Ball Python feeding

[BrandonPythons]

Ball python is around 8 months old and I've had him for 5 months, I tried feeding him today and for some reason he didn't eat, he's never gone off food so I'm really confused (I did move house 4 weeks ago but he ate fine up until today).


Ambient temperature: 77-82
Hot spot: 85-89 (regulated by thermostat)
Humidity: 60-75

[Bogertophis]

When did he last shed? Snakes often start refusing food before any signs of impending shed can be seen by us...they can apparently feel it coming.

[BrandonPythons]

I cant remember the exact date but I'd say maybe 1.5-2 months ago I'm honestly not sure because I was moving house and been very busy

[VereMyth]

He's a ball python missing one feeding is not that unusual. Did you try the hair dryer method?

How do you normally feed? Switching up how the meal comes can throw them off too. I know that some of my balls are readily accepting to just dropping the rodent in dead. But some of the others don't hit the drops and have to be "Danced." with tongs.

[BrandonPythons]

I leave it them at room temperature for a couple hours and then either I'll try and dangle it and see if he strikes, sometimes he strikes but most times I end up leaving it and he will eat it after. Only thing I did differently that time was use a different container to leave them to defrost in

[Stewart_Reptiles]

1 meal is not the end of the world, that's what they do, considering they are overfed in captivity skipping a meal here and there is actually a good thing

[BrandonPythons]

Yeah, I was just afraid it might turn into missing more meals. He did urinate and have a poop right before he fed but I cleaned him about before i fed him

[BrandonPythons]

Thank you guys for all the help 😊 much appreciated. I have been keeping 2 BPs for about a year+ Now but this is the first time ones gone off food

[Bogertophis]

He's young & due for a shed, IMO. Wait a week & check his eyes...bet they're cloudy.

[ballpythonsrock2]

I leave it them at room temperature for a couple hours and then either I'll try and dangle it and see if he strikes, sometimes he strikes but most times I end up leaving it and he will eat it after. Only thing I did differently that time was use a different container to leave them to defrost in

After leaving them out for a couple hours which is what I do also and you want to make sure the belly is good and soft. I even lay them out belly upward. But then I heat the feeder up with a hair dryer or heat lamp even. With the heat lamp you want to heat it belly down with the face close to the light, and keep a close eye on it with a infrared temp gun. It can get it up to 100 degree's quickly and that's high enough, 90's would be ok.
With a hair dryer I heat it up into the higher 80's and that really helps to get them to want it. Also during thaw I put the feeder on top of the enclosure which is a screen so by the time they thaw the snake is like a horse in a racing gate with fork in hand. Didn't sound like you where doing the heat up after thaw. That might really help you to do that rather than just thaw and present or lay out.

Also do you dangle by the tail? This will cause more misses. I would instead grab the feeder by the mid back with tweezers and make it walk sideways in front of the opening (that is if your snake doesn't come rushing out to eat) this technique will make it seem more like a live feeder. Usually works if they are hungry.