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  1. #11
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    Re: New Ball Python Not Feeding

    I don't think it is a shed cycle because she's looked the same since I got her, and being a black eyed lucy her eyes have yet to "go into blue". As for the towel technique I can try that, but the placement of her tub is in a small "closet" in the dark with a majority of the time (a small fan nearby to regulate airflow and humidity) so I'm not sure if would be any different than how I have her now.

    As far as stress goes I'm at a loss because the first week or so she was not at all active and much like a "pet rock", and she's only been this active after I've made slight changes to better her enclosure (better temps, humidity, clutter/hiding locations).

  2. #12
    Registered User Quahog's Avatar
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    Ah I see, and can imagine how frustrating this is . Hmmmm, crud, there are some awesome people on here. Hopefully they see this thread and can offer better advice. Sorry you're going through this !!!

  3. #13
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    Re: New Ball Python Not Feeding

    No problem, but thanks for your input!

  4. #14
    BPnet Veteran SDA's Avatar
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    Have you talked to the breeder? Did you get a feeding history and whether they were on frozen or live? They should be able to give advice on how well this one fed before selling it. That is they were a reputable breeder and not just flipping it.
    1.0 ♂ 2010 Spider BP 'Dante'
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  5. #15
    Telling it like it is! Stewart_Reptiles's Avatar
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    1 I would drop the temp to 88 max

    Second I would offer a live, unless the animal was feeding on F/T prior to you acquiring it (and I mean consistent) the animal needs to eat first before being switched. If the animal was eating rats offer rats if it was eating mice offer mouse.

    It is very important to feed the same type prey while the animal is adjusting it makes switching once well established a lot easier.
    Deborah Stewart


  6. #16
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    Re: New Ball Python Not Feeding

    The breeder himself was Garrick over at Royal Constrictor Designs and prior to purchasing I was in contact with him multiple times about the specific animal (I am in no way blaming him as I know he is a very reputable breeder and cares about his animals, and this is all about the individual snake): he told me she was fed on live hoppers prior to purchasing, and I had asked him if he thought she would do good on frozen feeders (as frozen is more accessible for me). The next scheduled feeding he had with her he offered her a thawed hopper and told me she ate it without hesitation and had no doubt she would do fine on thawed. He also gave me a very informative care sheet in an email once she was shipped. I have yet to contact him with these concerns as I can blame the two prior non-feedings on likely new-homing stress, and I am still trying things on his care list that could possibly help me out (like trying a live feeding).

    Should I still attempt feeding with the live pinky rat I picked up, even though it isn't a small hopper mouse? At the store when I was asking about live feeders they were unsure about having live mice feeders at the time but knew they had pinky rats, so I went with the pinky rat never bothered to ask about hoppers because I had read that trying different food types was a potential way to get picky eaters to eventually eat.

  7. #17
    Telling it like it is! Stewart_Reptiles's Avatar
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    he told me she was fed on live hoppers prior to purchasing,
    This is what you need to offer for the next 3 to 5 feeding, trying to switch prey type when you just acquired a snake is counter productive, have the snake eating for you and then revisit the switching element and when you do so it's one step at the time either live to f/t and then mice to rat or vice versa.

    Never assume that it will be easy to switch an animal to another prey type, yes it can be done but some may take longer than other and attempting while the animal is trying to adjust is only complicating things.

    Once an animal eats the same prey type 5 times consecutively you can then consider the animal switched.
    Deborah Stewart


  8. The Following User Says Thank You to Stewart_Reptiles For This Useful Post:

    BPSnakeLady (10-22-2017)

  9. #18
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    Re: New Ball Python Not Feeding

    Good news!

    Against my better judgement with your advice I still did offer the rat pinky to see what would happen and for two hours she was not interested in it and was sitting in one corner of her tub, and the pinky had actually crawled into her hide. I moved the pinky out and while doing that she curled into the "S" striking shape, so I slid her under her hide and placed the pinky out in front. A couple seconds later, she poked her head out and struck and got it!

    From here on out should I continue to feed her live pinky rats for the next few weeks until she's on a schedule, and then if I want switch to frozen thawed?

  10. #19
    BPnet Senior Member Sunnieskys's Avatar
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    Yep I would
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  11. #20
    BPnet Royalty Zincubus's Avatar
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    Re: New Ball Python Not Feeding

    Quote Originally Posted by LilDiabeetus View Post
    Good news!

    Against my better judgement with your advice I still did offer the rat pinky to see what would happen and for two hours she was not interested in it and was sitting in one corner of her tub, and the pinky had actually crawled into her hide. I moved the pinky out and while doing that she curled into the "S" striking shape, so I slid her under her hide and placed the pinky out in front. A couple seconds later, she poked her head out and struck and got it!

    From here on out should I continue to feed her live pinky rats for the next few weeks until she's on a schedule, and then if I want switch to frozen thawed?
    If / when you do switch to thawed frozen just ensure that they are WARM when offered ( a blast with a hairdryer then offer immediately) - rarely fails in my experience.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro




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