juvenile ball python WILL NOT EAT!!

[AbsoluteApril]

I don't know why he regurgitated the larger mouse, but when we fed him the first pinkie he ate that too, and kept it down.

It's possible the original regurge was because of the cedar, I know he kept the second one down and then you changed out the bedding (good!) but it may have caused that first one. Usual other causes of regurg would be temps too low or high, stress or disease.
The hatchling care sheet Deb posted is a really good one. I hope he starts feeding for you again.

[Craiga 01453]

It's possible the original regurge was because of the cedar, I know he kept the second one down and then you changed out the bedding (good!) but it may have caused that first one. Usual other causes of regurg would be temps too low or high, stress or disease.
The hatchling care sheet Deb posted is a really good one. I hope he starts feeding for you again.

That's a good point. Also possible that the pinkies, being mostly water with little bone and no fur were just that easy to digest that even the low temps weren't an issue.

[dextersmom]

Nobody is condescending you. We're trying to help.

But if you did enough research you'd know you MUST REGULATE ALL HEAT SOURCES with a thermostat.

Your temps wouldn't have been too low

You don't measure the temp of substrate, but the glass surface itself.

Pinkies aren't even recognized by BPs as food because they're WWWWAAAAAYYYYY too small.

Just because someone has a pet doesn't mean it's properly cared for. If this employee has a snake and didn't tell you that a thermostat is A MUST, he doesn't know what he's talking about. If he told you to feed a pinkie he doesn't know what he's talking about.

This forum mentions the "3 meals before handling" almost every day. It's in countless threads.

We have a thermostat, that's how we knew the enclosure was too cold and the bulb was too weak when the weather changed.

Also, we know pinkies are too small on a regular basis, but since he had regurgitated his mouse, and didn't have the proper amount of digestive flora in his stomach, the pinkies were meant to be a temporary solution.

Finally most of the reading I've done hasn't been in this forum... There are LOTS of resources out there and I'm trying to synthesize all of it into usable advice. I came to this forum to ask questions and get clarification.

[MissterDog]

We have a thermostat, that's how we knew the enclosure was too cold and the bulb was too weak when the weather changed.

Are you sure you're not confusing a thermoSTAT with a thermoMETER? What you're describing sounds like a thermometer which only measures your temperatures, not regulate them like a thermostat does.

[dextersmom]

It's possible the original regurge was because of the cedar, I know he kept the second one down and then you changed out the bedding (good!) but it may have caused that first one. Usual other causes of regurg would be temps too low or high, stress or disease.
The hatchling care sheet Deb posted is a really good one. I hope he starts feeding for you again.

I was actually mistaken about the original mulch we used--it was Aspen. I think his temp was too low. Agreed, excellent care sheet from Deb, wish my search results had brought it to my attention a month ago! Thank you for your well wishes!

[Craiga 01453]

I really have read all I can from the internet about how to care for this animal, and most of it came from this site. That's why I decided to post here. I thought you all would be able to help me.

Please stop condescending me, and just offer me whatever advice you have at this point.

We have a thermostat, that's how we knew the enclosure was too cold and the bulb was too weak when the weather changed.

Also, we know pinkies are too small on a regular basis, but since he had regurgitated his mouse, and didn't have the proper amount of digestive flora in his stomach, the pinkies were meant to be a temporary solution.

Finally most of the reading I've done hasn't been in this forum... There are LOTS of resources out there and I'm trying to synthesize all of it into usable advice. I came to this forum to ask questions and get clarification.

Well which is it?????? One says "most came from this site"...the other says "most of the reading I've done hasn't been in this forum"




Ok, a THERMOSTAT and a THERMOMETER are not the same thing.

A thermometer only reads the temp.
A thermostat regulates heat output. Just like in a home.

Research would have taught you that.

[dextersmom]

Are you sure you're not confusing a thermoSTAT with a thermoMETER? What you're describing sounds like a thermometer which only measures your temperatures, not regulate them like a thermostat does.

We have both. 2 hygrometer/thermometers inside, one on the cool side and one in the warm, and a thermostat hooked up to the heat lamp on the warm side.

[dextersmom]

There are so many mistakes here first NO MORE cedar it is TOXIC.

Pinkies are also not adequate for a Ball Python those are colubrid food, a BP out of the egg will get a hopper as a minimum for his first meal.

NO HANDLING until the animal has at least 3 consecutive successful meals.

Do this to a T https://ball-pythons.net/forums/show...-hatchling-101 and I mean to a T until the animals gains weight and is a strong feeder than put him in a 10 gallons tank than at 500 grams 20 gallons tank.

Also worth to go over this https://ball-pythons.net/forums/show...ips-and-Tricks because the last person you should listen to is a pet store employee.

Deborah: I read your posts linked here and still have some questions. Would you mind if I DM you?

[dextersmom]

Well which is it?????? One says "most came from this site"...the other says "most of the reading I've done hasn't been in this forum"




Ok, a THERMOSTAT and a THERMOMETER are not the same thing.

A thermometer only reads the temp.
A thermostat regulates heat output. Just like in a home.

Research would have taught you that.

My apologies for being unclear about my research... Most of the reading I did before and upon getting my BP was not in this forum. After I found this forum I read a TON of info but still had questions, which is why I posted.

Also, I clarified in another reply that I have both a thermostat and thermometers. RESEARCH taught me that I needed both so that's what I got when I brought him home.

Respectfully, please stop responding to my post. Everyone else here has been helpful, if a little curt. You however have had nothing to offer but disdain. As I tell my second graders, if you can't be kind or helpful or both, please stop talking.

[Bogertophis]

Just want to say I know how frustrating it is to be new at keeping BPs, also that "too many cooks spoil the broth" so I'll let you rely on Deborah...

For a "baby" (hatchling) BP, mouse pinkies are way too small (they can get stuck on their teeth as they try to eat them) & even a rat pink would have been too small.
Don't worry, you'll get all this...BPs are NOT easy beginner snakes, but so many are encouraged to start with them because they're docile, stay a nice size & are pretty.
They don't always tell you they need so much monitoring as to temps. & humidity, with more cage warmth than many other choices, and that while they usually eat
reliably when young, they frustrate many keepers as adults when they fast unpredictably (not always in winter) & can be very fussy eaters. Welcome to "the club".