head so I know it did not even dent his stomach. I have also noticed now that he is climbing like crazy !! I cant explain it he literally found a way to wedge himself up on the top lateral edge of the tank, I have no idea how he does it as there is nothing for him to wedge into, and he keeps falling. I am worried since he is a baby he is going to hit that log and possible break ribs. Should I be concerned? This really starts right when I get home from work and go in my office, every time he will be in his hide with his head laying out of the hide a little on the substrate hill I made in front of the entrance (to make it feel more closed off) But right at about 5:50-6:10 he will come out and just start cruising all over the place and I mean all over the place, he has even gotten on top of the dual analog gauge and made a ball around it . I know his temps and humidity are good as his shed was all one piece. Also the fact that this will be week 3 with no food...I have been monitoring his weight and last night he went down 1 gram from 95 to 94. I know a happy ball python is a hiding one and my GF is there all day while I am working and she says he always stays in his hide. It is literally when I get home around sunset that he gets all active, I thought those urges don't come out until the sun is completely down and it is dark? I also during the second week of his fast offered him a live mouse fuzzy and he didnt want it. When I first feed him this is how he was acting, he was cruising and flicking his tongue like crazy. I am afraid now that he has seen a live one he knows what I am offering him is dead. Last night I offered him a nice and warm 19 gram mouse and he went right up to it in strike mode...forked it a couple of times and pulled his head back very fast and just stared at me...I swear I got the feeling he was like: "Dafuq you trying to feed me" What do you all think? Is this a husbandry issue? Is the jig up on F/T since he has seen a live one. There are multiple possibilities it seems.

[JodanOrNoDan]

As to husbandry issues, you can go back through the sticky and check everything off and see if you are missing something.

As to feeding there are a million possibilities...

The top ones are, prey not heated enough....
Wrong size (don't think this applies right now)
Wants another type of animal
Wants live..

I can tell you what I do. Right now I have well around 50 animals plus who knows how many babies. They are hatching almost daily at this point. The only animals that are ever fed mice are first time feed babies and then only if they have refused a rat. After the first meal it is always FT rats. Some require live for the first few meals. Most do not. I have zero animals permanently on mice. The only time I feed live in my permanent collection is after females lay and some of my boys when they should be coming off a food strike. The live food jump starts their feeding response. New snakes that I have brought in will be fed live sometimes for the same reason. I want them eating consistently before trying FT.

I say get the animal feeding then worry about FT. His behavior points to hunger.

[Melluns07]

Thanks for the help !

What size rat should I be giving him ? The ONLY place around me that sells live showed me a rat pup and it was way to big, rat pinky maybe ?