Help with feeding!

[BpShelly]

Good morning to all !


Newbie here, please read all. help with feeding alignment


I have a pastel calico spider ball python she’s a baby. I received her from underground reptiles.
according to them, she is eating live/ft hopper mice. My temps are 88-91 , cool side and humidity are normal in range.


I got her on Jan.24th 2019. gave her 5days to be comfortable with her new home. she’s super super GENTLY, no signs of stress, very curious little thing.


she refused eating on the 7th day. (I learned it was because she was going into shed bc her eyes changed to cloudy). 14 days later, she finally shed . how long after shedding should I wait to offer her food? I tried to feed her the day she shedded but she refused it.


ALSO!! how hot(temperature) should I be defrosting the Frozen Hopper mice? I believe I might be slightly doing it wrong. the mice are on the warm side. should it be more hotter ?


Thank You in advance!

[SquirmyPug]

I feed right after they shed. To thaw mice and rats, I like to put them in a bag with something heavy. Then let them thaw in a sink of warm water (not hot). The heavy object in the bag just helps keep the rodent submerged. A while later you squeeze the rodent to make sure it's thawed completely and it's as warm as the water currently. After that I drain the water and fill the sink with water that's just warm enough that it feels hot to me. Let the rodent warm around 10-20 minutes depending on the size and then feed to the snake.

This is just how I do it, I'm sure others have different ways they like to do it.

[Treeman]

Everyone has their own method of preparing the rodents. Some just let that out and then heat with a hairdryer or heat lamp, some use hot water with the rodent in a sealed bag, some don’t use a bag. Whatever you use, the rodent should be pretty warm to the touch, as ball pythons use their heat pits to track the heat signature given off by live prey, and you want to simulate that for F/T. However, some ball pythons will easily switch from live food to frozen thawed, and others won’t, so keep that in mind.


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[Zincubus]

Sooooo.....

There's loads of good advice above ....

My way never fails for me ... if it's gonna eat that is.
Some will fast , I had one who didn't eat for 9 months !

It's a real good sign that yours shows interest in the food !!

I let the mice /rats thaw in the snake room ..

I then feed in the evening , dim lighting , wait until it's well settled under a hide .

I have the viv door open then get the rat in the tongs and blast with a hairdryer for ten seconds then INSTANTLY dangle the mouse in front of the hide entrance .. they usually take it first time but if not simply give it another hot blast and hang it on front of the entrance again .. if there is so much as a tongue flick I just continue until they grab it .

If it shows ZERO interest then I leave for a week .






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[BpShelly]

Thank you all for the helpful tips! will be trying them.

and That’s my issue, she isn’t interested in the mice. from food to living arrangements she’s living like a goddess. she’s just not “hungry”, in her case. but as a human, I am concerned for her health. she dropped one gram. when I present her with the mice she sticks her toungue out and goes about her day.
I’m only concerned b/c I was told snakes as young as mines ( approximately 2 months) should eat once a week.

can babies go long (slightly long) without eating, as compared to adults. not drastically like a 2month or year, but Days, few weeks.

[SquirmyPug]

I forgot to mention, when I start heating to the final temperature I take the box/ bag that the rodents come in and put it on top of the cage. That little bit of rodent smell gets them interested.

[e_nigma]

I use the hot water bath to warm and then use the hairdryer before giving it the ole' hangman's jig, have not had my BP refuse a meal yet.

[BpShelly]

Quick update, Once again she refused to eat. I did some of the tips and tricks that was advised. I guess she’s not “hungry”. any suggestions as to when to offer her food again? 3days? 2? week? I don’t want to stress her out dangling food in her face.